Paintings With Soul

    "Emma," 5" x 7", commissioned portrait of the cutest terrier ever, acrylics on museum quality panel, private collection (THANK YOU!!!).   I can absolutely paint your dog (or cat or horse or bunny or guinea pig) - inquiries may come  to me !   Commissioned portraits start at $209, and are one of the best ways ever to commemorate your relationship with a beloved pet. Gift certificates available, too, so that the recipient can be involved in the process of choosing reference materials and building the composition.   (Ahem, Father's Day is coming up, hint hint)   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   PS  Those of you who have painted with me in the past - do you see how Emma is "White-ish"? there isn't a speck of pure white pigment on her - everything is relative!!

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Dottie's Still Here", a painted sketch, paper sized 5" x 7", done in Golden Open and Heavy Body acrylics on multimedia artists board. Dottie's is a commissioned Jack Russell portrait with a special story. Dottie's Mom is going through chemo right now, and had to say goodbye to her little soulmate rather abruptly and unexpectedly. Dottie's extended family thought a portrait would remind her Mom of how much she has - and is - loved. It was my honor to be a part of this gift. Thanks in advance for sharing the Painting a Dog a Day artwork and my journey, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com "Help Japan" This week's Daily Paintworks challenge , "Help Japan," is a fundraiser for the survivors of the Japanese earthquake. Over $15,000 has already been raised by the participating artists! Visit the event page to browse the artwork. Paintings are still being added. If you want to go directly to ...

"Terrier Pup (Nellie)," 5" x 7", JRT puppy portrait, acrylic on canvasboard, $249. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This puppy belongs to a friend of mine, who like everyone with a new puppy, feeds my frenzy by showering me with photos. My original plan was to paint Nellie as the New Year's Baby, but at the end of December there weren't enough quality references for me to build a painting from. You see, Nellie, being a busy little terrier, isn't the most perfect model. I have many blurred shots of her in motion, including several of her bum as she dashed out of the camera's range. Shift to Plan B, which was just to paint the portrait on her timetable. Then fast forward to today. Your 2009 New Year's Baby! Recently I've gotten several requests: "is it ok if I forward your emails or information onto a friend?" YES! Please do - referrals are the best sorts of compliments. Feel free to share Painting a Dog a Day with ...

"Lifeguard on Duty (Peanut)," 16" x 20", terrier dog portrait in acrylic on board, $659. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This is a much larger than usual dog-a-day painting . Technically it isn't even really one, given that I've been picking away at it, off and on, since early May, and the typical dog-a-day painting is completed in one sitting. But often l start a piece with lofty intentions, and then recognize I can't carry it off without learning a few new things. So I lose momentum and the painting sits, 1/2 completed, waiting patiently for me to muster the courage to finish. Even with lapsed time, patience, and additional miles under my brushes, the imagined painting doesn't always turn out. (By the way, I throw out just as many paintings as I share on this blog.) But those times when things fall into place as I step up to paint the last pass-through, it feels darned good. I'm off for some celebratory oreos and iced tea...

"Squirrel Patrol," 10" x 20", terrier dog portrait , acrylic on board. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . This is Peanut, who I have gotten to paint before ( http://paintingadogaday.blogspot.com/search?q=peanut+terrier ). I fall more in love with him each time I pick up the brushes. My client has patiently waited for me to finish up Peanut's 2 larger paintings (there's another one soaking wet on the easel, 16" x 20") before she makes her choice. I'm wait-listing anyone interested in having a Peanut for themselves - feel free to send a note to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . I hope to have the fourth and final Peanut finished very soon..... I've gotten some nice press via inclusion in Mel Edwards' Votre Vray project. Mel has been interviewing creative women as research for a book/play that she is writing. We had a great chat a few weeks back, and she did a beautiful job summarizing a few of the points we tou...

"Terrier Study," 5x7, jack russell or parson's terrier portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $90. $18 from the sale of this painting will go to the Oakland Pet Adoption Center/Oakland Pet Fund in the buyers’ name. Available to the first buyer – all inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD . This little guy was one of two male JRT strays picked up by Oakland Animal Control right before Labor Day weekend. As of last week, both were crated together, and keeping each other company. This guy was the more confidant one, nudging the gate handle on his crate, furiously wagging his stubby tail, while his partner in crime sat back and quietly checked me out. Both of them carried tremendous light in their eyes. They were chock full of terrier vitality, and I longed to see them working over a pile of logs or romping through a field together. Again, just to reiterate how Shelter & Rescue Week works - Each of the paintings completed this week were inspired by an animal at...

In the interest of every child who’s ever asked Santa for a puppy, I submit today’s painting. It’s a little Jack Russel/Parson’s terrier, all bright eyed, with loose brushwork and endearing character. The best part of this little guy? No chewed slippers or poop patrol! And really, at 4x5 and $50, he’s bound to bring a smile to someone’s face. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with interested friends and family. Happy holidays, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingadogaday.com/ come. sit. stay. enjoy the art. Founding member of the Canine Art Guild http://www.canineartguild.com/ the gateway to canine art on the web