Here’s another happy customer with a custom mini portrait of her dachshund Travis. Unfortunately, her dog passed away two weeks ago and her friend thought it would be a good idea to have me paint a mini portrait of Travis for a keepsake. This photo is of the very satisfied pet owner holding her painting. Her friend wrote me an email that said her friend cried and say “that’s my Travis!” I was very pleased to brighten this woman’s day and help her remember her beloved pup.
Here’s my latest endeavor which I tried two ways: the first, on the left, was a less controlled version with no initial pencil lines and it was done with soft body acrylics (which I call the willy nilly version). The one on the right was more the final product as opposed to the study, with a more planned out and was touched up after the first couple of layers to make it more refined. Although this was kind of an experiment, both paintings were successfully received in the local art scene. The one on the left, Sunflowers at Home, was accepted to the LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts “Come Home to LeMoyne” members’ exhibit and the one on the right, Sunflowers at Home No. 2, was accepted at 1020 Art to be exhibited in July where it’s also on sale. Shown below is also the reference photo for the painting as well as a sample of some sunflowers I painted at the Wakulla Senior Center in 2014. Just shows what practice and repetition can do!
Just recently, I joined the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts (FSU MoFA) Artists’ League. This organization supports local artists with workshops, exhibits and meetings to keep artists up-to-date on local art happenings. I am happy to say I dropped off three paintings last week to enter their Summer Annual Exhibit which runs from June 23rd to July 28, 2017. I entered Calli Cat in the Tub, Punky Girl and Rusty Truck Dashboard to this juried exhibit. Shown below are the sign-up and artwork preparation tables, as well as the artwork that has been entered leaning against the wall in the downstairs gallery. I went to a smartphone photography workshop put on by the Artists’ League, but this is the first exhibit I am participating in and look forward to the opening where I can meet some more of my fellow local artists!
Shown above is my latest custom mini pet portrait. This is Tom, a cat who lives on 55th Street in Manhattan. I got a request to do a commission by his caregiver as a gift for his owner. Pictured on the right the woman is proudly displaying the new mini of her cat. I also have a request for another custom mini portrait, only this one’s of a dog. It’s a dachshund named Travis who passed away two weeks ago and the owner’s friend wanted to have a portrait done for his owner. Speaking of mini dogs, shown below are the four mini dogs I just finished for LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts in Tallahassee to sell in their gift shop. Let me know if you’d like a mini of your own for yourself or a friend. Just go to my Etsy shop…see my blog menu!
Here’s my cat, Stripedie, when I first got him in 2012 reaching out to grab the camera. I’ve always loved this photo, so I decided I would paint it. I’ve started a new method of painting where I practice the finished product first by painting it “willy nilly.” What I mean by this is no pencil lines, using soft body paint instead of heavy body, just knocking it out in one sitting and going by feeling more. This seems to help me prepare for the final painting much better since I’m more familiar with the colors; the highlights, midtones and shadows; and the composition. I have done this painting three ways (shown in order below): the willy nilly practice version, the standard way I have of painting, and a combination.
Just last Thursday night there was the opening for the Tallahassee Senior Center exhibit at Tallahassee Community College that I attended. The exhibit is for the students and teachers of the art program at the center and runs from May 18th to July 13th. I am happy to say I have two pieces on display as an instructor of the Mini Paint Your Pet workshop. I was also able to pick two students out of my class to exhibit samples of their work that they did in my class. Below are photos of me and my self portrait as well as a mini cat and a students’ two minis.
I enjoyed mingling with the art lovers in the good-sized crowd that showed up for the opening. My instructor for the oil and acrylics studio class that I take at the Tallahassee Senior Center, Robert DeWitt Smith, was there and had a painting of a sunflower on display. I’ve included a picture of him and his painting as well as one of Tallahassee’s finest painters and a teacher, Eluster Richardson, with a painting of Panacea.
In addition to those folks, I was able to connect with one of my students, Lisa Dollar Covet, with her dog from the workshop. And also pictured is Leslie Puckett, the Art Program Coordinator at the center, with her mixed media creation. I think a fun and inspiring time was had by all!
Here’s the sketch for my next painting of a still life of sunflowers in a jar. I don’t usually paint flowers but I think I’ll like sunflowers because of their large, graphic nature. I bought the flowers and borrowed the jar and took the photo in my yard with my iPhone. I was able to control the composition and lighting that way. I always sketch my paintings first then transfer the sketch to the canvas by rubbing graphite on the back of the drawing and then hold it canvas and go over the front with a thick pencil and transfer like carbon paper. I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my latest painting.
