Paintings With Soul

    At Peace (Gracie May), 12" x 18", depicting our neighbor's dog. I started this painting at my Dragon on the Lake demo in August of this year - it was a hot and windy day, which led to a little excitement as I painted with one hand steadying the canvas on my easel. Today Gracie made it to my studio easel for the finishing touches. This painting can be yours for $639. Inquiries may come  to me .     On any given day I can peek out my studio window and catch a glimpse of Gracie May sunning herself at her home across the street. Usually with a shoe nearby.   A rescued dog, Gracie's of uncertain ancestry - she's much taller and lighter boned than a typical lab, but has their sweet disposition and fondness for cookies. Lumpy and stiff with arthritis, her tail thumps upon your approach and she rolls for a good belly rub.   If I'm especially lucky, she'll get up, drop her head, wiggle her butt, and howl with anticipation when ...

      "Gettin' Jiggy"," 11" x 16", portrait of a mixed breed dog playing in shallow waters, done in acrylic on museum quality panel, $609 to the first one  asking nicely . Check out the detail of Jiggy's face below!!   This was my assignment - to create a painting using only color temperature - not value differences - to define depth of field. I started the piece yesterday - posted an in-process image to  my blog , and multiple jpgs to  the studio Facebook page .   It was absurdly difficult, and I know I can get better at this, but in the meanwhile, can you see me doing cartwheels?   Kim, who enjoys celebrating little victories ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com      

      "Driftwood," 12" x 16", portrait of a black lab mix, done in acrylic on museum quality panel, $629. This painting needs a home - if you think yours is the right fit, just  let me know !   In process pics of "Driftwood" are on  my studio Facebook page  inside the Mobile Uploads folder - I worked on this one over the course of two days, so scroll all the way back to see it from the very beginning.   Continuing the debate between balancing commissioned with non-commissioned works - yes, the former pays the bills, but the latter enables the former. It's an interesting Catch 22.   Enjoy, Kim, who is very excited to play with her own ideas in addition to playing with the remaining commission scheduled for this week ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   PS   Warm thanks to those of you offering yesterday's painting  "Smile"  a home - my client loved the piece, so it's spoken...

    "Silly Goose," 10" square, acrylic on museum quality panel, depicting a chocolate lab splashing in the lake, $539. In process pics are on  the studio Facebook page . Meanwhile, imquiries may come  to me .   I really should have worked on a commission today. I'm pretty far behind (and my apologies to those of you who are oh so patiently waiting).   But some days I just can't do them, no matter how high they are stacked. Or how many chips I eat. And between last nite and this afternoon, I consumed an entire bag. Kid you not.   Some days I gotta paint just for me.    Fondly, Kim, who needs to get better at making time for her own muse without feeling guilty as heck. But eating that bag of chips compounded the guilt 1000 times over. ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com