Paintings With Soul

This is my painting sketchbook, a place where I spend time thinking about the ideas/work of artists I admire. You can see more of the pages and inspired artwork  here  - this page in particular was inspired by  Jayne Morgan 's honeybears.   Eliminating the pressure to create something wall-worthy each time we pick up our brushes is key. Giving ourselves an opportunity to fall in love all over again with our practice is also important.   Also for me, the act of painting has become my meditation. If I go too many days without it, I get stabby and mean. And if I have a really difficult day outside the studio, playing with color is the best medicine.   The last couple days have been a mixture of both - not enough recent, regular practice, and the whole spectrum of emotions to boot. Finally getting into the studio last nite around 10pm with a cold slice of pizza, a glass of wine, a honey bear and no expectations for wall-worthy work was...

"Siblings," 6" x 12", a posthumous commissioned dog portrait, painted in acrylics on museum quality panel, private collection (THANK YOU!). Want one of your own? Inquiries may come  to me .     It felt so good to pick up my brushes today and work in the studio. Like riding a bike.   Thanks so much for following along with my work, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

IN PROCESS, "At Peace (Gracie)," 18" x 12", a portrait of light (and my neighbor's much beloved Gracie May), painted in acrylics on museum quality panel, $639 when completed. Inquiries may come  to me .     What a great weekend spent at Dragon on the Lake, the summertime festival my local town hosts!   This year in addition to our involvement with The Princess's Dance team, I was invited to paint live in the middle of the art fair.   And "At Peace" is the painting I started yesterday.    It was very warm with gusty winds - winds that lifted my easel at one point and threatened to topple it. There was lots of spritzing my palette to keep the paints dry and one hand steadying the large panel with each wind gust.   I'll spend a bit more time with her before she's finished - but she does have a lovely glow. And it was no accident that I chose to work on a painting that was more about light than the su...

AT TOP, completed, and below in process, "In the Wings," 8" x 10", a portrait of The Princess in one of her ballet costumes, painted in acrylics on museum quality panel. Inquiries may come  to me  - I'm not sure I'll be able to part with this one, despite having many paintings of her already. This is what I accomplished late last nite. Again, I challenged myself to paint the light. Of course, there were other challenges too. A football scrimmage, dance class, volunteer hours, orientation at two different school buildings. Never a dull moment in these parts. That's why I love my life so very much! In process pics on  the studio Facebook page . Thanks so much for following along with my work, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Jack, 6" x 8", depicting a wild rabbit, painted in acrylics on museum quality panel, $329 to the first one saying "please!" Pleases may come  to me  - along with inquiries about commissioning your own special portrait. But make it quick, becaue I am really tempted to keep this one for myself!!     My challenge today was to paint the light more so than the object. To make the light tangible and real and the primary focus of the painting.   It was much harder than it looks. Much, much harder.   In process pics on  the studio Facebook page .   Thanks so much for following along with my work, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   PS  Thank you to my friend Lisa from  Team Husar Photography  for sharing bunny photos and granting me permission to paint from them!

Mona Lisa, enjoying some sunshine but keeping an eye out for daVinci, who has a knack for the perfect ambush and happened to be "casually" ambling by. This will be a future painting.   I spend a lot of time in my workshops addressing all the aspects of being an artist that do NOT involve picking up a paintbrush. And while I am a daily painter, and my goal is to paint 5 days a week, that's not always my reality.   For instance, today I - reviewed a contract for upcoming workshop, coordinated revisions, and researched travel arrangements created marketing materials for a local event inventoried materials returning from last workshop, began packing and prepping for Sept classes sorted photos from previous two weeks' of events and archived digitally wrapped and shipped paintings to new homes updated website database fielded approx 150 emails sent hand written thank you notes paid a months' worth of bills began planning for this weeken...

Continued Process, "Strawberry Shortcakes," 12" x 16", depicting a pile of old dolls, acrylics on museum quality panel, available for $629 to the first one asking nicely. Inquiries can come to  moi,  please and thank you!   I got to pick my brushes up for a little this afternoon, and continued carving out the smiling faces in this box of Strawberry Shortcake dolls.    There is a precarious balance between all of these faces - the one in the middle will be at the top of the pile, and I have to make her brighter than the others. I can tell I still have a ways to go.   In process photos  are over on the studio's facebook page.   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

An image transfer created from a Dr. Seuss greeting card, temporarily adhered to the inside of the front window of the Orion Art Center.   I love my grownUP Journalers - tonite we had a BLAST making our own image transfers using printed materials.   We got so caught up in making them that we didn't get to the intended collage part. One of the hardest parts of teaching was learning when it is ok to abandon the lesson plan in favor of encouraging exploration and adventure.   I'll just have to plan for collaging transparent layers in a future class. No harm done at all in the grand scheme of things!!   Meanwhile, if you want to join us, shoot me a note - we usually meet on 3rd Thursdays of each  month (but September 2013 will be changed) - Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

In Process, "Strawberry Shortcakes," 12" x 16", depicting a pile of old dolls, acrylics on museum quality panel, available for $629 to the first one asking nicely. Inquiries can come to  moi,  please and thank you!   The early stages of this one tell a story - see the light blue shadows underneath the pink ground? That's an old painting back there, testament to a composition that just didn't hold it's own enough to merit completion.   I'm excited about these girls - inspiration photo courtesy of Linda Marr, who shot the pic when cleaning out her now adult children's belongings. The actual dolls are tucked away for future grandchildren to play with, and meanwhile, I get to spend the next couple days with them on my easel.   But first, I'm off for a little grown up play time. My Better Half is home early from work, and we are taking Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson to the Kid Rock show tonite, then loading her on a Florid...

Above, my brown bag demo painting, and at bottom, a handful of my students' paintings. Aren't they just phenomenal?   Did you miss me?   I've been a busy, busy beaver, leading a mess of crazy fun women on a color mixing adventure, lecturing about marketing and branding, waking up beachside  to the most glorious northern Michigan sunrises, and enjoying some Traverse City wines.   I had such a good time with my new friends - I worked them hard, but there wasn't an ounce of complaining. They rose to the occasion over and over again, and surprised even themselves with the caliber of work they created (I KNEW they had it in them!).   THANK YOU to the Art Center Traverse City and to my remarkable art-eests - I've been invited to come back next summer, and hope to share a glass of Nasty Red with you again!    And tomorrow I want to get to my brushes and paint!!   Thanks so much for following along with my art...