I have recently become involved with the BC SPCA rundraiser “Just Desserts”, which is taking place on March 14th in Victoria, BC. This is one of their gala evening events to help raise funds for the local SPCA. So many dogs, cats and other animals who don’t have homes need help every day. I am so excited to be a part of helping out!
I am in the process of painting as many dog and cat paintings as I can. These will be used to decorate the A Channel Studios for the evening of the fundraiser. I will be donating a personalized pet portrait to the silent auction, as well as a portion of any sales of the other paintings. Below are a few of the ones that I have only JUST finished...These range in size from 12x12” to 16x16”.
Here are a few links to check out. Please help if you can!
Phew, finished the last of my new dog and cat paintings. In a few weeks, I finished 8 new paintings! They were mostly small ones (12x12 to 16x20), but it involved long days in the studio...
Often the most time-consuming process of painting is the designing stage. I do a lot of this on the computer, using photoshop to play with the photos (either pets or landscapes), changing colours, cropping to different sizes and compositions, etc. When I work with clients to help them design their pet portrait, this can actually take a bit of time, going back and forth on email. When it's just me making the decisions it's a bit faster (but maybe not as much fun!). I love working with people to help them get just the right look for their painting.
Here are the last four paintings that I completed. All of these will be for sale tomorrow night at the Just Desserts Gala fundraiser in Victoria. My paintings are going to be used to decorate the venue (it's at A Channel TV studio). I have paired each painting with a quote or saying about a dog or cat (depending on what the painting is of). I had a blast putting these quotes together - some are hilarious! And I will be donating a portion of all sales that night towards the SPCA.
I have recently finished a few new horse paintings. These weren't commissions, but just ones I did for fun. As a kid growing up, I was a bit horse-crazy. Although I didn't have a horse or know anyone who had one, I was always drawing them. I still remember that eureka moment when my dad showed me how to properly draw their back legs - it finally clicked! My parents (after much begging from me) put me into a few different horse riding lessons - never quite enough for me to really become proficient at it, but I loved every minute!
Up until this point, I have mostly had requests for dog portraits and a few cat portraits. I am excited about the idea of also doing doing more horse portraits! Horses are one of the the most beautiful and graceful animals on this earth and I would love to paint more of them...
I will be displaying some of my pet portrait paintings at an exhibit booth at the up-coming "Healthy Horse (and Pet) Expo". It's on Sat Mar 28th, at the Saanich Fairgrounds.
At the “Healthy Horse (and Pet) Expo” yesterday at the Saanich Fairgrounds, I had a draw box for $100 off a customized pet portrait. Thank you to all those who stopped by my exhibit booth and to all those who entered the draw.
* The winner of the draw is.....Brenda Wood. * Congratulations Brenda. I am looking forward to working with you to paint a portrait of your pet!
It was a freezing and wet day yesterday, but there were still a lot of people who came out for the Expo. I had a great time meeting everyone there as well as all the exhibitors. It was extremely well organized and I enjoyed it immensely. There’s only one thing I would do differently: bring my little portable camping propane heater! (The exhibit booths were in two barns, my booth was in what felt like the colder one with the dirt floor. I was freezing - esp my feet - the whole day.) Lessons for next time...
Thanks again to Alexa and all the other organizers. You all did a fantastic job!
I will be helping out with another gala fundraiser, this time for Big Heart Rescue. The gala is taking place on June 6th in Victoria. I will be donating a gift certificate worth $400 towards a pet portrait. This would be good for one 16x16" portrait or it can be used towards a larger one. It will be part of the live auction that night, so hopefully lots of people will bid towards it - of course all the proceeds go towards Big Heart Rescue. (At the fundraiser for the SPCA I donated the same, and it went for $475 in the silent auction!).
Big Heart Rescue works in the province of BC, with a special focus on small First Nation reserves. They are 100% funded by generous donations from people like us. They do not have a shelter facility and all dogs in their care are in foster homes until they find the family that is a perfect match. They pay for all food and veterinary care until a home can be found. They can always use more help from us!
For more information on Big Heart Rescue and the gala, please see:
I’ve been busy over the past few weeks! So far this month I have finished 4 new pet portraits, and 3 larger landscapes paintings. The pet portraits actually take a lot longer than the landscapes to complete, mostly because they are commissions for other people and also because I’m pretty meticulous with them so they look just like the original pet. I work with the clients sometimes for hours/days/weeks to get the photo to use decided on and a mock up of the painting approved before I actually start painting. If there are multiple proofs required, this can actually take quite a while. Once I start the painting, the time it takes mainly depends on the complexity of the subject and the size of the canvas.
So far, most of the portraits I’ve done have been gifts for other people, or memorials of beloved pets who have passed. Today I just gave a client two paintings that he commissioned as a gift for his mother - of her Jack Russell’s. He’s giving them to her this weekend for her birthday. I hope she loves them - I can’t wait to hear what her reaction is!
What a fabulous gift to give to someone...
A Special Portrait
Tuesday June 2, 2009
I just finished a portrait for a good friend here in Victoria. Her poodle Charly and grandson Owen are always looking out her front window together and she wanted a painting to show this everyday activity. She lives right on Dallas Road in Victoria, just across the street from the dog park, the ocean and the distant Olympic mountains. Spectacular view! Normally I don't paint people but this was a fun painting to do. I will be delivering it to her tomorrow, she's just seen photos of it so far. I can't wait to see her reaction in person!
Two Fundraisers
Monday June 8, 2009
This past weekend I participated in two fundraisers: Big Heart Rescue and Canadian Athletes Now. For each I’m donated a gift certificate worth $400 towards a custom pet portrait...
Big Heart Rescue is a dog rescue organization here in the province of BC. They don’t have a shelter and instead use foster families to house dogs (and cats) until they can be adopted to loving homes. They deal mostly with small First Nations reserves who don't have resources available to help them deal with veterinary care, spaying and neutering. Funds are always needed to help with medical care and the cost of fostering. On Saturday night they held their gala fundraising dinner. It was so much fun, and there were so many people there which was fantastic to see! I am so happy to be helping out in this small way. One day I hope to be in a position where I can help foster a dog in need...
Canadian Athletes Now (CAN) is a not-for-profit organization devoted solely to raising funds and awareness for Canada's athletes. The Fund has been set up to help Canada's athletes ready for international summer and winter Games. My two cousins have been involved in synchronized swimming for years and thus my interest. On Sunday, SHAW TV hosted a nation-wide live auction. In total, they raised $559,930, and SHAW matched up to $500,000, which means that over a million dollars was raised!
I have entered a dog art wine label art contest. I need your help to get my painting in the top 10 for judging. This is determined by the voting public (you!). To vote for my painting, which is of my dog Lucy (photo to the right), go to www.dogarttoday.com (see below for more info) ... I I am entry #12 !!! (Interestingly, there is a very similar entry, pretty much a mirror image of my painting, further down the list - Make sure my painting is the one you vote for :-)
** The top 10 images with the most votes will go to the judges for the final decision. Please help me be in the top 10!!! All the help is very much appreciated!
Voting goes on all this week.
Cheers, and many thanks in advance!
__________
Dog Art Today (website blog) and Mutt Lynch Winery, North America's most renowned dog winery (California), have partnered to host the 2009 Dog Art Wine Label Contest. All artists are invited to submit one dog-themed/wine-themed work of art. The winning entry will be made into a label for Mutt Lynch Winery's limited edition wine that will debut at the winery's "Dog Days of Summer" on August 8, 2009. The Wine Label Contest winner will receive one case of the rare and exclusive wine, a featured spotlight on Dog Art Today, and an invitation to attend the "Dog Days of Summer" in Healdsburg, Sonoma County (travel and accommodations not included.)
HOW TO VOTE:
Dog Art Today readers will have a chance to vote online for their favorite label June 15- June 19. The winner will then be selected by judges from the top 10 finalists and announced on June 22. The wine label will be revealed at the August 8, 2009 "Dog Days of Summer" event.
Thanks Everyone...
Saturday June 20, 2009
Well, I am sad to say that I didn’t make it into the top 10 for the dog art wine label contest (see previous blog entry). I know I'm biased, but I do feel that my painting of Lucy could have been there. However, it was based on the popular vote and I guess that those that made it had more people out there to vote for them. It would have been such a great opportunity to have more people see my pet portrait art. But thank you so much for your vote!
I have another place that I will be featuring my pet portraits - the Moss Street Paint-In. That takes place on July 18th in Victoria (12-4pm), and there will be more than 100 artists that set up along Moss Street, from the Victoria Art Gallery (Fort St) all the way down to Dallas Rd. I will have a little tent set up and will be demonstrating one of my pet portraits. I think I’ll do another one of my dog Lucy (as if I haven’t done enough of her, but I just love her expressions). I’ll also have some landscapes paintings on display and for sale, some cards and I also make little canvas necklaces. The whole point of the day is to showcase Victoria’s art community. Everyone there will be doing a demo of their particular form of art. Should be fun.
I’ll write a bit more about the paint-in in the coming weeks...For now it’s time to get out into the studio to paint. (I’ve overcommitted myself for displays in July, so I need to madly create some new paintings to fill the spaces!)
Moss Street Paint-In
Wednesday July 8, 2009
I am going to be part of the Moss Street Paint-In this year (Saturday July 18th) and I am very excited about it. There will be over 100 artists set up along Moss Street here in Victoria, from the Victoria Art Gallery (by Fort St) all the way down to Dallas Road by the water, from 12-4pm. The focus of the paint-in is to bring artists’ studios to the street, providing the opportunity for the community and visitors to watch the artists at work. What a cool idea, hey? That whole section of the road will be closed off to cars, only foot traffic allowed. Typically there are over 30,000 people who come out that day. There will be so many different types of art being demo’d that day - it would be amazing to see it all. (one downside to being involved in the paint-in, is that I myself can’t wander the length of Moss Street to see everyone else!)
I will be at Station #56 - at the corner of Moss and Faithful St. This is just a few blocks from Dallas Road. I hope you can come by and say hello. I will have a tent set up (shade from the sun, as IT WILL BE SUNNY - pay attention sun gods). I am going to be featuring my pet portraits - there will be a sign on the tent saying this - and will be doing a demo of my dog Lucy...as if I haven’t done enough of her, but I can’t resist. I will have pet portraits and landscapes on display, as well as art cards and some of my mini-canvas necklaces. All will be for sale. But of course the focus is on the demonstration.
Here are some of the pet portraits (currently on display at the SPCA and other venues in Victoria) that I will have on display and for sale...I hope to see you there!
And the winner is ...
Sunday July 19, 2009
Yesterday was the annual Moss Street Paint-In, the first one that I have been part of (and it's been taking place for 22 years now). I had so much fun!!! I definitely want to apply to be part of it every year from now on. It was an amazing sunny day, not too hot but maybe a little too windy, especially for some locations along Moss Street. I am glad I arranged with a friend to use her tent, as without it my location would have been waaaaaaaay too hot, as there were no shady trees there. For the occasional wind gusts I made sure I weighted down the corners of the tent. I had three tables set up, displaying small landscape paintings, cards and mini-canvas necklaces for sale, as well as the draw box. I also had an easel set up for my demo painting of my dog Lucy. I didn't get much done on it, as there were so many people who stopped by the table to chat. And of course I had a grid set up to display my featured pet portraits. It was fantastic to meet all of you! And what an amazing variety of dogs that went by as well, everything from little Chihuahua's to a huge Great Dane. A huge thanks to my friend who came over from Vancouver for the day to help me out at the table - it would have been too much for just one person. I'm curious to know how many people are estimated to have come out to it. In past years it's been around 30,000!
And now for the draw for $100 off a custom pet portrait. I have just done the draw - picked by an impartial third party in a draw box held above his head :-) - and THE WINNER IS ... Shelley Roberts of Victoria, BC! Congratulations Shelley - I am looking forward to working with you to create a customized painting of your pet(s)!!!!
Sooke's "Art in the Park" ... This weekend
Monday August 10th, 2009
I am taking part in Sooke’s annual “Art in the Park”. It’s happening this coming weekend - August 15-16, 10-5pm both days, at the beautiful Ed MacGregor Park, which is on Sooke Road just past the lights at Otter Point Rd (it’s on the south side of the road, just a bit past the post office). Parking is in the lot just before you get to the park. There will be tents set up with artisans displaying their wares and will include paintings, pottery, jewellery, photography, fibre arts, mixed medial art, etc ... There should be something for everyone! There will be great live entertainment all weekend. And of course once you are out in Sooke, there are tons of great places to visit.
I will be displaying my pet portraits, landscape paintings (smaller ones too!) as well as art cards and mini-canvas art necklaces ...
... AND, I will be having another draw for $100 off a custom pet portrait. So come by, say hello and enter!
* * * *
The Winner of the Draw from "Art in the Park" ...
Monday August 17th, 2009
This past weekend turned out amazing for an outdoor art show! The great weather helped Sooke’s “Art in the Park” be a great success. But of course the main reason was because of the organizers. They did a fantastic job! A huge THANK YOU to all of you who put this together.
I had a blast meeting you all! I had samples of my work out (landscapes and pet portraits), including my latest pet portrait - another painting of my dog Lucy. She’s definitely my muse and inspiration. I hope to finish it soon so you can all see the final painting. I also had a lot of fun because of the other vendors who were sharing the large tent we were placed under - my tent-mates. They included Geraldine of “conFused Glass Studio” (the maker of some gorgeous fused glass jewellry) and Roger of “Kicking Horse Creations” (amazing carved wood art and boxes). Thanks for making the past two days such a great experience.
So many of you entered my draw for $100 off a custom pet portrait. I am happy to announce the winner - Donna Ramsey. Congratulations to you Donna. I am looking forward to working with you to create a painting of your pet(s)!
I know, I know! I've done so many paintings of my dog Lucy that it's getting a bit silly. But I can't resist - she is just so photogenic and her expressions are just so ... paintable! This is one that I started as a demo painting for the Moss St Paint-In in July, left it for a few weeks, them did more this past weekend as a demo at Art in the Park. Once I had started again, I couldn't stop and I worked on it this week (inbetween working on a big commission - 3 x 5 feet! - that I started on last month - more on that in a later blog, although this one isn't pet related).
The reference photo was taken by my boyfriend outside in our backyard on a sunny day a few months ago. The green reflection on her face was partly the reflection of the green grass she was sitting on (before it went brown from all sun and no rain), and partly me wanting more green in there! She is looking off to the side, which is exactly how she zones in on wasps before she snaps at them. She was stung in the butt as a puppy and doesn't like them much. One of these days she's going to get stung in the mouth! (I'm not looking forward to that...)
Latest Painting with "in progress" photos
Friday August 21st, 2009
I start all my paintings on a coloured background, whether
it's red, blue, purple or even black. With the more muted colours of purple and green in my reference, I thought I'd punch it up with a red background. (I'm on a red kick at the moment: right now most of my landscape paintings also have a red background to start). I did my drawing with a white chaulk pencil which is water-soluable, so as I'm painting it's dissolved by the acrylic paint. I try to keep some of the chaulk lines showing through as I paint (one of my personal challenges - my tendency is to cover it all up!). At the end, when everything is dry and the remaining chaulk lines are wiped away, some nice bits of red will still be showing through!
I haven't yet decided if I am going to keep this one or not. I love it, but I'm thinking I might enter it into the Sidney Fine Art Show (in October) and see if it makes it in. I normally enter just my landscapes into these juried shows, as I think the jurors like to see consistency in subject matter as well as style when they look at the three paintings that you can enter ... But you never know - I might try something different! The only downfall of putting it in is it has to be for sale. It would be hard to part with this one, but I know I can be strong! :-) And if it doesn't make it in, I won't be unhappy either.
September was busy!
Thursday October 1st, 2009
September was a busy month! I was away for two whole weeks, with some family visits in between, so that didn't leave me with much time to paint, or even to post here. I spent one week at an art workshop put on by the FCA (Federation of Canadian Artists) on Gabriola Island. What an incredible experience that was! There were over 80 artists there, 4 fabulous instructors (David Langevin, Stephen Quiller, Suzanne Northcott and Brian Atyeo) all of whom I learned so much from, and my absolute favourite artist Robert Genn gave a demo and answered questions one of the evenings we were there. I learned tons and still haven't had time to assimilate it all.
I also spent a whole week in Tofino (just getting home last night), which is my absolute favourite place here on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We stayed in a fantastic house right on Chesterman Beach, with gorgeous views of the surf and sunsets. We had fantastic weather, great surf (except for the gale force winds one day), way too much food and wine, and I brought my painting supplies so got a few small paintings done. Now I'm raring to go on some really big canvases! I'm thinking that I will be painting a serious of Tofino beach scenes...
I had some great news when I got back from Tofino: All 3 of the paintings I entered into the Sidney Fine Art Show were accepted! This includes my painting of Lucy (see previous post)! I'll post photos of these soon...
Also, I entered the Victoria FCA Fall Exhibition and had a landscape painting accepted into that as well (one of my favourites: Broomhill Forest, 18x36"). The FCA show opens this weekend at the Goward House and will be on until October 28th. Come out this Sunday for the opening reception - 1:30 to 3:30.
Meanwhile, it's time to get back into my studio and PAINT!
Mural Mosaic collaborative art project
Tuesday October 6th, 2009
This weekend I finished my panel for the huge mural that I was invited to be a part of. It's for the Mural Mosaic collaborative art project, and they are putting together a large mural in the theme of the West Coast, called “Kunamokst”. Basically it will be one big mural image made up of hundreds of individual paintings each done by different artists (and there are 231 panels). Each artist is given an individual panel that measures 12x12”. The panels are pre-painted in the colours and patterns that go to make up the final image, but no one but the organizers knows what it will be yet. There are already some very well known artists participating, including Robert Batemen and Roy Henry Vickers.
The image is slowly taking shape as more artists finish their panels and they are put in place (and I think I can tell what it will be...). Have a look at their website to see where they are at: http://www.muralmosaic.com/kunamokst.html
Here are my before and after images. I was assigned Panel #96, you can see the colours that were pre-painted on it in the "before" photo below. I had to keep to similar tones but could paint anything I wanted, as long as it was in a west-coast theme. My painting was inspired by the many trips I have taken to the beaches of Vancouver Island. I’ve always been fascinated by the life that exists underwater - I actually have a B.Sc. degree in Zoology, where I took a ton of invertebrate zoology courses (and loved them). The many tidal pools in the nooks and crannies of the rocks during low tide are just a glimpse at this fascinating underwater world. And since I was just recently in Tofino, I found a few great examples of mussels and sea anemones to paint. I did the painting a bit more graphic that I normally paint and I'm quite happy with it.
Before
After - "Mussels & Anemone"
Sidney Fine Art Show
Thursday October 15th, 2009
This weekend is the Sidney Fine Art Show! It takes place in Sidney, BC for three days: Friday October 16th to Sunday October 18th. This show is an amazing showcase of the talent that the south Island has to offer. They received a record 1436 entries, from almost 600 artists. There were three jurors who had the extremely hard job of narrowing the field down to 372 pieces of diverse artwork for the show. The jurors were Donna Baspaly, Brent Lynch and Catherine Moffat - all excellent artists themselves. (for more information on the show, please visit - http://blog.sidneyfineartshow.com)
I am so excited to have the honour of having all 3 of my paintings that I submitted accepted! In the past I’ve had one or two, but this is the first year that all 3 are in. The paintings that will be in the show are “Glacial Glimpse”, “Sombrio River”, and “Purple Dog”. I am thrilled to have one of my dog paintings in the show along with my landscapes. I wasn’t sure if the jurors would accept such different subject matter from one artist, but I am happy to report that they did. Below are the paintings that have made it in... (update on Sunday Oct 18: I sold all 3 of my paintings!)
I hope you can get a chance to get out and see the show. It will be amazing to see all the selected works of art in one place.
Glacial Glimpse 22x28”
A few years ago I did a hike up to Garibaldi Lake (south of Whistler) with some friends. What a beautiful place that is! I took many photos and have painted a few of those scenes already (and I’m sure more will be coming). This is a glimpse of the lake between some trees, just before you get the full view. The colours just took my breath away and I had to paint them.
Sombrio River 16x16”
This is from a photo I took at Sombrio River, having just crossed the suspension bridge and walked down to the rocks at the water’s edge. The mid-morning light was gorgeous. I had just finished an early morning surf and had walked back down to the water to take some photos.
Purple Dog 20x20”
Lucy! My dog has been the inspiration for so many of my dog paintings. Of course I do other dog portraits, but there’s nothing like painting a subject you know well. Lucy can be so expressive and she’s definitely photogenic. I’ve already painted her as a green dog and a blue dog, and here’s the purple version.
Gifts & Wishes - Art & Crafts Show and Sale ... Oct 29 - Nov 1
Monday October 19, 2009
Mark your calendars! Next weekend is the Gifts & Wishes Art & Crafts Show & Sale. Almost everyone needs to buy at least a few Christmas gifts, and this has got to be the best show this year to get your shopping done. There will be a great selection of items from 45 participating local artists, free admission, live music and of course refreshments...
The Coast Collective is an arts collective, with regularly changing juried art shows in the gallery and an amazing assortment of very talented artists contributing their selective works in the gift shop. There truly is something for everyone here. The Coast Collective Art Centre is housed in Pendray House (formerly Pacific Centre) as part of Essencia at Esquimalt Lagoon. This development, now in the planning stages, is expected to become one of the most innovative resort community developments in Canada. Situated between a picturesque migratory bird sanctuary and some of the most spectacular urban forests in North America, Essencia strives to honour the past while building a holistic and sustainable vision for the future. Visit www.coastcollective.ca
So come out for the Art Sale. I will be putting some of my smaller paintings in there, a few larger new ones, as well as some new necklaces that I’ve made....And possibly some fresh honey and honeycomb that our bees made this year. (Yes, we have bees! We just have to verify that we have enough to go around, as it was our first year for keeping bees and it’s usually a smaller yield the first year.)
Mural Mosaic Project - Update
Monday November 2, 2009
In an earlier post (see below) I talked about how I was invited to participate in the Mural Mosaic project Kunamokst . I was given panel #96 to complete. It was pre-painted in general colours and tones, and I had to create an image out of it, not knowing what the final mural will be, only that it was a west-coast theme. Have a look at the partially filled in mural and click on some of the smaller finished images to see it larger, who the artist was and also what the panel looked liked before it was painted: http://www.muralmosaic.com/kunamokst.html
Below is a link to a 5 minute preview of the documentary about the creation of the mural. The filming will continue to cover the mural coming to life right up until the unveiling. The documentary will be released nationally as a 1 hour TV program in February 2010 during the time frame of the Olympics ... My panel (#96) isn't in there yet. Apparently they are keeping some out until last minute to keep the final image a surprise (although I think it's pretty obvious what it is: mama and baby whale).
Check out the documentary: http://www.vimeo.com/7154396, and stay tuned for more info and the final image unveiling (and when my panel will finally be added). I'm including my panel image again here, both the before and after...
Panel #96 - before
Panel #96 - after
"Mussels & Anemone"
Great Food & Great Art !
Friday November 20, 2009
I just finished setting up my most recent exhibition today. It took a while to set up, as they have two huge brick walls and you can put the paintings anywhere. I brought 20 paintings with me and used almost all of them in the show. This is in Mo:Le Restaurant, in downtown Victoria. Tthey are open for breakfast and lunch and have fantastic food! It's always busy in there...
Here I have three samples of pet portraits that I have done, so have a look if you get a chance.
The other exhibition is in Zambri's Restaurant, which is a small intimate Italian restaurant just outside of downtown Victoria. They are open for lunch and dinner. I have about 10 paintings in here, having set up just this past Monday. Again, fantastic food and service. Both restaurant have won awards, so they are great places to eat as well as to hang my art in.
So if you live in the Victoria area, I hope you might get out to visit these restaurants - have a great meal and see some great art !
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria - Small Works Show & Sale
Friday November 27, 2009
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) holds a Small Works Show & Sale twice a year - during the summer and just before Christmas. This year I have been invited to submit works to both shows. For the Christmas show each artist was asked to submit two paintings and each painting is to be priced at $100. This show opened last Thursday and that day they sold 21 paintings! I received a call from the gallery telling me that I sold both of my submissions and I was welcome to bring more (more than two as well, just in case more sold). I have completed a few new small paintings over the past few days. Each one is 8x8”. Small paintings are so cute...
These are the paintings I brought in yesterday to replace my sold ones. I especially like the first one. I started this one with a black canvas, and did all the background painting around the foreground trees. So the trees aren’t painted at all, they are just negative space. Fun, but rather tricky! Should be interesting to do this one on a larger scale...
Painting with Colour
Monday December 7, 2009
I spent the past weekend in Vancouver. I got to see a whole bunch of my friends (and do a hike in the snow up on Cypress - we brought snowshoes, but the snow was so compact they weren’t needed) but the main reason for my trip was because I took a 2-day art workshop. The instructor was Mike Svob, who is an amazing artist from White Rock - I love his work! He is well known for his use of colour, and the focus of this workshop was learning to be a bit more vibrant with colour.
Each day he did a demonstration in the morning, and we spent the afternoon working on our own paintings using the tips and techniques he talked about and demo’d. He did two very different techniques each day. You can see my resulting paintings below - they ended up looking quite different from each other. But each is pretty colourful, don’t you think? I am very happy with the workshop and have lots more inspiration to keep me going...
Christmas is here!
Wednesday December 23, 2009
The last few weeks have been busy! I had quite a few pet portraits that I was asked to do as Christmas presents. I put aside all my landscape painting and have been concentrating on just doing pet portraits. I still can't post a few to this site as they might be discovered before Christmas day by the recipient - which would totally ruin the surprise! And I wouldn't want to do that...
However, I am risking discovery here by posting two paintings that I've done for my brother and his girlfriend for Christmas, in the hopes that they won't look at this website in the next two days before I give it to them. Wyatt and Tango are their dogs. The older one Wyatt is almost 17 years old!!!!!!! (Tango is close, at 15). They are both shepherd crosses (SPCA dogs) and are awesome, even if they are a little decrepit now. I took these photos about a year ago, and thought they'd make great paintings. I decided to just do them little (8x10"), which is quite a bit smaller than I normally paint for my pet portraits. Interestingly, smaller paintings aren't necessarily easier to do - these weren't any faster, maybe even a bit more fiddley ... I hope they like them!
I'm heading over to Vancouver tomorrow for about 5 days. My family and many of my friends are there, as we used to live there before moving to Sooke. I am looking forward to the break but also can't wait to get back to the studio - I have three more pet portraits already lined up to do!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Dog in Progress ...
Tuesday January 5, 2010
Yesterday I mostly finished another commissioned portrait (Silver the cat, which I will post soon), so I decided to do a few little dog paintings just for fun. It's been a while since I have done anything except commissions - it's fun to have a bit of freedom to do what I want to do!
For my pet portraits I use a slower-drying acrylic paint (Golden Open Acrylic) so I can do a bit more blending. I like to start on a coloured background, this one is red which is what I've been working on for the past little while. I love the little bits of red left showing through at the end. I drew the dog with chalk (which is water-soluble so just dissolves into the paint as I cover it) and just started painting. This one is pretty small, just 8x8".
I'm not sure yet what to call it. Any ideas? If you have any suggestions, you can post a comment on my Facebook Page ...
