Paintings With Soul

View In Process Photos I Want a Portrait Too "Mimi," 12" x 106", acrylics on museum quality panel, a still life depicting a lovely long haired dame, private collection (THANK YOU!). Mimi was adopted at the ripe age of 17 and spent 6 beautiful years with her family before passing away recently. Her Mom requested a portrait that depicted her as a dignified and mature lady. She particularly wanted a scruffier look to Mimi's fur, and I was secretly delighted because that meant I could use even MORE color. Mimi had a distinctive furrowed brow that made her look grumpy, but she was just the opposite.  It was even more fun having her on my easel because of that expression. I hope my portrait prompts many fond memories for her family. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Kim

  "Miss Kitty," 8" x 10", commissioned calico cat portrait, acrylic on museum quality panel, depicting a lovely long haired tortoiseshell kitty, private collection (THANK YOU!).      Petite in size but huge in personality - isn't that how it usually goes? Miss Kitty was a rescue who became well known in the neighborhood for accompanying her family when they walked the dogs. She crossed the bridge about five years ago, but still holds a special spot in many hearts.   Her family will be very excited to have a portrait of her in their home. I wish I could be there for the reveal!   In process pics  here .   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com     Upcoming Workshops and Talks Social Media & Marketing, Jan 14, 2014 Coloriffic in Orlando Jan 31-Feb 1, 2014  - nearly full!  

"I've Got My Eye on You (Tuxedo)," 8" square, Golden Open acrylics on canvasboard, commissioned pet portrait of a long haired tuxedo kitty, 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 . Tuxedo presented a challenge in that the edges to her markings were sprinkled with a mixture of white and black hairs. She also had a markedly shaped and expressive face that was a joy to paint. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork and musings with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com FACEBOOK: Kimberly Kelly Santini TWITTER: ksantini 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 Da...

"Cat-itude," 10" x 20", Golden Open Acrylics on canvasboard, double portrait of two rescued kitties (larger than lifesized, I might add), headed to my solo show "Happily Ever Afters" at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary this August where it will be available for purchase. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, with sketches starting at $29) may always come to me . SOLD. Two things I love about this painting - well, three. The positioning of the two cats - one in your face, all serious, and the other totally laid back and casual. Their body language tells it all. The value structure creates a beautiful abstraction where their forms and negative space are effectively balanced. Squint down and you'll see what I mean - the painting reduces to a color field piece that retains visual interest. This is my first official painting as a new member of the Daily Painters Group. It is a tremendous honor to bring Painting a Dog a Day into the Daily Painte...

"Black on Black," 6" x 8", portrait of a long haired tuxedo kitty, acrylic on board, not yet available for purchase. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me . This is the same kitty as yesterday's "Sydney in Pink," however this painting has an entirely different feel. Here I was interested in the masses of color - her bib sandwiched between the inky dark of her body, framed by the equally dark flooring. And despite the limited local colors, there is quite a bit of color tucked into this little painting. It is one of my all time favorites. "Black on Black" is headed to my summer solo show focused on rescued animals. Sydney will be accompanied by paintings of approximately two dozen other pets, each of whom are living their "Happily Ever Afters." The artwork will be complimented with text that highlights the capacity these animals have to...

"Sydney in Pink," 8" square, acrylic on board commissioned pet portrait of a long haired tuxedo kitty, 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 . Sydney and five littermates were unceremoniously dumped in a cardboard box on the steps of a vet clinic. They all found homes, thankfully. And Sydney couldn't be loved any more than she is. Yesterday you may have noticed there was no daily post. This is because I wasn't in the studio - instead, I moonlighted as an elementary school art teacher. My stint as visiting artist concluded with a day of hands-on creation building collaged pet portraits. You can see more of what we did (myself, the regular teacher, and almost 100 4th graders) on the studio's facebook page . The best part of the project, at least for me, is still to come. We've arranged for the portraits to be hung at our local...

"Calico (Bridget)," 5" x 7", commissioned calico kitty portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries may always come to me . Looking for a perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for friend or family member? How about a donation to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary ? Some generous benefactors have agreed to match all BFAS donations through the holiday season, up to one million dollars. I can't even fathom the difference two million dollars would make in caring for homeless pets. And we can be a part of that. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com PS Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Oh boy, do I have lots of places to send you: SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holid...

"Gray & White," 4" square, commissioned portrait of a kitty, acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries may always come to me . If you haven't figured it out by now, one of my favorite things to do is exaggerate color. I really did see lavenders, blues, greens and violets in this kitty's fur - I'm just wired that way, I guess - and I love to saturate or intensify them when the opportunity presents itself. It's surprising how others, after commissioning a portrait, start to recognize those colors too. A warm thanks goes to the Orion Art Center, who awarded an honorable mention to my painting of the black Cocker Spaniel Taylor ( Demure, from two weeks ago ) in the 5th Annual Southeaster Michigan Portrait Exhibition. This painting was another ripe example of enhanced color. Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.paintingadogaday.com

"Lavendar (Feral Cat #1)," 8" square, cat portrait in Golden Open Acrylics on canvasboard, $329. Proceeds from the sale of Lavendar's painting will be donated to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary . Inquiries may always come to me . Today is National Feral Cat Day. There is information on the BFAS website on how you can help community cats. I encourage you to check out their site ( watch the video ) - it'll only take a few minutes, and provide some good dinner table conversation at the very least! Thank you today goes to BFAS staff photographer Molly Wald, who's photo of a feral tabby inspired my painting. I took some liberties, not having to portray a particular likeness, but I did retain the clipped left ear. This is a signal that the cat was part of a trap/neuter/return program. Tonite is the opening of the Southwestern Michigan Portrait Exhibition at the Orion Art Center. I had three paintings juried in and am looking forward to seeing how they measure up ...

"Tia," 6" square, commissioned cat portrait, acrylic on board, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including how you can commission your own portrait) may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . This painting seems to be all about contrast - anchored with a few basic shapes and carefully chosen edges around her face. As straightforward as it might look, it is not a painting I could have pulled off a few months ago. It's harder (at least for me) to say more with less. But it's also so much more satisfying! Thanks, as always, for looking at and sharing these paintings with your friends and family. See you tomorrow! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.turtledovedesigns.com PS Yes, I am feeling better. Thank you to all who asked!

"Gray and White Tuxedo," 5" x 7", long haired cat portrait, acrylic on board, $249 to the first buyer. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD . I've been in the studio a good chunk of the weekend and was so thrilled with this new little painting that I simply couldn't wait to share it with you. Hence, a Sunday Bonus Dog-a-Day. This is a cat who was at my local shelter a few weeks back. Such wonderfully soft fur, like angora, with a silent purr that tickled my bones. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to the Oakland Pet Fund ( http://www.oaklandpetfund.org/ ) to help this cat and hundreds others like him find forever homes. This painting would make a beautiful holiday gift, and in turn, would give also back to the critters at my shelter. Thanks, as always, for looking at and sharing these paintings with your friends and family. See you tomorrow, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/

FROM TOP: "Big Hammy," 6" x 12", $359, SOLD ; "Little Hammy," 4" x 8", $249, SOLD ; both paintings depicting a long-haired tiger cat in acrylic on board. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . I was so intrigued by the composition (Hammy's averted eyes, all the colors in her fur, the strong value ranges, and interesting edge work), that I wanted to try out multiple scales with slightly different color temperatures (the purple one is warmer, and the other carries more cool blues). It's hard to read on the computer, because you see everything in relatively the same size, but when you hold the paintings in your hand, it makes a world of difference. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing the Dog-a-Day paintings with your friends and family - please do forward! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/

FROM TOP: "The Bearded Man," 5" x 7", mixed breed dog portrait; "Charley," 6" x 12", himalayan cat portrait. I had some appointments yesterday morning, and came home feeling yucky. I laid down, and woke up a couple hours feeling even worse. Had some soup, went to bed, and woke up this morning. This just reinforces my belief that 12+ hours of sleep will cure just a good amount of things. That said, today was a busy busy day. I give you another two paintings to enjoy, one to make up for yesterday, and one for today, both of which I believe have already found a home. (Artist's note 9-22-8 - Yes, both have sold.) Thanks as always for your time in looking at and sharing my paintings with your friends and family. Enjoy your weekend! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/

Currently untitled, kitty portrait depicting a pile of kittens from the Oakland Pet Adoption Center, 12" x 16", acrylic on gallery stretched linen, $559. $110 from the purchase of this painting will be donated in the buyer's name to the Oakland Pet Fund ( http://www.oaklandpetfund.org/ ), a group dedicated to making Oakland County Michigan a no-more-homeless-pets community by 2010. Inquiries may come to me at ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . The first thing I saw upon entering the Oakland Pet Adoption Center last week was this pile of kittens in the front lobby. Entranced, I immediately photographed 100 frames or so of the little furballs. I was interested in the play of light against their shapes, and the occasional shape of a paw or ear amongst all the fur. Then this little one pulled her head up and gave me The Eye. Right away I knew I had a very special larger-than-life painting brewing. I went out the very next day to purchase linen, the rolls-royce of painting sur...

"LuLu," 8" square, commissioned seal point long haired cat portrait in acrylic on canvasboard. LuLu's painting joins a handful of my other portraits in a private collection - it's so fascinating to see the "families" of dog-a-day paintings that have assembled during the past 16 months. LuLu's is an especially endearing family, containing several of my favorite pieces. Yes, she is NOT a dog, but once you get over that part, don't you just love the color in her? Even though she is essentially a deep velvety brown and cream, I found all sorts of reds, orange, yellow, blue and violet to exploit too. And those eyes - they were especially important. LuLu is the sort of cat who behaves like a dog, so it was key that I paint her eyes engaging, bright with intelligence, and brimming with personality (not that ALL cats don't have these same traits - it's just that many choose to keep those sorts of things under wraps, so to speak). Making the e...

"Samson," 6x8, commissioned cat portrait, acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). This painting started out being about the background pattern - Klimpt-ish in nature. And then I stretched it into the fur, and allowed it to slowly take over everything but the eyes. And then I took a serious look at the painting, and it was no longer about the cat, but the pattern. Poor Samson had taken a back seat. I couldn't allow that. So once the glazes dried, I repainted his fur, and Samson was back in all his glory. You can still pick out bits of the pattern if you look really closely. But now the painting has a strong focal point - those yellow-green eyes. There's no battle going on between them and anything else. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for forwarding these messages to your friends and family, Talk to you tomorrow, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingadogad...

Today you get 2 kitties. 2 because I’d like to take a day off later in the week, but don’t want to short change the rescues that I’m working with. It was a working weekend for me, and I’ll admit I’m a little wiped out. But what fun! Saturday started with an early soccer game, and I enjoyed the crisp air and the dew drenched fields – they turned silvery as the sun rose, and I sat there, sipping my coffee, cheering my son on, while enjoying the atmosphere. Then it was off to Metamora’s Celebration of the Horse, where my daughter and I spent the afternoon prowling about, each with camera in hand, taking pictures, and soaking up all that is equine with great delight. And finally, Saturday evening found my husband and I in fabulous company at Margot’s Gallery, at her group show opening. Sunday was more of the same – an afternoon spent at the gallery, talking art all day – and then an artists’ gathering at Margot’s house, flush with great food and wine and conversation. So, I’m thinkin...

“Buffy (Long Haired Tortie Study),” 4” x 5”, feline portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (thank you!). When clients send over a stack of reference photos for a commissioned dog-a-day painting, usually one or two of the images (sometimes more than that, if I’m lucky!) scream “Paint me!” That simplifies the process completely – I allow that particular image to steer the size of the finished piece, and use bits from the other photographs to add details here and there. But sometimes I’m not so lucky, and the client can only scrape together a photo or two. With Buffy here, all I had to work from was one tiny 2” high photo, in which her face was less than 1/4” high. To further complicate matters, the photograph was taken with a flash, which practically wiped out what detail was left in the tiny image. I was comfortable taking this on only because Buffy looked so much like a tortie that owned me not so long ago. Despite my confidence, I did almost chuck this painting twice. ...