ANNE LEUCK STUDIO

pet portrait

...with wings

Clay, The Dogs Behind the ArtAnne Leuck1 Comment

Picture 44As I drove to clay class Monday night I decided this dog was asking for wings but being the neurotic artist, I worried it would hasten the departure of sixteen year old Izzy...then thought even if it does, maybe this means I'll be giving her permission to go, in case she's just been sticking around for me. (I know...welcome to the emotional crazy world of my mind and heart!)Picture 62Then Wednesday my Mom sent me an email regarding the previous post commenting that the dog looked like Snicker...her beloved big yellow lab that passed away over the summer...and I realized right away it was Snicker and not Izzy and how appropriate those wings were...and that's the reason everyone who saw the sculpture called it a 'he' including me. So this is Snick. My Christmas gift to her and Bill is a portrait of him that I have yet to create but I gave them some drawings as a preview of my ideas:Picture 64 Snick was not the only family dog to go last year, Willie my brother's dog (who I'm also working on a portrait of) and 2 dogs that belong to my Mom's stepchildren's families Pretty Boy and Nimush the 3 legged dog. That's a lot of new doggie angels frolicking in heaven...and many broken hearts they left behind. Mom, a hospice social worker, has been on me for awhile to design pet loss sympathy cards, and/or a book. Perhaps we will pen one together, but not while my Izzerloo is still wagging her tail on this earth...and I'm happy to say she has been doing pretty darn well these past few months and doesn't look to be taking on wings any time soon.

Picture 65

My wonderful Mom with Snicker, the 'Patron Saint of Stick Chewing' last spring.

 

Chicagoland Tails Feature...

Helping out our 4 Legg..., Press & Published ...Anne LeuckComment

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I was interviewed by Agnes Jasinski of Chicagoland Tails last fall and am honored to be featured in an article she wrote that appears in the December/January Issue of the Magazine titled: "Pet Artist Uses Work To Promote Adoption and Rescue Groups", I have included it below. Our (tentative) first adoption event at the studio for 2010 will be on February 13th with Chicago Canine Rescue ...stay tuned. If you know of a group that would be interested in having an event here, please send them my way!

Pet artist uses work to promote adoption and rescue groups
By Agnes Jasinski
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AnneLeuck Feldhaus was still working a corporate job when she adopted Izzy,the beloved canine who sparked her creative spirit and got her to leaveher job and pursue art full-time. Around the time Izzy came into herlife, she began doing dog images, paintings, and promotional art forshows put on by rescue groups. Her images were “very funny bright,colorful dog paintings,” she says, that started out as a hobby butbecame a calling and a way for her to promote pet adoption.
“The first dogimages came from her, along with the whole awareness of how serious theproblem was,” Feldhaus says about her passion for adoption and Izzy’sinfluence. “I went to a lot of different places to meet dogs and tofind the right one, and had two cats at the time from Anti-Cruelty. …That process really opened my eyes.”
Feldhaus has now been donating art for fundraisers to rescue groupslike the Treehouse Animal Foundation and Young at Heart Pet Rescue forthe last 14 years. Her work with the rescues has been pro bono, but shealso does paintings of people’s pets. Her artwork has been hung up inlobbies, sold to raise money for local rescues, and used on T-shirtsand posters to promote shelter events.
Earlier this spring, Feldhaus also opened a storefront studio in RoscoeVillage at 2040 W. Roscoe, where she hopes to not only have a presencein the neighborhood as an artist, but to also invite local rescuegroups to hold adoption events there. The first event was held Aug. 8with Chicago Canine Rescue. A portion of any sales at any of theadoption events will go toward the rescue that day. The next event willbe held Dec. 12, with pets brought in from Young at Heart Pet Rescue.
“My goal and mission are to give back to our dogs and cats all theunconditional love and devotion they provide us by spreading the wordabout animal adoption through my art and designs,” Feldhaus says. “AlsoI truly believe that our pets make us better human beings.”

For more information, visit AnnesArt.com.

Warm Wishes and Safe Travels to You...

My Candy Colored WorldAnne LeuckComment

Picture 55Warm Wishes and Safe Travels to You...wherever you may be or are going this year for the Holidays. It's been a wonderfully busy season for me, but things are definitely winding down here. I have my last Pet Portrait pick up tomorrow (I'll share photos after all the gifts are given!) and I'll stick around the shop until about 3pm, hoping to help out any last minute shoppers! (Is it annoying that I sometimes say studio and some times say shop? Let me clarify, when the black cloth is on my work table it's a "Shop" and when it's not, it's my "Studio"...although I'm thinking of painting the table black then that all goes out the window!) Then we'll load up Izzy and Alice and hop in the car to head up to rural Warrens, WI to my my Mom's beautiful log house in the woods. It's the perfect place to visit at this time of year and I always have so much fun baking with my Mom, we will be creating our bi-ennial Gingerbread House.This is all providing that the weather cooperates...Picture 1 Before I go, I wanted to share this photo of Izzy from the other day...she is havingquite a rally lately, aside from the 'night time crazies' (a period of45 minutes or so every evening when nothing seems to appease her...Rich and I are working on a song). And here's silly Alice careening around in the snow...she loves the white stuff!Picture 60
Merry Happy Holidays to You & Yours, Safe Travels, Peace and lots of Joy!!

Feature on Modern Cat Blog!

Giveaways!, Press & Published ...Anne Leuck2 Comments

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Thanks to MODERN CAT BLOG for featuring my work and hosting this great Holiday Giveaway for Feline Lovers:  Visit their site to see the package which includes a ‘Feline Tips Tree’Holiday Gift Mug with Candy, a Porcelain Cat & Wreath Ornament, oneCat & Wreath Magnet, a 5 x 5 inch Mixed Feline Notepad, a 4 x 11inch Mixed Feline Notepad, and one ‘Feline Tips Tree’ Holiday GreetingCard PLUS the winner will receive a $150 discount certificate toward acustom pet portrait box frame print!

To enter this giveaway, please visit MODERNCAT.net and leave a comment.The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on December 24.