Paintings With Soul

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS Detail of "Chance," image approximately 5" square, on an 8" x 10" piece of Multimedia Artboard, commissioned portrait of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, done in Golden Open Acrylics. This one isn't for sale (thank you to my newest collector!), but I'll be happy to create something similarly charmed using your pup as my muse. Oh, and this one is also a Father's Day surprise, so if you know Chance's family, mum's the word. I've got a couple spots left for Father's Day portraits - shoot me an email if you are interested! Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com The Post Parade There's such a huge difference in quality between my photographing a painting and having it scanned directly. When I shared imagery of the latest lesson painting "The Post Parade" last week ( Part I and Part II ), the jpgs were all from photographs. ...

Detail from an in-process zentangle spread in my journal This Sunday - and next - I'm teaching 2 sessions of Creative Journalling for kids. 11-12:30 and 1-2:30, both at Little Monsters Toy Store in Downtown Lake Orion (give yourself a little extra time to ogle the construction equipment). Classes are $15 each and include all supplies but your child's journal. This week's lesson is called "Follow the Leader" - participants will use a variety of supplies and symbols in a multi-step process to create a Leader Zentangle like the one pictured above. We've also got plans to make portraits - pets, dragons, or self-portraits, whatever the artist deems most appropriate - using collage, stencils, homemade stamps and 3D elements. I have a few spaces remaining in each class - please email me prior and confirm there's room for your child to spread their creative wings. Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesign...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Her First Point," 5" x 7", portrait of a tiny Brittany Spaniel in a mess of wildflowers, done in Golden Open Acrylics on an Ampersand Gessobord, $289. Please inquire . I met wee little Stella a couple years ago during a camping vacation. She was having a grand old time hunting grasshoppers - I'm sure she's graduated to bigger things now! Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

ABOVE, DETAIL FROM "The Post Parade," 5" x 14", depicting the post parade at Saratoga Springs Racetrack on a sunny summer day, done in Golden Open Acrylics on an Ampersand panel, priced at $379 (scroll down to see the finished painting in it's entirety). Interested in adding "The Post Parade" to your collection? Then by all means, please email me and we'll make it happen! Yesterday you got to see the beginning stages of the painting - today I'll take you through to the final brushstrokes. The changes may seem trivial, but these final three views include numerous tweaks and adjustments to the riders' bodies, the horses' legs, the rail, the dirt, and adding other sorts of details that make the painting sing. And, believe it or not, there was more time invested in studying the piece and working these out than there was in getting to today's starting point! ABOVE: "The Post Parade," finished!! Thanks for sharing my...

ABOVE IN PROCESS: "The Post Parade," 5" x 14", depicting the post parade at Saratoga Springs Racetrack on a sunny summer day, done in Golden Open Acrylics on an Ampersand panel, will be $379 (when finished tomorrow). Interested in adding "The Post Parade" to your collection? Then by all means, please email me and we'll make it happen! This morning I felt like tackling a challenging painting, so I pulled a mess of reference photos, dug out a loooong panel, and got busy. Here's what I accomplished in a few hours' work: I started with a bold underpainting, and roughly built my first layer to reflect the composition - Light Ultramarine Blue on top, with a mixture of Cadmium Red Light, Light Magenta, and Naples Yellow on the bottom. Then I roughly sketched in my composition. I laid down the curve of the rail, began defining basic values in the tree shapes, greened up the infield, and lightened the track. There are pockets of the underpaintin...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Monster," 6-3/4" x 10", portrait of a Thoroughbred racehorse, done in Golden Open Acrylics on a Raymar panel, $449. Want your own Monster? Just ask nicely . We've been hanging at Linda Shantz 's farm all week - first you got a painting of Spider as a baby, then Billy who's just started his racing career. Today brings Linda's mare, registered name "EntertainingAngels," barn name "Monster." Monster's job right now is nanny to yearling Baby Girl. Monster's supposed to keep Baby Girl out of trouble and teach her some manners during their days together. Stay tuned because tomorrow we move from the farm to the track and I'll paint a race scene. Or two. Maybe even some fancy hats....... But first, I haven't even asked - who's your Kentucky Derby pick? Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com A Slice of Beauty I am gra...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Billy," 4" x 6", portrait of a Thoroughbred racehorse, done in Golden Open Acrylics on a Raymar panel, $239. Billy's painting will go to the first one asking nicely . Billy's another horse who's been in Linda Shantz 's keep, foaled on her farm and raised under her watchful eye. Under the registered name of "Oil Be Clever," (did you know that racehorses have simple barn names by which their immediate family knows them, and then unique Jockey Club registered names under which they race?), he ran for the first time last Sunday. Billy's race is on YouTube (he's the number 1 horse). He ran excellently, first along the rail and then in some traffic in the stretch, never losing his cool, finishing in a very respectable 5th place. His connections - and myself - are eagerly looking forward to his next start. Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Little Spider," 6" square, portrait of a Thoroughbred foal, done in Golden Open Acrylics on Ampersand Gessobord, $299. Spider's painting will go to the first one asking nicely . It's tradition in the studio that, in honor of the first Saturday in May and the Kentucky Derby, Painting a Dog a Day gets turned over to the horses during Derby Week. Spider's doing the honor of kicking things off in grand style. Hailing from a girlfriend's farm (fellow artist Linda Shantz ), he's now a strapping 2 year old in training, learning to put those long legs to work. And Linda's got a crop of 3 new foals this year. Lots and lots of dreams waiting to be fulfilled! Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com And More News From the Equine Front..... Over the weekend, two Painting a Dog a Day pieces earned special honors at the Dancing Horse Farm Equine Art Show . ...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS FROM TOP: "Nita," paper 7" x 10", image approximately 4" x 6-1/2", done on multimedia artboard, $79; "Nita's ZZZs," 5" x 8", done on a Raymar panel, $299. Both paintings were completed in Golden Open Acrylics, and both paintings are available for purchase . Please indicate in your email which piece you would like. BOTH SOLD (thank you!). Nita's baby picture was a finalist in Painting a Dog a Day's Valentine's Giveaway . And when her Mom followed up that pic with this one (scroll down to see my reference photo), how on earth could I resist? Except that things didn't go so smoothly the first time around. Working in a gray studio yesterday (the weather just has refused to cooperate as of late, no?) and being a lazy cheapskate, I tried forcing an old palette on the cusp of turning gummy to cooperate. It responded with lots of gray and mud (how fit...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Ewe + Two," 8" square, portrait of an ewe and two lambs, done in Golden Open Acrylics on an Ampersand Gessobord. $399 to the first asking nicely . What a great springtime addition (ahem, or Mother's Day gift!!) this painting would be to your collection - email me if you are interested. Nothing says spring like fresh little babies. Which means I should paint some puppies next, right? Well then, send me your pics! And big thanks to collector Julie, who responded to my request on Facebook for some painting ideas with a mess of sheep photos she took over the weekend. Julie, I'm popping a little something in the mail for you!! Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com Studio Happenings Some bits from this week's To-Do List (you're welcome to come help out!): Order new paintbrushes (HOOray!) Connect with The Man Child's friend to discuss and sketch out her propo...

This delightful drawing was left in my classroom - a gift, perhaps?! - during last week's Fine Arts Night at Orion Oaks Elementary School. I adore kids' artwork. They view and process the world through their own filters. A lesson I need to remind myself of over and over and over again. Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com Stuart Shils His work is radically different from mine, landscapes pared almost to abstraction, atmospheric clouds of color that thrill me to no end. I adore the artwork that Stuart Shils creates. A recent article I read quoted him as encouraging artists to study at great length - and then respond to - the world with roots set in an emotional, as opposed to a representational, base. I find regular inspiration and bits of brilliance in his paintings and musings, which can be found on his website .

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Listen and Learn," 8" x 10", portrait of three kitties, done in Golden Open Acrylics on a Museumbord, part of "The Gratitude Project." This painting does not need to be framed, and can be added to your collection for $499 - collectors* qualify for a 10% discount. Email me for more information. This little black and white kitten was dumped, with his momma and several siblings at a friend's business last winter. He ventured into the music studio and warmed the laps of the instructors and students for a few days before going home with my friend. (The other cats, thankfully, were gathered and re-homed by other people in the area.) His furry siblings took him under their wings and taught him the ropes. In light of the many other cats and kittens who are without homes, proceeds from the sale of "Listen and Learn" will be donated to my shelter, the Oakland Pet Adoption Center. Do you have a rescue story to sh...