Paintings With Soul

"T Rex," Toy #19, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite. This painting features a Schleich plastic dinosaur, freshly grown in our Dinosaur Garden. This painting is $75, including shipping inside the US. Purchasing is as simple as  asking . SOLD (THANK YOU!) Yes, you read that right. We have a dinosaur garden. It's a perennial one, self sows/reseeds every year underneath some giant hostas and magical foxgloves. It is home to Grandpa Toad (he's a very happy, very large toad) and his descendants, along with a collection of tiny dinosaurs and dragons that co-exist quite nicely. Kids always ask where we got our dinosaur garden. But it came with our house, so I'm not sure where to tell them to get one of their own. But I have heard, if you make a comfy dinosaur nest, you might entice one to move in and start up his/her own commune. Please note, there is a difference between making a dinosaur nest and a warm bed for feral cats. Make sure...

"Cowboy's Ride," Toy #19, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite. This painting features a small plastic horse - perhaps from some sort of game? He bears no stamp or manufacture's id. His painting is $75, including shipping inside the US. Purchasing is as simple as  asking . The Party's Over.... Re-entry is tough. I came home last night, and started on laundry and other neglected tasks (like email!). By midday today, suitcases were unpacked and all put away. Sigh.  Already looking forward to next year! And figuring out when I can sit and edit my photos from New York. And what sorts of paintings they will inspire. And also thinking about September, and Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days pledge . Care to join us? Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, All my best, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com The 100 Toys Album

"Finger Puppet I," 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, painted from the army of finger puppet guardians that watch over my studio entryway. This painting is $75, with free shipping inside the US. Purchasing is as simple as  asking . Another Year Older But am I wiser? that is the bigger question. (Today is my birthday) This year included soul searching and digging deep as I worked on making sense of the losses and heartache encountered in the previous 18 months. I have not figured it out, nor have I gotten one inch closer to understanding much other than teenagers and their mood swings (secret - it's all about full bellies, because, seriously, people, hangry (hungry+angry) can be dangerous). But I am learning to step towards what terrifies me the most (like my baby being in high school), to trust in the universe (there HAS to be a bigger reason we have a curtain and wallpaper eating cat in our household), and to linger more ful...

You can download the desktop calendar file   directly from my website . I've set up a couple different ways to do this, either via the photo album or a direct link. I am not an expert on operating systems, so if you don't know how to change your desktop wallpaper, please don't email me - I will indubitably steer you wrong. Your computer's help files will be more concise, more knowledgeable and more responsive than I could ever hope to be.  I've sized this to fit a standard screen height of 768 - I realize there are lots of variables that could impact how the file displays on your screen. Let me know if, once you get the file installed, there are display quality issues (keep in mind, too, that options such as "stretching to fit," "tiling" and "cropping" will impact your display, so check those first!).   Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork,   Kim

"New Year's Queen," 12" x 16", Golden acrylics on an Ampersand Gessobord, depicting a vintage doll head accessorized with Salvation Army treasures. She can be yours for $768, which includes shipping and handling inside the continental US - inquiries may come  to me . Please and thank you! Yes, she's been beheaded, but that won't stop her. This Queen is stepping out proudly, with her love beads and tiara, and she is going to rule 2015. Carrying on with studies from  Vianna Szabo's workshop last month, and inspired by some of the brush and edgework seen first hand at the DIA yesterday , I am starting the year out strong, pushing forward, trying new things and taking notes along the way. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork! Happy holidays! Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Armed & Dangerous," 10" square, acrylics on museum quality panel, featuring a lime green dollar store squirt gun, $539 to the first  asking nicely  . It's wonderful to get away, but it's also wonderful to come back home. Especially when "getting back home" means dinners with my kids, long walks with the dog, and quality time with my paints. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Kim

"Princess Playmobil," 5" x 15", acrylics on museum quality panel, heralding from my kids' stash of Playmobil toys, $99 to the first  asking nicely  . I'm working out logistics of placement of my still life setup, it's proximity to my easel, and how to best manage dramatic lighting for the setup but even lighting for my workspace.  On top of the whole painting process, there's a science to building the visual to begin with. Who knew? Next I'm headed to Traverse City to teach for four days - can't wait to meet my new kids for the week! I'll try to update regularly, if they don't run me ragged. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Kim

"Gris," 8" x 10", acrylics on museum quality panel, a still life depicting a toy dappled gray pony (Schleich), crayon and penny, $469 to the first  asking nicely  . View In Process Photos Ask Nicely & Buy Me Now Still using that crayon - this time in a mid-range composition full of subtle transitions. Next up I suppose is a white on white, right?  Although I don't yet have a white model horse. Does that give me permission to go ebay-ing? In all seriousness, if you have Breyer or Schleich models you would like to lend as props, let's talk . I don't have much more storage room, and God forbid I rehome some of my creepy dolls. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Kim

"Untitled," 6" x 8", my most recent Barbie portrait, done in acrylics on a museum quality panel, available to the first collector asking nicely, $329 including s&h inside the US. Inquiries may come to me . And in process images  are here. Tomorrow will be consecutive Snow Day #5. If I include all of Christmas break and the snow day that kicked said break off, tomorrow will be day 20. With. My. Kids. Home. Not that I'm counting.  There is no end in sight - the roads are ridiculously icy and snow covered, high winds are creating absurd sub-zero temperatures, and the dog won't even go out to pee without a food item (preferably warmed, although I doubt it is so when he finds it) thrown into the drifting snow. If I were Barbie, I'd be sailing through these days with sublime makeup, perfect hair and matching shoes. Our reality is very different. For instance, I celebrated showering today. Just a peek into the glamorous ...

"Disheveled," 10" x 12", portrait of a ratty haired Barbie, done in acrylics on a museum quality panel, available to the first collector asking nicely, $600 including s&h inside the US. Inquiries may come to me . SOLD (thank you) In process images of Barbie's newest painting are shared here, including a photo of my non-conventional setup. I'm relatively new to still life work, and trying to get creative in how I stage and light the dolls. It's more challenging than you realize - having an interesting play of light and shadow on the object I'm painting while also maintaining even light on my easel and palette, all within the confines of a 10'x12' room. I'm game for tips - all you still life experts, please speak up!! Thanks for following along with my artwork! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Doll #3, sketched and loosely painted on scrapbook paper, image roughly 6" x 8", paper 12" square. Preparatory study. Inquiries may come  to me .     I am obsessed with these dolls, and spending all sorts of time thinking about what they mean.   Childhood. Nostalgia. Nurturing. Comfort. Ideal Beauty. Role Playing. Memory. Innocence. Play. Imagination. Story Telling. Growing up. Generations. Life Cycle.   I could go on and on, but I'll spare you.   And I keep painting them, and they continue to creep some people out. And that's part of the doll as subject matter mystery, too.   For example,  I painted this particular doll before , but the painting has a very different mood and feel to it.   Meanwhile, in between working on three larger dog paintings, I'm sketching from life using my doll stash. And asking myself lots and lots of questions. You can  see more of these drawings here  - and feel free...