STUDIO NEWS December 2019

This is Izze, and she's now home, forever. It's such an honor when collectors return to ask for one final painting. It's always bittersweet, too, as I know all to well myself the hole they leave in our lives.

Studio News, December 2019

Holiday commissions are winding down - Izze, pictured above, was part of the wave of paintings shipped out last week. There will be one final batch heading out in the next day or two, and then I can take a breath. This year I completed 26 pet portraits, 12 of which shipped out after October. Each a delightful addition to my portfolio, bursting with stories and delight the likes of which we all know and write when we welcome a four legged family member.

However you celebrate the end of the year, I hope you do so in the warmth of the company of those you love and with a heart filled with memories of those who have traveled through. We are looking forward to having a full house and table.

I've included a fun coloring sheet for those of you wanting a break from holiday hubbub. It's a page from my Daydreams sketchbook. It's a rather non-traditional coloring page in that it's not a representational drawing, but it IS a marvelous stepping stone to your own daydream piece. Print pages out for everyone in your family. There are no rules at all - attack the page with whatever materials you wish and build your own creation. And please, if you share your creation online, use the hashtag #santinidaydream so that we can all see each other's artwork. (To access the page, simply click on the link above and follow the prompts to download). As my grandmother would say, "I'm looking forth to seeing them."

Meanwhile, some last minute gifting notes:

It's not too late to gift a pet portrait - I can email full color gift certificates, perfectly suited for gifting, up until December 23rd. Message me for details.
Kiki Kelly originals are available for purchase on my website. This is the first time I have offered up the works created by my alter-ego - I think they would be fantastic in a nursery or child's room, or the perfect pop of color in an office/reading nook.
Workshops make a fantastic gift. Next year I am teaching at The Hudson River Valley School in New York (March) and at Painting Miles in Raleigh, NC (November). Follow the links for further information. (And if you are curious about bringing me to your neck of the woods, please reach out)
The gift of my online classroom experience is perfect for creatives of all walks. Via video and other online resources coupled with a private online community space, I provide exclusive behind the scenes footage of idea germination, painting progressions, materials, inspirations, studio management, etc. Access is $5/montth.
Painting a Dog a Day books, for those fans who love my pet portraits, are available via Blurb.
I have a beautiful book designed for art journaling or meditation featuring the Siren paintings.
For that matter, if you are local, consider gifting a journaling class (or two!). They are $20 each, and we meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month in Lake Orion (MI).
My FIneArtAmerica storefront features over 300 paintings which can be reproduced on a variety of textiles, along with smartphone cases and other traditional surfaces. (I believe today is their final day for guaranteed holiday delivery without express shipment.)
Reach out to discuss the purchase of an original - I have Daydreams, Echos and Sirens in my home studio, and can ship worldwide. I am happy to arrange for payment plans, too - I want you to be able to live with the painting you desire.
Visit one of my galleries in person or online - Equis Art Gallery (Red Hook, NY), Bozutto Greene (Lutherville, MD), Hayley Gallery (New Albany, OH), Gallery Orange, (New Orleans, LA) and The Art of Custom Framing (Troy, MI).

And, finally, please let me know what you think. I'm always listening. Feel free to respond to this newsletter, shoot me an email, comment on the blog or interact via Facebook or Instagram. Locals can join my journaling group that meets monthly. There's all sorts of ways for us to connect!

Thanks, as always, for following along with my art and musings,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
Warmly, Kim

“Katie’s Moustache,” 6x12, pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $90. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . One glimpse of Katie’s face, and I was hooked. Not only did she fall into my beloved “black & white” category, but she came with a full moustache and doe-like eyes. I first covered the canvas with a variety of blues and purples, using a (mixed) light green and pink for the highlights. (Right now my palette has been expanded to include the following: pthalo blue red, azurite hue, cad red dark, alizarine crimson, cad yellow dark, and then for graying/hazing out I use light green yellow and ultramarine purple.) I lighten with titanium white and darken with one of the blues and a touch of one of the reds. As a side note, at this time last year I was really struggling with my limited palette (I went from about 60 pots of paint to 3), but I have lived the benefits – I am so much more familiar with what I can mix given just this handful of colors. My paintings are also m...

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