Paintings With Soul

A still life exercise in my studio - white is NEVER really white - look at all the orange and pink and blue in this jar of marshmallow fluff. NO PURE WHITE!! One of the exercises we'll be doing at Art Center Traverse City this weekend.   I plan on painting later tonite, but today I'm still caught up in preparing the household to be self-sufficient for 5 days, which means another checklist altogether.   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

photo courtesy of Sharon Passmore   Prepare class timeline Review exercises, verify demos for each - if not on hand, create, tag, and include Review slideshow/presentation materials - update as needed Refresh bibliography and assemble workbooks Print out extra worksheets Pack props, including candies and treats (purchase fresh) Pack tools, brushes, paints, panels Revise and print out scripts for directed content Prepare demo references Select finished paintings to match/illustrate lesson plans - wrap carefully Verify destination - program GPS Pack personal effects Review 100 times and make sure nothing's been forgotten Stop on way there and purchase whatever's been forgotten Wednesday I collect  Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson  from the airport, and we head to Traverse City together (she's teaching this weekend too). Thursday the madness begins for both of us and our "kids."   I get tingley just thinking about it - I love teaching! ...

  IN PROCESS:  "Opie," 9" x 12", commissioned portrait of a sunbathing black cat, acrylics on museum quality panel, private collection (THANK YOU!).    Want a painting of your own? then  email me !!   In process photos will continue to be uploaded  here .   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork! Enjoy your weekend, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

    August is here - which means that last month I survived our 22nd wedding anniversary, The Man Child's graduation party, The Caped Crusaders 1st scrimmage (and playing sans ankle screws), my birthday (they are getting more painful by the year), my annual trip to Saratoga, and My Better Half starting a new job (that includes a week of 3rd shift hours - ouch!).   August will be crazy as well - I'm teaching a workshop in Traverse City, attending (GULP) college orientation with The Man Child, kicking off a season of feeding The Caped Crusader's JV football team game nite dinners, taking in a Kid Rock concert, entertaining Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson for a week, and chaperoning The Princess's dance team trip to Cedar Point.   What's this about summer "vacation"?   To implement this month's desktop calendar, download the file  directly from my website . I've set up a couple different ways to do this, either via the photo...

"Butt," from The Saratoga Series, 18" x 24", depicting a field of Thoroughbreds running on the turf, acrylics on museum quality panel, available through  Spa Fine Art . SOLD This is the piece I created in one fell swoop (also called "alla prima") on Saturday at Spa Fine Art in Saratoga, NY. It was a looooong painting session, from 2 until about 10:30pm, interspersed with lots of visiting with friends and fans. Did I also mention we enjoyed cookies and champagne? In process photos  here . Many thanks to Spa for hosting such a wonderful day! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

One of my photos from last summer's trip to Saratoga Race Track. I use them to build compositions for new paintings - each year I shoot several thousand frames and create about a dozen new horse racing pieces.     After spending the night with a good friend in the Hudson River area, Sharon and I are en route to 'Toga, ready for even more fun!   Feel free to check into  the studio's Facebook page  for regular updates on our trip.   Thanks for coming along vicariously! ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

From last summer, yours truly working on a racing scene at  Spa Fine Art  in Saratoga, New York. Photo courtesy of one of my girlfriends - my senile brain cannot recall who shot this, but I'm fairly certain they will let me know!     This Saturday, from 2pm until who knows when, I'll be working on a painting at Spa Fine Art on Broadway in Saratoga. You are invited to stop by and say hello.   I hope to see you there! ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Windswept," 12" square, portrait of the exquisite Gypsy Vanner stallion Natwest, owned by Eric and Mechelle Barton of  LexLin Ranch , inspiration photo used with permission of Mechelle Barton.  This painting is in acrylics on museum quality panel and available for $599. Inquiries may come  to me .      Isn't  this guy  simply incredible? He's breathtakingly beautiful!! And was a joy to have on the easel! Lots of in process photos of his portrait are  here .   I am making final preps for my annual trek to Saratoga Race Track - I leave tomorrow!! If you are interested in following along with my adventure, I'll post regular updates to  the studio Facebook page.   Thanks for your support! ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

You can now  order  an iPhone case featuring your favorite dog (or cat, horse, etc). The watermark will not be on the final product.     Over 250 of my paintings are set up for iPhone 4/4S/5 cases.  How clever will you look, having your dogs' portrait ON your phone, and his photos IN your phone?   If you don't see what you want,  shoot me a note , including the painting's title and approximate date painted (there's over 1600 to sift through!), and I'll get it situated for you!!   And thank you VERY much for all the wonderful birthday wishes - I had too many to respond to individually, but each one warmed my heart! You guys are the best!! Fondly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

My absolute favorite breakfast - farm fresh basil infused eggs, rosemary hash browns extra crispy, lemon waffles (not pictured, sadly, I hope they won't take it personally) and caramelized bacon - as served up by My Better Half yesterday morning.       I am blessed to have a family that knows how to spoil me.    My Better Half and I don't usually exchange gifts on milestone days - instead, we try to do for each other. On my birthday he let me sleep in guilt free, served up an extraordinary breakfast, had the kids clean house AND do laundry (I'd been slacking on that, so it was no small task), and negotiated a bicker-free zone for one week (I know they say it takes 30 days to establish a new habit, but I'm really pulling for an exception in the next 7!!).   In keeping with the doing for others theme, every year around my birthday, I challenge my collectors and fans to do the same. Help a stranger load groceries into their trunk, l...

    "Nana Nana Na Na," (must be read in a sing-song voice for full effect), the latest in The Play Ball Series, 5-1/2" x 14", portrait of two goofballs (a Golden Retriever and Yellow Lab), done in acrylics on museum quality panel, $499 to the first  asking me nicely .   And true to my pledge with the other Play Ball paintings, reproductions will be available for the next week. After next Friday, prints will not be available until the original painting sells. So.....  order prints here !!   Per the norm, in process photos are  on Facebook , including a detail of the dogs' faces. (And for the record, that squiggley white line you may see in the image above is NOT in the painting - it's a photoshop extra from stitching together a hi res scan, then downsizing for the blog!!)   Thank YOU so much for following along with my paintings! Happy weekend!! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

    "Peek & Boo II," 12" square, portrait of two paint horses, done in acrylics on museum quality panel, $599 to the first asking me nicely .   I reworked an old painting ( Peek & Boo ) a couple nights ago. I wanted to see how my color knowledge had matured, and took on a piece from two years back.   Partway through the process, my guide lines (a circle sketched in to remind me of the focal point) became an important element in the composition.    Lots of in process photos are  on Facebook .   Thank YOU so much for following along with my paintings! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com