Paintings With Soul

"Sunning Herself," 16" square, acrylic on 2" cradeled Ampersand Gessobord (see image below for an appreciation of the depth of the panel), commissioned pet portrait of a black kitty, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life, or commissioning a "re-paint" like this one) may always come to me . Those of you who are long time Dog a Day readers may remember the original version of this painting from May 2008. When my ancient black cat and right hand crossed the bridge, I found tremendous solace in painting her likeness. For months afterwards. And when a new collector recently asked if I could paint another version because my kitty looked so much like her old girl, and then her mother secretly came on board and asked if I could do it as a surprise birthday gift, the whole premise changed. "Sunning Herself" has a greater nuance of color and tremend...

"Dino's Spotted Nose," 8" x 10", Great Dane dog portrait in Golden Open Acrylics on canvasboard, private collection. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . Every August my town elects a Doggy Mayor who then becomes the mascot for all sorts of parades and community events (we know how to live it up in these parts!). Among assorted awards and royal treatments, the mayor's family also receives a Dog-a-Day portrait. Today's painting commemorates our current mayor Dino, a gallant harlequin dane. His gaze sorta makes me feel like I should be eating something yummy. Hmmm. I'm off to the fridge to take care of that. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & ...

"Peeking," 12" square, portrait of two Cairn Terriers, done in Golden Open Acrylics on Ampersand Gessobord. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . SOLD. "Peeking" stars puppy mill mamas Nealie and Kipper, the same two sweeties that inspired last week's "Lazing Around." My client gave her blessing for a second painting to benefit animal rescue (THANK YOU!!), and I wasted no time at all getting to work. I have been feverishly painting for "Happily Ever Afters" and continue to collect faces and stories of rescued companion animals. At this stage I am specifically looking for more unusual types - equines, rabbits, ferrets and other less commonly found pets. Although dogs and kitties are always welcome too. "Happily Ever Afters" is in invitational solo show I will hang at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in August 2010. The show will...

"Winter," 9" square, dog portrait in Golden Open Acrylics on multimedia artboard, $479 to the first one raising their hand. Of course, you'll also have to be quick and send me an email indicating your hand is raised, but I think you get the picture....... Yesterday's painting (same dog) was full of springlike colors. Today's piece carries her cooler counterparts. Working in Open Acrylics (acrylic paints that stay "open," or wet, similar to oil paints), I had a grand ole time blending edges and pushing the paint. You can see hints (the left hand background side) of the tactile surface this painting carries - it belies the layers of glazes and color buried in Mickee's curls. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekin...

"Spring (Mickee)," 9" x 12", acrylic on multimedia artboard, commissioned dog painting. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . I've created two versions of Mickee, this one drenched in springlike colors, and another tonal painting blanketed in cool blues and lavendars, titled "Winter." You'll get to see "Winter" tomorrow. But meanwhile my client gets to choose which of the two paintings to hang on her wall. I don't envy her - personally, I like them each equally well. If you take a fancy to "Spring," let me know and I'll get your name on a waiting list. I especially like this surface - it accepted many layers of paint, survived lots of scrubbing and abuse, didn't buckle or warp, and dried with the loveliest of sheens, highlighting the network of brushmarks. I could get used to this stuff really quickly. Check it out ...

Wednesday nights find me lurking in the corner of my daughter's ballet class, sketchbook in hand. With the permission of her dance instructor, I've been allowed to sit in on the lessons. It's been a great life drawing experience, one that's especially challenging to me because of the movement. My models hold a pose for all of 10-15 seconds. I've worked out a method where I can keep 4 or 5 different sketches going simultaneously, moving from one to the other as the model shifts into a new position. Why life drawing when I specialize in pet portraiture? Because there is no substitute for training my eye from real life. Photos are convenient, but they can never replace the actual bloom of youth or the depth of color in a shadow. It's only through practicing, regardless of the subject matter, working from real objects in real time, that I can hone the sorts of skills I need to take my art to the next level. Today I focused on the angle of the hea...

"Lazing Around (Kipper and Nealie)," 8" x 10", acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord, commissioned pet portrait of two rescued Cairn Terriers, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . Kipper and Nealie are puppy mill mamas who got their second chance through Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network and my client. It's hard to imagine these little vivacious souls trapped in stacks of crates, allowed the barest of human contact, with absolutely no regard for their physical or mental health as they were bred repeatedly. Yet that's what puppy mills do. It's all about delivering as many puppies as possible, without consideration of responsible breeding, the health of the individual, or even perpetuity of a breed. Please, if you are looking to add a dog to your family, find a responsible breeder or adopt through a shelter or rescue. DO NOT buy t...

"Vertical (Bellator)," from the March Virtual pARTy photograph supplied by Linda Shantz , 8" x 16", acrylic on canvasboard, $529 to the first one who asks nicely. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . So what's a Virtual pARTy? It's when a group of artists create art using the same reference photo. It's fascinating how each participant makes something uniquely theirs - the resulting body of work is a great study in the variety of interpretations possible. This year Linda and I are trying to host pARTys more regularly - it was sort of hit and miss when we did them last year, which made it harder for others to plan on joining. So far it's worked out to be mid-month, every month. Check out the project blog for more details - rumor has it we might be doing a dog themed pARTy in the future. So back to Bellator: I thought two things when I saw the photog...

Here's a couple of four leaf clovers of sorts for you today. Clockwise from the upper left, "Sadie," 4" x 6", "Jeffrey," 5" x 7", "Vonnie," 4" x 6", and "Brooke," 6" x 6". All commissioned dog portraits done in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . And another one - this grouping was completed last week for a different client. You met Gypsy already, but you haven't seen her sisters. Each painting in this collection is 6" square. Here's hoping your evening includes a wee bit of green, whether it be beer or cabbage! Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUSTOMIZ...

Here's a couple of four leaf clovers of sorts for you today. Clockwise from the upper left, "Sadie," 4" x 6", "Jeffrey," 5" x 7", "Vonnie," 4" x 6", and "Brooke," 6" x 6". All commissioned dog portraits done in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . And another one - this grouping was completed last week for a different client. You met Gypsy already, but you haven't seen her sisters. Each painting in this collection is 6" square. Here's hoping your evening includes a wee bit of green, whether it be beer or cabbage! Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUS...

"Brooke," 6" square, acrylic on canvasboard, commissioned pet portrait of a Cairn Terrior, one of four paintings in a grouping (four different dogs), private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . Warm thanks to everyone who wrote last night and today with congratulations about the exhibition at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary - I couldn't respond to you all, but that does not mean I did not fully appreciate your sharing this moment with me. And here's some more news - another Virtual pARTy - Linda Shantz has chosen a flashy warmblood gelding as our March muse. I invite you to take a peek at Bellator and join us in creating artwork this week from the same reference photo. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS ...

Detail from "Atira", 9" x 12", painting in process, acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord, from the "Happily Ever Afters" series, available for purchase. Inquiries may always come to me . Atira comes from a group new to me, Hearts United for Animals, a no-kill shelter, sanctuary and animal welfare organization dedicated to the relief of suffering. You can learn more about them at their website . Atira was left tied up outside a home after her family moved out. No food or water or shelter, just the companionship of another dog. She's currently waiting for a new family - I don't doubt it will take long for this sweet girl to get her "Happily Ever After." I have been waiting a long time to share this next bit of news with you. I have been invited to hang an exhibition of my work at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary . This is the perfect celebration of the long-standing partnership between Painting a Dog a Day and animal welfare. You are cordially ...

"The Klauber Crew, Gypsy," 6" square, commissioned portrait of a mixed breed dog, acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . Gypsy is one of four portraits I am readying for this client. The other three are almost done. I'll sign off on them tomorrow. Meanwhile, I've been a little distracted by some unscheduled remodelling in the room adjacent to the studio. All is good, but I spent the better half of yesterday and a good chunk of today without power (and no internet!). I didn't realize how much time I spent online or on the computer until it was gone.... yikes! a necessary evil, I suppose. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER C...

It seems to have been awhile since I shared the progress of a painting, and given that tonite I demo-ed for the Shelby Township Fine Art Society (who were wonderfully gracious and attentive and a generally fantastic group, thank you), I thought I might review the process of how I approach the creation of a portrait (how's THAT for a run-on sentence?!). At the very beginning, I reduce my subject matter to planes and basic shapes. Using a round brush, I roughly indicate their placement on the board (you can faintly see some of the marks in the ragdoll's body and face), and moving to a larger flat brush, I start to lay in blocks of color. I tend to use arbitrary color at this stage, just because I can and it's more visually exciting and these bold colors create a little bit of dance or vibration when peeking through the subsequent layers of paint. I also try to get my values correct here because I can assess whether the composition works - if it is a strong abstraction at this...

"Comfy (Amber)," 6" x 8", commissioned portrait of a golden retriever service dog, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . I need to make a couple shifts to Amber's portrait, and am working those details out with my client. But meanwhile I wanted to share her almost finished painting with you - it's the perfect image for the tail end of a winter's Monday. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) ...

"Checkered Silks," from the Saratoga Series, 8" x 10", acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard, depicting racehorses in the paddock at Saratoga, $499 to the first one asking nicely. Inquiries (including booking commissioned artwork from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . The sunshine we've had the last couple days has made me want more. After a gray winter, I am so ready for snow to melt and the light to bounce off a green lawn and flood the house. Of course, that also means windows must be washed and spring cleaning is around the corner, but I'll just ignore that part. So today (well, in all honesty, yesterday is when I started this painting) I worked on this scene from the paddock at Saratoga Race Course in New York. The reference photo was from a rainy afternoon (hence the jocks' rain gear - I don't know what their breeches are called but I'm sure someone will tell me), however I amped the contrast a litt...

"Tyler Kitty," 4" x 6", acrylic on canvasboard, commissioned portrait of a much loved tabby cat, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . Tyler has been described as a "mad scientist" by his mum. He was eager to greet new friends, the alpha cat to his little buddy Roy, and ever so smart. It's been almost 5 years since Ty left his family, and not a day goes by that they don't miss him Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com

"Oh Boy !! (Murphy)," 6" x 8", commissioned portrait of a mixed breed, acrylic on canvas private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . I have a few adjustments to make to Murphy's painting still, but am especially happy with the life that glows in his eyes. Murphy is relishing his new life, a rescued soul with a known history of getting bullied. While his body is scarreed, his heart most definately is not. And that's the beauty of a dog's love. They don't dwell on the past or the horrid things another human might have imposed. Instead, they see the hand that gives out cookies and hear the voice that tells them "good boy" and they get all squiggley tailed and we smile and feel better ourselves. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.co...

"Tail-Wagging Fury (Monster)," 8" square, commissioned portrait of a Cairn Terrier, acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008) . If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.