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

sold

"Dugout" is for my Facebook fan, Rebecca.  There is a story behind her curious name.  Eight years ago, Rebecca's husband and son found her at their high school baseball field when she had accidentally gotten herself locked inside the facility.  That is why they named her Dugout. She is a great dog and very much loved.  Their vet believes she is a Jack Russell/Australian Shepherd mix.

If you send your pet's pictures to kimstenbergart@gmail.com, I will make beautiful pet portraits out of them.  How fun is that!  At the end of September, I will do a drawing and one lucky person wins a free painting.  You can buy the painting anytime, but there is no obligation. Thanks!

Today is Day Twenty Seven of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge.  Three more days!

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

sold

"Trixie" is for my Facebook fan, Sue.  Trixie is a Pug/Yorkie mix.  She is built more like a pug, but her face isn't squashed in like a pug.  She is more a yorkie and her hair grows like a yorkie too.  She is a ten-year-old "puppy", because she doesn't act old at all.  She still loves her toys and games, playing fetch in particular.  Sue and Trixie take two walks everyday: a mile in the morning and a 1/2 mile in late afternoon.  Between you and me, Sue is not a puppy either! There is much to say for walking.  I told Sue to keep walking!

If you send your pet's pictures to kimstenbergart@gmail.com, I will make beautiful pet portraits out of them.  How fun is that!  At the end of September, I will do a drawing and one lucky person wins a free painting.  You can buy the painting anytime, but there is no obligation. Thanks!

Today is Day Twenty Six of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge.  Four more days!  After the month is over, I can sleep in if I want to.  You wouldn't believe that this challenge has become a competitive sport.  Sometimes Leslie, who lives in California, posts the blog early in the morning like 7:00 am.  (She had probably scheduled publication.)  I check in only to learn that twenty artists have already entered their entries!  I'll be darned.

"Happy Birthday Dog" (oil on linen; 8" x 6") sold

sold

A cute dog brings you a "Happy Birthday" card around her neck.  Which dog lover's heart will not melt at such an offering!

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

sold

Figaro, who is all eyes and ears, is a short hair domestic.  He is a black (except tiny white spots on his belly), spunky, lovable, and talkative cat.  He started off as the runt of the litter, a bottle baby brought to the shelter without a mother, but he is now larger than his litter mates.  He is raised with two small dogs and he thinks he is Number One.

I don't usually paint a footwear in a pet portrait, but made an exception in "Figaro."  He was sitting on Christina's foot, not wanting her to move.  Initially I was going to edit out the blue jeans and sneaker.  As I was composing the painting, I realized that without the vertical plane of the leg, the dark shadow with a pointy ear on the left wouldn't make sense.  The blue of the jeans also matches the otherworldly, beautiful blues of Figaro's eyes.  Besides, the cat on the foot has such a narrative power that it makes me giggle.  I remember carrying my daughter hanging onto my leg when she was little.  You can tell Figaro is very much loved!

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

sold

"Maxi" is for Elizabeth.  Poor Maxi died 3 years ago and she misses him very much.  He loved to be tickled in the belly.  He, however, didn't like to be photographed; seeing the camera, he would shut his eyes.  Elizabeth did a terrific job of taking his picture, don't you think?  I bet this is what most cats do when their parents are gone--look outside on the window sill, waiting for them to return.

If you send me your pictures to kimstenbergart@gmail.com, I may make paintings out of them.  How fun is that!  At the end of September, I will do a drawing and one lucky person wins a free painting.  You can buy the painting anytime, but there is no obligation.  Thanks!

It's Day Six of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge.  Only 24 more to go!

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

sold

"Merchant" is for my good friend and fan, Ruby.  She sent me many pictures of her three cats, among which I chose this classic pose of the beautiful cat.  He is a 13-years-old brown tabby, adopted from a shelter.  Merchant is a great companion and loves to sit in your lap when you sit down.  That's how he won Ruby's husband (a dog person) over by running to jump on his lap!

If you send me your pictures to kimstenbergart@gmail.com, I may make paintings out of them.  How fun is that!  At the end of September, I will do a drawing and one lucky person wins a free painting.  You can buy the painting anytime, but there is no obligation.  Thanks!

By the way, today is the Day 2 of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge.  Two down and 28 to go!

"Colden" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

sold

"Colden" is for my good friend, Jo Mackenzie, who is a talented watercolorist.  Colden is half-lion, half-Collie.  Just kidding, but look at his mane!  He is so old that he can hardly stand up.  Jo is keeping him alive with duct tape and glue!

Jo has been painting pet portraits for a while and has a big following.  Please check out her Facebook page.  She also paints flowers and houses for her fans.  Painting pet portraits from fans' pictures and doing a drawing was something I learned from her.  Thanks, Jo!

If you would love to see your beloved pet painted by me and shared on my blog and Facebook page, please email me at kimstenbergart@gmail.com.  Send me a picture or two, preferably taken in natural light without flash.  I will do a drawing at the end of September and give one painting away!

"Sheba and Shaman" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold

sold

"Sheba and Shaman" is for Patricia and happens to be my first cat painting! Both are Maine Coon cats.  The black one is Sheba, who is seven years old.  Patricia and her husband bought the white one for her as her "boy toy".  When their 26-year-old cat, her constant companion, passed, she grieved so deeply that they had to find poor Sheba someone else to love.

His name is Shaman, two years younger than her.  He was supposed to be a show kitty, but was sold as a pet, because he didn't "meow." Patricia often finds them "holding paws."  Both of them play fetch, and Sheba will even take a small ball in the glass shower and play Jai Alai.

If you would love to see your beloved pet painted by me and shared on my blog and Facebook page, please email me at kimstenbergart@gmail.com.  Send me a picture or two, preferably taken in natural light without flash.  I will do a drawing at the end of September and give one painting away!