Honoring a Retired Greyhound...

Herman, a retired Greyhound, was among my most recent Pet Portrait Orders. I was told he is very shy...I hope he will make an exception for me and come with when Pat picks up the print - he looks so sweet...

Chicagoland Tails Feature...

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

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.

Generous Feature from artist, Marilyn Grad...

Chicago Mixed Media Artist, Marilyn Grad wrote a very generous feature about me on her Blog titled Personal Artist Hero. I'm humbled by her words. I spend most of my time so caught up in the day to day, thinking I'm never doing enough and wondering what's around the next bend. Her post made me reflect on some of things that I have accomplished and appreciate that I am living my dream...then it occurred to me that in that dream, there are flowers and I should take more time to smell them.Thanks, Marilyn!

Pet Portrait Reveal #2...Brinkley!

Brinkley, a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier....another Pet Portrait order from December.

Warm Wishes and Safe Travels to You...

Warm 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... 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!
Merry Happy Holidays to You & Yours, Safe Travels, Peace and lots of Joy!!

Gifts for the Dog Lover...

We how have wonderful gifts here in the shop from $5-$48 for every Dog Lover on your list! Notepads and Magnets, Ornaments and Coasters, Holiday Cards and Prints...great gifts for everyone from your dog walker or groomer to your great Aunt Ethel! Not in Chicago? Many things are available in my CafePress Shop.
For the Pug Person in your life!   And Coming Soon: Pillows and Pet Feeders! It's beginning to look a lot like...

Big Dreams and Ideas!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving...we had 2 really enjoyabledays in Green Bay with Rich's family. It was so nice to escape for abit, we relaxed with lots of laughter, good food, family and fun..always a joy to see our niece and nephews! They are such great kids, clever and silly and very compassionate with old Izzy...Alice had a ball with them and chocolate lab Stella. So now I'm back with a clear head ready to tackle all the holidayorders that I am so grateful to have in this magical little studio.

Read on, I'll be sharing lots of gift ideas with you over the next few weeks...

Picture 18

These just arrived from my printer, a customer is giving them as a wedding gift..they are from my "Folks You Know" series...I am happy to customize previously created designs with different colors and text for you. They are wonderful 'his' and 'hers' gifts and perfect for holiday gifts too! They are available as 8x8 Float Frame Prints for $48 each, 10x10 Float Frame Prints for $75 or 12x12 Box Frame prints for $98...all ready to hang and protected with a UV filtering laminate. You can see more in my Etsy Shop.

 If you live in Chicago please stop by...I have some really fun new holiday gifts and stocking stuffers...and coming next week pillows! These are also available in my CafePress Shop.

Puppies, Art, Community, and a Sunny Day...

We had the perfect day yesterday for our adoption event with the Anti-Cruelty Society at my studio...plenty of sunshine and temps in the 50's...4 very sweet dogs arrived around noon- that's Camry above, she was the spunkiest of the group.
This is mother/daughter duo, Sunfire and Sunbird, they were rescued in Tennessee by artist, Bernie Berlin of A Place to Bark. I've mentioned Bernie before, as I've been involved in a few different projects to help raise money for her rescue efforts, the most recent the Party Animals Book and auction. These girls were so sweet and awfully timid. They were nearly adopted together, really hope that couple will contact Anti-Cruelty and take them after mulling over their decision this weekend. That's Sunbird on my lap and very sweet girl Theresa, they would all make such dear companions. There were wonderful volunteers and folks from Anti-Cruelty on hand to chat with all the people who came by to meet the dogs. Such a great sense of community and caring combined with the joy of being around such endearing pups...! The day was so reflective of all my hopes for combining my art and this space and community with my desire to give more exposure to and hopefully get more homeless pets adopted.
If you would like more information or to go meet any of these dogs, please contact the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society.