Paintings With Soul

"Blue," an 8x10 acrylic painting done on museum quality cradeled birch. Blue is going directly into my own collection, but I can create something similar starring your own pet. Inquiries may come   to me   - thank you! Continuing to think about how gesture impacts brushwork, and how brushwork can both carve and interrupt form. Learning that the essence of an object exists in energy that is not contained by neat and clean edges. Going to tackle a new piece today and see how far I can push these ideas. Thanks, as always, for following along with my art journey, Warmly, Kim

      "Toby"," 8" x 10", commissioned dog portrait of a Sheltie, private collection (THANK YOU!)!!   In process pics of Toby can be found on  the studio Facebook page , along with links to other things I deem interesting. Stuff like other artists, beautiful artwork, exhibitions, books, process specific, the business of art, inspirations and music.   Inquiries about getting a portrait similar to Toby's starring your own companion can come  to me  - I am nearly booked full for the holidays, but I am happy to put together a personalized gift certificate!   Fondly, Kim, who's delighted to have power and internet and kids who went to school today, and is praying for all those who are not as fortunate. No kidding, peeps, I hope you are all safe and warm and dry and not at risk for losing any of those things. ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com    

"Shelby," 6" x 8", commissioned Sheltie portrait of a beloved and missed friend, acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (thank you!). Inquiries may always come to me . Shelby was in his senior years when adopted by my clients. He graced them with his presence for only a short time, but that time was drenched with love. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com PS Want a great gift this holiday season? Then order either one of the Painting a Dog a Day books - they are gorgeous summaries of the Dog a Day paintings. Painting a Dog a Day - the First Year covers 2006-2007, and That's 14 in Dog Years covers 2008. Information on how to order each book is on the Painting a Dog a Day blog and the studio website .

"Double Trouble (Max and Jake)," 8" x 16", sheltie dog portraits , acrylic on canvasboard. I haven't yet heard from my client, so there is always the possibility that this piece could be available. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Max and Jake's family is involved in rescue and fostering, similar to yesterday's story. My client told me that "....once bitten by Sheltie Fever, you only want more!" That's quite a motto! (and one that will make my husband steer clear of shelties - he's constantly paranoid that I'm looking for ways to sneak animals into the fold.) Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Mention Best Friends at the time that you book your dog-a-day portrait, and 10% of your purchase will be donated to their fund. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends and famil...

"Buster," 6" x 12", commissioned border collie portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Yesterday I mentioned the token border collie who held his own amidst a cloud of jack russells. What better breed to fill those shoes? Here's today's question: is Buster contemplating how to get the herd of terriers off the woodpile and to the back door as quickly as possible? Or is there a frisbee dangled just outside the picture frame (he has been known to mourn alongside trash cans which hold the remains of old discs). The best part of all about this painting is that it is intended for my clients' son. He is a soldier having weathered 2 tours of duty in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan. Buster helped this brave man maintain a healthy outlook while overseas, and now he will have a piece of his dog with him at all times, no matter what the conditions. With a drastic shift of gears, congratulations and welcome to new collector Annie Crow for her ...

"Bailey (Border Collie Study)," 6x8, commissioned border collie pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). I enjoyed painting Bailey's face - the expressive eyes in that vast white mask framed by dark ears. With all the color around her (pool in background, and greenery and brickwork at her feet), there was a lot of bounce happening. I imagined the scene in my head, her entire body, and how it fit into her surroundings. There was light bouncing from the water, carrying teal up into the shadows. There also was the orange of the pavers glinting off her lower jowls. And some green picked up in her chin. And because my light source was yellow filtered by leaves (green), the shadows carried a lot of blue and violet. If you spend some time studying real objects (not photographs), you'll start to notice some of the things I've mentioned above. That nothing exists completely on it's own - it picks up color and light from it's surroun...

“Winnie’s Smile,” 6” x 8”, mixed breed pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (thank you very much). I had so much fun with Katie today, painting her was like painting an old friend. When I stepped back to squint down at and view what I thought might be the final version of the painting, I discovered (duh!) that Katie bears a remarkable resemblance to my cattle dog Finnigan. She has a similar bone structure to her face, although it’s a little longer. They also share that same relaxed expression, and yet I bet if a magic word were said (“walk” or maybe “play”) she would bounce into immediate hyperdrive. Thank you to new collector Denise Gillen who purchased three favorites from the dog-a-day archives yesterday. Welcome to the group, Denise! For those of you who may not be receiving your daily dose of the dog-a-days, it has come to my attention that if you just re-subscribe, the problem is fixed. Gotta love that! The signup option is available at the top of the blog p...

“In Flight,” 8” x 16”, (my) Australian cattle dog/blue heeler portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $160. I’m really tempted to keep this piece for myself, but being as I have what seems like two dozen paintings of Finnigan already and can always paint him again when the mood strikes, inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. People always comment on how disciplined and organized I must be in order to pull off the whole Painting a Dog a Day project, but then days like this one roll around, where I am busy scrambling to get various show applications completed by their deadline, and then, “DUH!”, realizing that I haven’t finished my entries for an online show that I’m coordinating. So that’s what you get today – my third and final entry for the Canine Art Guild’s “Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun” online exhibition (scheduled to “open” on August 1st). Among a few other neuroses, Finnigan has a serious Frisbee disorder. Thankfully there’s a horde of willing neighbor kids who l...

Today’s piece is a tribute of sorts to our faithful old companions. You know the ones. Their tails wag a bit more slowly than they used to, the hips no longer wiggling in synch. They groan a little when they scramble to their feet, but they are always willing to go for a walk. Their eyes are clouded and out of focus, yet they still follow your movements. Their chin rests a bit more heavily on your knee than before, but they find the same pleasure in a quiet ear rub. “Old Friend (Border Collie Study),” 8” x 8”, acrylic dog portrait on canvasboard. This painting isn’t for sale - I’ve offered it to a friend in the hopes that it captures the spirit of her much loved Maggie. And a big thank you to my father, who despite having a gazillion of my paintings already, now officially has a gazillion and one. He’s taken Cooper’s painting, the Brittany Spaniel study from last Friday, and added it to his collection. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends an...

This is my Finnigan, who takes snowflake chasing very seriously. So much so that he often comes in from even the briefest jaunt literally caked with the stuff. This winter the snow shovel has become as great a toy as the Frisbee. Finn’s usually intense “throw it for me NOW” face changes completely when his eyebrows have furred with snow and he’s grown icicle whiskers. Here is “Cattle (Snow) Dog,” 6x8, acrylic on canvasboard. Finn’s merled coloring is always a challenge to paint, and combined with the falling flakes and chunks of ice, there’s a lot of surface activity here. To simplify that aspect, I restricted the background to layers of blue and lavender, with the strongest and purest color concentrated in his eyes and nose. Much of the brushwork was done with a #1 liner, in transparent glazes. It’s a great piece to let your eyes travel across. This painting is going directly on my wall, so sorry, but it’s not for sale. But I could paint your dog playing in the snow. It’s as easy as s...

After years of begging, this was what our kids found under our tree two years back, just a couple of weeks before Christmas. Their reaction was great – not the expected “We got a dog!! We got a dog!!” squeals, but a tentative and confused inquiry – “Mom, why is there a puppy in the house?” Christened “Finnigan,” but now answering to a host of (usually) endearing names, this blue heeler pup has grown up and worked himself into our family dynamic quite well. I never tire of painting him, as his coloring gives me an excuse to dive into the blues and pinks and really play with brushwork and texture. This piece is 4x6, and not for sale. As soon as it dries, it’ll get wrapped up for Evan, my 9 year old, who moonlights as Finni’s partner in crime. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family. Happy Holidays everyone!! Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingado...