Paintings With Soul

"Flutterby," 8" x 8" x 2", acrylics on a deeply cradeled museum quality panel, depicting a My Little Pony figurine toy. I grabbed her as an impulse buy while in the checkout lane at Target. Now, after the success of this painting, I want to go back and get more (because I am a hoarder and I have 2 other panels identical to this and think a triptych would be super fun!). This piece is $429, and that includes shipping and handling direct to your US address. Let me know if you want Flutterby for your home! I Finally Figured Yellow Out. And now I've most likely cursed myself by saying so out loud. But here's the thing, just like with any other color, yellow grays out (de-saturates) as it moves away from one's eye. Until today, I didn't see that graying process, I simply read the overall intensity of yellow (generically speaking) and painted that. "Paint what you see, and not what you know." How man...

"My Little Unicorn," Toy #24, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a My Little Pony figuring. This painting sold about 5 minutes after I shared a snapshot on Facebook this morning. Many thanks to my returning collector, who has just snagged her first holiday gift! Meanwhile, you can always work on your gift giving list - connect with me  via email  and we'll get some original art in your hands! I grabbed this little unicorn last week while school supply shopping with the kids. They loaded the cart with notebooks and binders and postits, and I grabbed a couple plastic ponies and a new box of crayons.  Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, All my best, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com The 100 Toys Album

"Cowboy's Ride," Toy #19, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite. This painting features a small plastic horse - perhaps from some sort of game? He bears no stamp or manufacture's id. His painting is $75, including shipping inside the US. Purchasing is as simple as  asking . The Party's Over.... Re-entry is tough. I came home last night, and started on laundry and other neglected tasks (like email!). By midday today, suitcases were unpacked and all put away. Sigh.  Already looking forward to next year! And figuring out when I can sit and edit my photos from New York. And what sorts of paintings they will inspire. And also thinking about September, and Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days pledge . Care to join us? Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, All my best, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com The 100 Toys Album

"Dapples and Braided," a contour doodle, roughly 9" x 12", acrylics and ink on paper. This piece has been donated to the Equis Gallery Relocation Fund and is available via auction -  learn more and bid here . And as always, inquires may always come directly to me .  A Contour Doodle? Yup, you read it right. It's a contour drawing done with great joi de vivre, then embellished with spirited color (acrylic paint). It's something I discovered via Carla Sonheim and Lynn Whipple's class The Year of the Spark (get used to me talking about the class, because it's gonna carry me through all of 2015 - you can see my homework , and even order prints of some of the assignments ). I combined Carla's "one-liners" - drawings done with, literally, one line - with my paints, and a new idea was born! I've been playing around with these the past couple days. I think it's pretty obvious I am having a good time, too! ...

The finished version, still damp to the touch! "Hot to Trot," 12" x 12", acrylics on a Raymar panel, depicting Marzipan, a Barbie Fairytale plastic horse. "Hot to Trot" is available for $599 - inquiries may come  to me . Please and thank you! Fridays start with yoga class. I've missed it for various reasons for over a month. My instructor had taken to calling me the "Yoga Dropout," it was that bad! I practice at home, but nobody pushes me as hard as her, so getting back on my mat this morning was a wonderful gift to myself. By the end of the class, my head was clear and my muscles all stretched out and quivery. Yoga was followed up by a massage. The past few weeks have been riddled with stress and I needed to work out the tension I'd been carrying in my back and shoulders. Easy fix - lavender butter, quiet music, and a little snooze. My brain slipped into slo-mo and my muscles were even more quivery by the end of...

In process detail of "Hot to Trot," 12" x 12", acrylics on a Raymar panel, depicting Marzipan, a Barbie Fairytale plastic horse. "Hot to Trot" is available for $599 - inquiries may come  to me . Please and thank you! Continuing exploring some of the possibilities I discovered in the workshop earlier this week, I played with more plastic ponies today. It took me a good hour before I settled on Marzipan - particularly because her pink plastic really glowed when lit from behind, and she cast a wonderfully colorful shadow.  Also, her delicate feathery mane and tail provided an opportunity to try and paint an ethereal texture. And some intriguing edge work, too. There's in process photos here , and a photo of the setup here . And tomorrow I hope to have a finished painting to show off! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork! Happy holidays! Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.co

"Conversations II," 8" x 10", acrylics on a Raymar panel, depicting two My Little Ponys. This composition has inspired a new series of toy pieces - I am excited to create them! Conversations II is available for $469 - inquiries may come  to me . Please and thank you! Today's Lesson ha-la-tion - he effect of light spreading and bouncing, pulling reflected color into surrounding objects. Today I focused on this, paying attention to the temperature of the light and how it bounced about, creating color drenched shadows and licks of brightness. As always, Vianna provided a multitude of lightbulb moments. Ideas are still percolating, and I can't wait to try some new things out in my own space. Tomorrow! Meanwhile, there's a photo essay on the three day workshop on my FB page. If you are interested in painting with Vianna Szabo, take a peek at her teaching calendar - hands down, she is the best I've had the p...

"Grey III," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a dark bay Schleich model draft horse, $329 to the first asking nicely . There's a lot to be said for working in a series - it really gives you the opportunity to lose yourself in an idea. This week , my challenge has been using a limited number of colors (5 tubes of paint), mixing harmonious yet colorful grays, while working up simple still lifes inspired by model horses. I can't stop. I have to - I have some commissions to get to - but I can't stop. I may squeeze another one in later tonite. So far there's three paintings in this series - Gray I and Gray II remain available. All three of these will look gorgeous grouped together and I will give preferential pricing to any collector who wishes to purchase the collection. Message me! Pics of all the Gray paintings, including in process ones, are here . Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Wa...

"Grey II," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a gray Schleich model pony, $329 to the first asking nicely . I told you I couldn't wait to get back into the studio last nite. And this is what I painted, while dinner was roasting. Another model/toy horse, a Schleich dappled gray. Here's the tubes of paint I used: Titanium White Cadmium Yellow Dark Alizarine Hue Ultramarine Blue Carbon Black Been doing computer and paperwork all day, but I've got another one set up, which perhaps I will get to later tonite after a handful of meetings. Fingers and toes crossed it'll work out that way! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Grey I," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a gray Schleich model pony, $329 to the first asking nicely . The light is grim in Michigan today, which meant I could set up a still life in the studio and not have much ambient light change affect my setup. I pulled out this Schleich pony, on loan from a fan who happens to live in my neighborhood AND her daughter dances with mine (go figure! we didn't even know that!), and set out a limited palette. Titanium White Cadmium Yellow Dark Alizarine Hue Ultramarine Blue Carbon Black There is such luminosity here and delicate transitions to my planes - I enjoyed carving this painting out immensely! So much so that I grabbed another pony and got him all lit dramatically. And then realized it was time to start shuttling kids to and fro. But, once we all are home again, I want to have another go at this. Maybe after dinner and homework. In process pics (including Gray II...