Purr-fect Signage

It was over a year ago when Mike Fry, Director of the Animal Ark Shelter in Minnesota, first contacted me to talk about the extraordinary signage he wanted to create for their new shelter addition. We talked about the aesthetic of the space and our design options. Mike chose faces from paintings I had already done, and we collaborated on combining them to make an entirely new composition. The tiles are 8" wide - this sign measures over 4 feet tall and more than 7 feet wide. What a warm and welcoming gateway it creates to a wing that will connect hundreds - dare I say thousands? - of kitties with new homes. Iris, the Himalayan in the back, was a rescued kitty. I cannot recall if the tabby Thomasina was.... regardless, I know they both are serenly approving their likenesses from The Bridge, and will keep a special eye on all the souls who go through those doors. Warm thanks to Mike Fry for reaching out and asking me to partner with him on this project, too! Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com PS Please note that this signage was created in partnership with Animal Ark Shelter. If you are interested in creating something similar for your space, please contact me. We can assess your situation and work together on creating a spectacular design like this. A Sore Subject I find it hard to believe, but it's happening more and more often. Artists copying other artist's work, passing it off as their own. It is a great lesson, copying masters' paintings as an exercise in learning. This is something that has been done for centuries. Shoot, I did it myself as a teenager many, many years ago. But more recently, perhaps because the internet makes imagery so accessible, it's happening regularly with contemporary artists. Copyright law applies to text, music, photographs, film and any artwork, regardless of where you see or hear it. The creator owns that property, and it is illegal to take it, make derivative pieces from it, and/or pass them off as your own (this includes exhibiting and selling derivative works). Two high-profile exhibitions I was in recently turned work away because the submitting artist violated copyright law. I hear nearly every week of a blog/website/facebook user who's been shut down because of copyright violations. Don't risk your reputation and please respect the copyrights of other creatives. You can't put a price on integrity. Arm yourself and learn more about copyright laws.