Painting again...

This is one of several commissions that I'm working on. The original 7"x14" painting titled 'Field Days', has since sold so I am recreating it much larger at 24"x48". I created the first one at the 2007 Fields Project Artist Residency, the same year I created my Flower Frolicking Dog Field Sculpture. That experience definitely inspired the painting, that and staying on a farm with beef cattle. It's an amazing program...and I've been fortunate to have particpated 3 different years. You can check out photos here....and here.

 

...And as long as I'm sharing,this is the painting that I created at the residency in 2008 chronicling my entire experience with the field sculpture the year before:

 

Rusty...

 Doing Rusty's portrait was bittersweet, between the time Rhonda ordered the portrait and I started on it, he passed away...so very sad. So now this Portrait has become a colorful reminder of her very best friend. Rhonda was in town last week, we both got teary when she came to see it, I sent her on her way with a magnet that I had made as a little gift for her to keep until the print arrives to her in California. When I did the sketches I created a younger Rusty, solidly colored and the senior Rusty with the lighter face, I am humbly adding younger Rusty to my portfolio of breeds as the Golden Retriever. Bittersweet.

This is the first order I received for the larger Pet Portrait Print size...it really came out beautifully. I just ordered another to put in my window display with Jack's portrait...this is a good comparison of the two sizes, Jack's Box Frame Print Portrait is 12x12 ($250) and Rusty's Float Back Print Portrait is 18x18 ($350). My deadline for Pet Portrait Orders for guaranteed delivery by the holidays is November 13th...so if you are considering this as a gift please place your order soon! Gift Certificates are also available.

When the party's over...

I'm so grateful for the wonderful turn out we had for my Studio Grand Opening last Friday night! I battled with myself all summer as to when I should have said party...but with juggling all the art fairs and the stress of figuring out this new space I decided to take the good advice of my wise friend Anna Millea and wait until fall when all my outdoor shows were over for the season.

I am glad I did...it was perfect and great fun seeing many of my collectors from over the years and friends and making many new ones. I had amazing help from Amanda Shell of Whirly Girl Designs and jewelry artist, Michelle Rubin. I received lovely surprises: gorgeous flowers from my Mother and my Brother, a wonderful gift of appetizers from Mike Green of the Village Tap (across the street), and treats from Rudy of Rudy's Bakery next door to my shop. The Chamber and other businesses on the street have made me feel so welcome here in Roscoe Village. Here are some photos from the evening...

 

 

Since signing the lease I have learned so much and it has not been
without a lot of growing pains...last spring I referred to the back room
as the Crying Room! I am happy to report that I have not used it for
that since July...things really seem to be turning around. I am so
grateful to have quite a long list of commission orders to fill, so time to get to work! Hope you enjoyed the photos, you can see several more on my Flickr page....and many thanks to Natalie Samp who took them!

Moose...

I created this Pet Portrait for my friend Laurie (who bought a peapod painting from me several years back...she works at PeaPod!) this was a gift for a friend of hers who recently lost her dog, Moose. He loved tennis balls and was quite a character, I had the pleasure of watching this video of him which kept me smiling as I worked. I was honored, as I always am, to make a happy memory piece for his owners...I hope they like it!

 

Pug Studies...

Yesterday I spent some time googling photos of PUGS and trying to draw them ...I've only met a few, so my Pug Sense is lacking. I used purplish/blue to mark the ones I thought most successful, yellow for the 2nd tier and turquoise for nice try, but not so great. I would love your feedback especially from you Pug owners! The thought behind this is to capture a new breed each week to add to my new Personalized Pet Portrait Print option Portfolio, these are beautiful ready to hang mounted and laminated box prints - complete with your pet's name on the banner and custom colors.

57 Ends

Brand new painting: "57 Ends". Inspired by a drawing in my sketchbook from last year done on a short little road trip to Indiana to pick up an amplifier that Rich found on Craigs List.

Kongs for Christmas!

I recently sold 2 paintings to a wonderful new customer who happens to work for the Kong Company. As many of you know I've included Kongs in my dog paintings for many years now so I was thrilled to connect with Laura. Ironically, the day the UPS man came to pick up the painting I was shipping to her, he handed me a big box first. It was Canine Christmas here...a box filled with all kinds of Kong products and treats, some we had not seen before like the Wubba, which unfortunately is now over the fence in the neighbor's yard (probably until spring)! The best part was seeing Izzy so excited and engaged with her new Senior Kong and Treats for inside...Thank you Laura!!!  xo Izzy & Alice

these girls love UPS delivery surprises...this is the best they ever received

notice Izzy licking the box of treats in the bottom right photo

*Special Agent* *Dale Cooper*

This pet portrait of Cooper only took a mere 365 days to finish! Last year I traded with Susan Hinckley at the One of a Kind Show. I received a beautiful hand stitched wall piece titled "Let It Go"....in return I agreed to do a pet portrait of her dog Cooper. And true to form, being the ultimate procrastinator I finished, varnished and framed it on Saturday night just in time for them to take back home to Minnesota (and I did it exhausted after 3 days of the show and wanting to do nothing more than recline on the sofa all evening). She and Russ were very pleased with the outcome..and so was I, this is such a fun composition. For inquiring minds, "Special Agent Dale Cooper" hearkens back to the television series Twin Peaks. Happy Susan...

Tomorrow...more photos from the show...