Skip to main content

"Blissful (Chicklet)," 6" x 12", commissioned pet portrait, mixed breed, private collection (THANK YOU!).

Chicklet was the perfect candidate for my Thanksgiving painting. She arrived at a veterinary hospital on behalf of an animal shelter, having been found wandering the streets and in need of medical care. No wonder. Poor thing wasn't suffering from an upper respiratory infection, as originally thought, but rather from a chronic sinus infection due to teeth that had rotted through her jaw bone. One of the attending nurses fell in love, and adopted Chicklet as soon as the waiting period had ended.

Chicklet has arthritis in her back end, a large hernia on her stomach, liver disease, no remaining teeth, and recently has gone blind in one eye. Despite her ailments, she remains happy and thankful for each moment. She dances for her food, chases cats when given the chance, and loves whatever slice of life she has left (estimates put her at 13-15 years old).

My client, Chicklet's mother, wrote me this morning (after previewing the painting): "I can't even begin to tell you the feeling I have of knowing I will ALWAYS have that ridiculously adorable, twisted, sneezy, happy face to smile at every day for the rest of my life. There will still definately be a sadness when she is physically gone, but her little light will shine forever both in our hearts and now on our wall to keep her face fresh in our minds."

It's no wonder Chicklet loves every moment of her life, as she clearly is adored to pieces. How can one NOT thrive in such an environment?

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers, regardless of whether you are celebrating our (US) holiday. I wish that you spend your weekend surrounded by those who love you dearly. And a pumpkin pie or two. Have a piece for me, as I'll be busily gorging myself on stuffing, and most likely will not leave room.

I will resume posting the daily paintings Monday. If you are waiting for a holiday piece that was scheduled this week, never fear, as I will be working in the background, and will contact you privately..

Again, Happy Thanksgiving. I remain so very grateful for all that you have allowed me to accomplish!
Kim

Kimberly Kelly Santini
http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

http://www.paintingadogaday.com/
come. sit. stay.
enjoy the art.

Founding member of the Canine Art Guild
http://www.canineartguild.com/
the gateway to canine art on the web
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dear Copyright Thieves

Dear Copyright Thieves,   Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's free for the taking. So let's just stop pretending the internet is a free-for-all.   Don't play the card that you didn't know - that's insulting. And don't also tell me that you meant to follow up and get permission but never got a chance to. That's insulting too. And by the way, don't you have a copyright protection notice on your own site?   And don't even try and point the finger at a third party who commissioned you to make a copy of my painting - again, an insult - you and I both know the difference between a reference photo and a painting.   And don't tell me that I asked for it because I share my artwork on the internet. I share my paintings and ideas and the stories behind them so as to encourage others to pursue  their own passions . I do not share so that those lacking integrity and morals can copy and market the images as their own...
33 comments
Read more

Fisher Price Little People Puppy, Toy #10

"Little People Puppy (Toy #10)," 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, starring a spunky little spaniel with jointed legs made by Fisher Price This painting is $75, with free shipping inside the US. Purchasing is as simple as  asking . I didn't play with this particular version of Little People toys, but I find them very sentimental never the less. They are well designed and charming. I tried to figure out what year Fisher Price made these particular jointed toys which I own (via ebay - I have circus characters too!), but got distracted learning about the history of Little People in general. They have seemingly been around for 50+ years! The Little People barn was a HUGE part of my childhood. The barn doors opened with a "mooooo," but in my head I heard welcoming nickers. Those horses and chickens were real. The brown and orange shag carpeting of my parent's family room became lush rolling pastures of green, and the Little People...
Post a Comment
Read more

Golden Open Acrylics

I get all sorts of process oriented questions. Most recently I've been getting asked a lot about my paints and palette, which made me realize what a nice blog topic this would make! I use a Masterson Sta-Wet Premier palette box . This is comprised of a box (think Tupperware) with a sponge liner and a slice of palette paper that work together to keep my paints wet. This setup allows me to work with the same palette for about a full week, having the box open for multiple hours every day. You can see what the palette looks like at the beginning of a new session above - below the exact same palette after this week's work. For the last 25 years I have used Golden brand acrylics, mediums, and varnish. I love the overall quality of these paints and the fact that, when I have a question, their customer service department is made up of artists who actually use the products. Until last year, I used their Heavy Body paints exclusively. They have a buttery consistency, a little loose...
11 comments
Read more