"Koala Love" (watercolor on paper; 6" x 6")

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A young koala hangs onto a tree stump. Is it smiling?

"Kitty" (oil on linen; 8" x 10") sold

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"Kitty" is for Melissa.  Sebastian, usually called Kitty, is a six-year-old flame point Siamese.  He is a rescue cat and was found by a police officer on a street of Chicago.  Melissa and her husband purchased him the day after they got married, so he is their honeymoon baby.  At the age of three, his bladder became blocked; he was close to death several times before finally going through surgery at a veterinarian hospital.  It was a traumatic time, but completely worth it.

Kitty is a scaredy cat and is slow to warm up.  He is also the sweetest cat Melissa has ever owned.  He loves to snuggle and follows her and her husband from room to room.  He talks a lot, especially when he wants food!  He is a master at finding the most comfortable place to take a nap.

The client sent me 10 photos, of which I picked this one.  I cropped and Photoshopped it, and decided which elements to keep and which to edit out.  I transferred the image to the Belgian linen panel I prepared (I use Claessens #66) with raw umber paint.

The transparent underpainting.
  

I started with the easiest colors in the opaque painting stage.

I mixing colors, I always look for the subtle warm/cool variations as well as light/dark ones of a certain color family (hue).

"Madison at the Beach" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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"Madison at the Beach" is another painting for Mike.  It is the same dog as yesterday's subject, but she has grown up and is enjoying herself at the beach, romping, splashing.  Oh, what joy it is to be a dog!

"Madison in the Snow" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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I am back!  I was gone for a couple of weeks on a family vacation.  Since I came back, I have been experiencing excruciating back pains until now.  It didn't stop me from painting, but I spent as little time as possible on laptop to rest my back.  So now I have three commission paintings to share, back to back!

"Madison in the Snow" is for Mike.  I did a cat portrait for him last winter, which was intended as his friend's Christmas present.  Madison is his girlfriend's dog as a puppy.  I just love her thoughtful expression.  Perhaps it was the golden retriever's first snow and she was puzzled by the fluffy stuff all around.

"Dolphin Dance" (watercolor on paper; 4.5" x 6.5") sold

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A couple of bottlenose dolphins play in the ocean, jumping and splashing.  What a fun pair!  By the way, I didn't use any masking fluid to preserve white spots in the splashing water.  That's me, a daredevil!

"Duck Pond" (watercolor on paper; 6.5" x 4.5") sold

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These days I feel like painting watercolors.  The desire came upon me suddenly and I can't shake it off.  So I turned the kitchen table into my temporary studio to my husband's inconvenience!  I have already taken over the dining room; the living room is on the way to becoming my studio space as well.  I guess that's the price a guy has to pay for living with a creative person.  He he.

How do you like my small watercolor painting above?  Who says that a painting has to be large to have an impact?  A pair of ducks glide on a dark, lush surface of a pond.  I've said what I had to say in small format.  Sometimes less is more!

"Ba Ba Sheep" (watercolor; 5" x 7")

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Creativity begets creativity.  The other day, I was painting a couple of greeting cards for my Facebook fans.  One thing led to another.  By the time I was finished, I had two charming, small watercolors that I could list on Etsy!  I am particularly proud of this sheep painting with the "Ba Ba Ba" lettering.  So adorable!  Perhaps I should start a line of greeting cards!

"Blue Eyes" (oil on linen; 7" x 7") sold

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This gorgeous white cat with extraordinary blue eyes makes me understand why the Ancient Egyptians were nuts about cats.  The cat belongs on a pharaoh's lap!

"Regis" (oil on linen; 7" x 5") sold

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"Regis" is for Lauren, who commissioned me to paint it for her sister Bonnie's birthday.  After Regis passed away recently, the heartbroken Bonnie sent out a long, touching eulogy to her family. It tells all the good, bad, and houndy things about him.  Lauren apologized for the length (!) and, as she warned me, I did indeed learn much about his affectionate and stubborn nature.  Thank you, Lauren.  

Regis was advertised by the animal shelter as an Airedale, but the only thing about him remotely close to that breed was his whiskers.  He was named after the co-host of the TV show, "Regis and Kelly", which Bonnie watched every morning with her husband.  Regis joined them after his adoption, sharing her cereal.

Regis loved taking walks around the neighborhood and meeting and playing with all sorts of humans and doggy friends.  I got to meet the neighbors and their dogs through her eulogy. What a wonderful way to remember one's deceased pet and his human and doggy friends who had been kind to him!  

I will share just one of the many anecdotes Bonnie tells in her eulogy.  Not long after the adoption, she lost him one evening in a thunder storm.  Regis was petrified of thunder and would run around the house looking for a safe place to hide.  When she let him out to relieve himself, he took off at breakneck speed.  Bonnie and her husband looked for him all night.  In the end, they gave up and prayed that he would find his way home, which he did!  The soaking wet, filthy mass returned to them, begging them to take him back in.  They did after hosing him down with a garden hose.  They hated doing it, but that was his punishment for running away and returning a filthy mass.  Regis never ran away again.

I hope my painting gives some comfort to Bonnie and her family.

Collage of My May Paintings

Collage of My May 2014 Paintings

Here is the collage of my May paintings.  A lot of dots!  If you have a super sharp memory, you may notice three paintings you haven't seen in any of the blog posts this month: the dogwood one, the deer one, and the cupcake one.  It's because I didn't torment you with all my reworked paintings.

There is a story behind the pink cupcake painting.  I have given it away to my Facebook fan last year.  But a collector in Spain bought it out of my website despite the red dot!  What to do? Well, a sale is a sale, so I painted another that looks very much like the original.  This is the first time I sold the same painting twice.  Business must be good!

Before and After, Then and Now, or Never Say Never Again!

"Camellia Love" (oil, 8" x 10")
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As I said in the previous post, I was busy working on old paintings this month.  I am sharing a bunch here.  A couple of paintings became a lot worse after "improvements", so they ended up in a trash basket.  You cannot rise higher without taking risks and making sacrifices, right?

So, what do you think of my efforts?  Am I getting better?

"Ducks and Geese" (oil, 8" x 12")
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"Lavender Heaven" (oil, 11" x 14")
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"Lincoln Memorial Reflections" (oil, 8" x 10")
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"Primrose Season" (oil, 10" x 10")
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"Rockefeller Center Spring" (oil, 10" x 8")
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"Sacred Ground, Chichester Cathedral" (oil, 8" x 10")
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"San Francisco's Painted Ladies" (oil, 11" x 14")
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"Strawberry Pickers" (oil, 16" x 20")

"Bocci" (oil on linen; 7" x 5") sold

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"Bocci" is for Kristen.  Bocci was her childhood dog who just passed on at the age of 11 and a half.  He was a white Maltese, with brown stains under his eyes.  He loved getting into the garbage, but hated baths and only allowed Kristen's mom to bathe him.  He was able to jump on his hind legs for tricks for an incredibly long time.  He would play fetch, but give a fight to give it back to you.  He also loved to "dig" feverishly in the sheets if he was put on a bed.  

Kristen had an island counter in the kitchen, and if she were sitting at the counter with her feet dangling from the stool, he would walk under her feet back and forth almost like a little back massage.  Bocci was a quirky and funny buddy, as you can see in his portrait.  He is much missed by his family.

"Penny" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold

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"Penny" is for Jackie, who commissioned the painting for her mom's birthday.  Penny was part Lab and German shepherd, and possibly greyhound as well, because she was skinny and fast. She was an active and adventurous dog.  She loved Vermont, where Jackie's parents have a place.  Penny would run around, explore the pond, and get lost in the woods.

Penny loved turkey.  She would get some meat from the turkey whenever the family had it for dinner.  One time they left a turkey carcass in the garbage can and left the house for a party. When they came back, the garbage can was still latched and upright.  However, Penny somehow got the carcass out and had a party of her own with the leftover meat!

She loved sleeping with Jackie's parents.  When she got too old to jump on their bed, they slept for months on a mattress on the floor.  In the reference photo for the painting, she was on her own dog bed, in which she never really slept.  That's the place Jackie's mom would say goodbye to Penny everyday when she left for work and still says goodbye when passing it.

Jackie shared many more stories about Penny, who was her childhood dog.  They grew up together and went through their awkward stages together.  She hopes that her mom doesn't cry when she sees the portrait.  I hope Jackie doesn't cry either!

"Oreo" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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"Pucci" (oil, 8" x 10"; sold)

"Oreo" is for Tammy, who wanted the portrait as the companion piece for "Pucci".  Oreo was Pucci's big brother and passed away several years ago.  Oreo, named for the white stripe that ran from his chin and down his middle to his tail, was Tammy's family's beloved pet for 11 wonderful years.  He was a Schnauzer mix shelter dog.  

Tammy's youngest daughter, Jenny, convinced her to adopt Oreo, but since she was either at school or after-school activities, Oreo soon became Tammy's buddy.  He would often escape and hunt her down in her small town.  A couple of times he went to school looking for Jenny. The whole town knew him.  Neighbors looked out for him and gave him rides back home.

He loved to chase birds.  Tammy and her husband still laugh about him almost doing backward flips, convinced that he could catch a seagull hovering overhead.  He also loved to dig for crabs. Often there were only his hind legs and tail above ground.  

Oreo was a very vocal dog and liked to talk back.  He did not like conflict of any kind and was a terrible car passenger.  And he always knew when Tammy was sad and made sure to snuggle extra close.  I gave his portrait a happy beachy background.  Thank you, Tammy, for sharing the stories about Oreo!

"Sadie" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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"Sadie" is for Tom and June.  The commission is a late Christmas gift from Tom's daughter, Christina.  Sadie was a "small" Great Dane that June adopted while living in Beaufort, SC.  Small because at her maximum weight, she was 128 pounds, which is small for a Great Dane.

Sadie was a true gentle giant even as a puppy.  She had a favorite boo toy which was a little purple rubber alligator dressed in a suite.  She would carry it around in her mouth and you did not know she had it until she dropped it down.  That is how gentle her bite was.  She never made it squeak unless she wanted your attention, which was when she wanted to sleep with June in her bed.  Sadie was June's travel buddy.  She went everywhere with June.

June moved back to Pennsylvania when she made the decision to be the in-home caregiver for her parents.  Her mother's health was deteriorating and her father's dementia was progressing. Sadie became their true companion.  She was there for June's mom to lean on when needed and to help make sure that the lady got up and out of bed when June had to work.  She kept June's father company after he became widowered.  She also helped keep him present and focused. Sadie was June's companion during some very hard times.

Sadie was also there when June met her husband on their first date.  Tom often jokes that if Sadie had not liked him (she loved him from the start), they would not be together today, going on seven years.  Tom often told people that Sadie was his canine daughter.  Sadie loved long walks in the open fields of a local park and hiking trails along rivers and up mountains.

Sadie would have been 13 years old this February.  They had to let her go in November.  As I was painting her, I could feel her gentleness and intelligence.  I hope her portrait gives comfort to Tom and June.

"Frankie" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

sold

"Frankie" is for Amy, who commissioned the painting for her mother.  Frankie is a 23-year-old chestnut, Canadian Warmblood Sport Horse.  According to Amy's mom, "calm" is the best adjective to describe him.  Does he look calm in the portrait?  I think he does.

Frankie is a rescue horse.  Although her family think he is perfect, he is not, physically speaking.  He has only one eye (his right one); his left eye is sewn closed.  He is big (about 17 hands) and a bit thin.  Fortunately over the past 8 months, he has gained some weight.

It is easy to love someone or some thing beautiful, adorable, cute, handsome, etc.  It takes a big heart and true love of animals to adopt and take care of a disabled, malnourished horse who was probably abused.  I thank you, Amy's mom, for giving a second chance and happy retirement to Frankie.

"Indiana Jones" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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"Indiana Jones" is for Sean, who commissioned the painting for his family.  This happy dog is a rescue dog and has been a huge part of Sean's family ever since his parents rescued her as a puppy in 2004.  She got the cool name, Indi for short, as a result of his little brothers' favorite movie being "Indiana Jones" at that time.

Indi is a mutt, probably part Greyhound and part Plott Hound. She is a lovable dog who is shy around people she doesn't know, but incredibly friendly to those she knows.  She is full of energy and loves to run around the backyard.  That said, she is happiest sleeping on the couch, or watching TV with the family!

I still have a few more commissions to finish, but there is only one of me!  I would like to thank all my readers for following my blog.  My special thanks go to my clients who have kept me super busy for the past several weeks.  On Christmas morning all over the country, many families will receive my paintings.  There will be cries of joy, perhaps some tears as well, because quite a few of my cats and dogs have gone to heaven.  My sincere hope is that I've brought you happiness.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

"Max" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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"Max" is for Dustin, who commissioned the painting for his family.  Max is a 12-year-old Great Pyrenees and still alive.  Yeah!  He is a huge dog and all fur, probably 6' 2" when on his hind legs!  He thinks he is a small lap dog though and will routinely try and sit on your lap.  He loves to run around with his sister and pretend that he is still a puppy.  He is always smiling, just like he is in the painting.  According to Dustin, Max is the most gentle and smiley dog in history.  I believe Dustin.

"Deacon and Fern" (oil on linen; 12" x 9") sold

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"Deacon and Fern" is for Jennifer, who commissioned the portrait of the two dogs to lift the spirits of her parents-in-law.  They lost both dogs this year, with the boxer having died of cancer just this month.  I hope my painting gives them some comfort.

Deacon, the German Shepherd, was a big dog who was very protective of and sweet to his family.  He would never have hurt anyone, but he sure looked scary!  He was just a big teddy bear at heart.

Fern, the boxer, was another sweet dog.  She was friendly with all visitors.  She was always the first to greet anyone at the door and jump up at you for attention.  Her little tail wiggled around like crazy!

Deacon and Fern were great friends and loved lying on the couch in the sunroom.  The first picture Jennifer sent me showed exactly such a scene, except that they were facing the opposite direction, looking all pooped out.  The second picture, which I used for the painting, was taken outside on a sunny day.

I really like the composition.  Each dog occupies its own space and their portraits capture different angles (Deacon's is a profile portrait and Fern's, a three-quarter one).  Neither is anybody's sidekick, yet they belong together.  Noble, strong, and handsome.  They will live forever in my portrait and in their family's heart.

"Georgie" (oil on linen; 7" x 7") sold

sold

"Georgie" is the first painting for Cecilia, who commissioned two pet portraits for her mother.  Georgie is a three-year-old Pit Bull/Irish Terrier mix.  He is a wild man who torments Gracie, the subject of the next painting, but loves all human beings to a fault.  He picks on dogs smaller than himself!

Don't you just love the light in this painting?  As Georgie was posing calmly in his back seat in the car, the winter afternoon light hit his right side down to the shoulder.  When I saw the reference photo, my eyes lit up with delight!