Paintings With Soul

      "Sleeping Beauty," a Cherished painting and the latest piece inspired by Mona Lisa, 10" x 20", acrylic on museum quality panel. This piece will be entered in a portrait exhibition and available next month for $799 exquisitely framed - if you are interested in purchasing, please  email me .   I've worked on "Sleeping Beauty" over the last couple days, and there are lots of photos over on  the studio's Facebook page .   The reference photos for this painting were taken a couple years, back, within days of Mona's adoption. This was her first visit to the studio, where, after a cursory inspection of the room, she promptly found the warmest spot - my recently vacated desk chair - and oriented herself toward the sun. In reality Mona was about 2 lbs at the time - in this particular portrait, her head alone measures 5" - there's quite a difference in scale!   Fondly, Kim, who's already a c...

"Flopsy," the newest Cherished painting, 9" x 12", acrylic on museum quality panel, depicting an extremely charming and very cherished bunny.   "Flopsy" is also headed to ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan in September, and will be available for purchase then. Please  email me  if you are interested in purchasing him, and I will be happy to make the necessary arrangements.   In process pics of Flopsy are on  the studio Facebook page .   What did I think of when painting this one? The opened package of Oreos in my cupboard. Which I left alone. For the record. Honest. And no, my fingers aren't crossed.   Thanks for supporting my art!! Kim  ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com    

    "Mini Halo," from the "Cherished" series.   This new favorite of mine (sorry,  "Momma,"  but you've been replaced) is this 5" square painting, done in acrylics on a museum quality panel and available for purchase for $269.   That is, if Halo's Mom decides to let this one go, which she might, because there's  a bigger Halo portrait  fighting for wall space, too. UPDATE: The bigger Halo has a home (THANK YOU!). "Mini Halo" is actively seeking one. Inquiries may come to me .   Inquiries on either piece may come  to me . And check out below if you want to play along in the "Cherished" game!   Thanks for supporting my art!! Kim  ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com     Cherished Paintings   A collection of "Cherished" series of paintings will be displayed as part of this year's  ArtPrize  in Grand Rapids, Michigan.    ...

    "Like Her Momma," from the "Cherished" series. This little gem is 6" x 8", acrylics on a museum quality panel, and not currently for sale. However, inquiries may always come  to me .   And in process views of this painting are on  the studio's Facebook page .   I've entered this painting into an international juried equine art exhibition (for those who are curious, the Equine Jubilee in Delaware, Ohio from August through October of this year). And as such, if accepted, the painting will have to be available for purchase at the event.   I sent these ladies along with two other paintings from the Saratoga series - fingers and toes crossed that the jurors like my work enough to include them all. (And yes, I get rejected regularly from shows - it's all about one person's opinion at one particular moment in time, so  don't beat yourself up over it should the same thing happen to you)   Meanwhi...

    In Process, "Striped," from the "Cherished" series and the latest Mona Lisa inspired portrait. Done to celebrate her second birthday (happy, happy day, Mo Bug!), this one is 12" x 16", acrylics on a museum quality panel, and when finished, will sell for $629. Inquiries may come  to me .   If you are a Facebook fan, you will have seen many, many, many, many in process views of "Striped" (some of them actually including stripes!) on  the studio's Facebook page . I've been working on this one the past three days.   And this painting is kicking my butt.   A great example of a reference photo that required a number of adjustments to translate into an equally stunning painting. And instead of stepping back and mapping out a clear plan once I discovered this, I continued to march forward without much direction.   I have a clearer vision now of where to take this, and I'll have a go at it later t...

    "Halo's Heart," from the "Cherished" series, 9" x 15", one of two portraits I'm creating of this gorgeous long haired German Shepherd puppy. This one is acrylics on a museum quality panel, and she will go to the first one raising their hand for $529. Of course, first dibs on both Halo pieces belong to her Mom, but in the meanwhile inquiries may come  to me .   If I still have the painting this fall, Halo will be part of my ArtPrize  installation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   In process views of this piece are on  the studio's Facebook page .   And now I'm rushing back to my easel - I have another very wet piece happening, and want to keep momentum going for as long as I can!   Thanks for following along with me and my art, Kim  ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com     It's Summer Vacation, Baby!!   Which is a big deal to Clover and Lily, p...

  "Kiss (Baci)," 5" square, from the "Cherished" series, acrylic on museum quality panel, $239, inquiries may come to  me .  SOLD         I would say that the "Cherished" series is off to an excellent start.   I'm looking for a few more muses - details on how to submit your companion animal are  on the blog .   And now to get my butt in gear and submit that exhibition proposal so that we are official and stuff with contracts and all.   And then I can share the exciting news with you!!   Best stop wasting time, then, eh? Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   Just a little taste of what we'll be doing in the adult journalling class this week,  using doodles culled from the garden and  water based media.   grownUPs Journalling   It's the 3rd Thursday this week, which means the grownUP journallers will be meeting at Little Monsters in downtown Lake Orion. Class is from 6-8pm and we'll be ...

  "What the....??," the very first painting from the "Cherished" series, 24" x 14", acrylic on museum quality panel, depicting a cattle dog mix and a gray tabby kitten, aka Finnigan Jones and Mona Lisa, collection of the artist.   I don't think I'm ready to part with this painting quite yet, but I can create something just as fun starring your pets - email me !           To keep the composition simple, I opted to eliminate the rug (you can see  the reference here ), and I'm wondering now if it should be there. Without the rug, there's a lot of negative space and I'm not entirely convinced it's the best thing for the painting, but am content to let things sit for a bit until I can "see" how to do it differently.   I painted the shadows out and sketched the rug in, then the voice inside my head told me to take the rug back out and replace the shadows. Still, I wonder. Maybe I'll go back in with some glazes and...

  I could so use a nap right now.   You deserve a pretty picture and I haven't made it to the easel yet today, so here's one of my Painting a Dog a Day favorites - Brie (of  Lisa Daria Kennedy Painting a Day fame) from  January  of last year. This painting is in a private collection, but I can create something equally spectacular and starring your own pet -  email me !           Sometimes my days don't have nearly enough hours. Today was one of them.   Got The Caped Crusader off to school. Checked email and varnished paintings. Got The Princess off to school. Walked the dog. Emptied cat box, threw in laundry, cleaned kitchen. Sent The Man Child off to breakfast with a friend. Wrapped and packaged 5 paintings shipping to NY. Dropped The Man Child and friend off at school (they had a late start today). Drove way-the-way across town to get estimate on car repairs. While waiting for estimate, revamped class materials fo...

  You saw the reference photo  yesterday  (and it's included below, too) - here's the underpainting for the first painting in my new series "Cherish."   Working title "What the....?", this is 24" high by 14" wide, and it's in acrylics on a museum quality panel.   I don't anticipate that this one will be for sale, but inquiries may always come  to me .           For those new to the blog, this is my cattle dog mix Finnigan, who truly had no idea what the little furball kitten Mona Lisa was doing in his house. She, of course, went about as if she had always owned the place, her tail jauntily crooked above her back, her little bell joyfully announcing every move.   I want this painting to convey Finni's gentle curiousity and Mona's trust. It needs to feel warm and cozy, alluded to by the yellow undertones of the floor and rug. And once I get the shadows working properly, the composition will carry a circular motif...