First of a 5 Dog Portrait

Just in case you did not know, I have a sick kitty. I also have a wonderful vet. I am painting a portrait of her 5 animals in on nice relatively small piece. I got her GREAT Dane started tonight and will end up probably finishing the rest by the weekend's end.

Close of of the lovable mug:

Bentley, part 1 - The Last Demo from the Fair

Poor old Bently. He was a casualty of the economic recession. His mom wanted a set of portraits and we had prepped the canvases and I started drawing when suddenly, a panicing email asked me to put this on hold until their personal economy stabilized. I SOOOO understand!

But I had one more day at the Fair and wanted to do an oil. So I have the bulk of him done. Lots more subtle detail in the fur so when his mom gives me a call, we are ready to go.

The Hero Award Winners

Saturday was the wonderful event (how often do you get serenaded by a lady in a gown playing piano and a German Shepherd singing along??) honoring the Friends of Animal Care and Control.

These six amazing animals where honored with drink and fine food and great people:

Got a problem...

I am on a little break because I have a problem.

In this economy, I am a happy, marginal painter, making a living but not much of a profit and I now have a sick cat.

I am going to have a few paintings that I am trading to his vet for what the diagnosis and testing, and probable medication to control it are, but he has a tumor on his thyroid. EASY treatment of three days with radiation. Cat comes out fine and a bit radio-active, but it kills only the tumor and the procedure has a 99% success!

Problem is .... got no cat insurance and no spare income.

So, if any of you want to get a running jump on the holidays, and ease the panic attack of your friend, the blogger, NOW is the time to order your portraits.

Half joking half serious. I am scrambling for the extra income as the procedure is not cheap.

So.... while we are on a short break for my minor breakdown, lets let let YOU resist this demanding feline!!

(no not art, the real cat....)

I ask your forgiveness....

I have literally skipped three days this year. So close to the end and I am slacking. BUT I am house sitting and stuck without art supplies.

I promise to re-post today and the missing ones with notes on them when I get the time. It is a goal to make it a full year, and as I am smelling the barn, I am starting to trip!

This is going to be post 327, I believe. I started on Thanksgiving and want to finish out the year with an equal number of puppy faces. As Halloween is a great time for good faces, check in and see what jolly mugs I post, but for now, I am sort of stuck!

BUT DON'T GIVE UP ON ME! I will try to pop in and say hi anyway, just... this high tech is great when you LIVE on a computer. When you get out in the real world, you have to improvise.
Thanks for all your support.
Onward and upwards!
dj*

Two Bullie Buddies

I took this photo last year and I have thought and thought about how to paint it. I needed a subject for my second State Fair demo in watercolor and pulled out a 16x12" piece of watercolor and did this tonight as my demo. There may be a bit more detailing, but really, I am very happy with it as is!

FACC Heros, pt. 2

I am going to finish this at the event on Saturday but want to bring it along so you are getting my progress piece. I think it will be pretty cool by then!

Charity up to my NECK!

Sorry, guys.

This is a multi face project and at present, incomplete (I hope I can make the grade up in the summer...) I did a demonstration today for a couple of great pet charities: Happy Tails Service Dogs and Litter League Rescue group. I started the six portrait piece I will finish on Saturday for the Friends of Animal Care and Control benefit. As two are cats, you have one and again, a half dog and three more to go. HANG in there, with Christmas rush about to start, I feel this is the lull before the storm!

Demo Dog at the Fair

I worked on a pastel over watercolor at the fair. A bit wild but great fun... I mean he started out PURPLE AND BLUE!

First Place Pastels at the Arizona State Fair...

Sorry, this is not a dog. My other life is creeping in!

I will be demonstrating for opening day tomorrow at 1 pm. Our artist's reception is next Tuesday and I will be hanging out with the crowd, shaking hands and chatting! Feel free to hit the Fairgrounds and come by and say hi! I will probably do dogs there...farther and farther behind.

A Walkin' Beagle

This lovely fellow was playing in the park last week. I fear a rash of Beagle pix. There are some pups that are just Muses on four legs!

Shy Boxer

This little girl was meekly meeting all the noisy boys at the park. Polite and demure, she just looked so shy!

Flying Catch!

I am making a few more trips to the park. These athletes are my favorite!

2 Jacks

It is that time of year! The charity shows are everywhere. This was another of my oil commissions. They are also a good hand in poker.

Bramble, The German Wire-Hair Pointer

This was a commission from a charity event. Great dog! I was taking photos and got so many lovely soulful shots, but the owners were not... well, they couldn't put their finger on it. So we went outside and he said "BIRD!" and a WHOLE different dog showed up!

2 and a Half Schnauzers

Sorry for the lack of dogs for the past few days... but I am making up with this nice little recent commission!

YES, I am running behind.

So I am going to give you the show from yesterday:

GSD Pup

I know, the normal among us call them German Shepherds. I have been hanging with the doggie set too long and am into initials. Saw this baby on Sunday in the dog park. YIPPEE! I did not come home with heat stroke!!

My One-Woman Show Opening.

I don't know how to do these on the side for only one post, but I hope that ANY of you who live in the Phoenix area and have time tomorrow, might want to come by and see my work.

I have a humble reception in a really nice venue. All my own stuff. Veggies and punch. Starting at 2. Click on this one to see the details large:

Simon, the Welsh Springer Spaniel

This is a real trip down memory lane! I think I did this portrait about 6 years ago. Simon's Dad was on my client list and came to a recent show, with a sweet white faced senior citizen doggie in tow. And it was Simon! A shy but very lovable dearheart, had some better social skills but I was shocked at how my friend had matured. Glad to have captured him at his handsome best!

Sample Airedale

I came across this recently. It was one of my earlier watercolors, but a breed that I KEEP falling in love with...

and as you see, so did my cat!

Jaeger

This is one of two pieces I did. There was something in the animal that I did not quite get in the portrait, so I re-did it. The owner couldn't make up her mind... so she took them both!

The Dog from the Art Walk

Just watching the people down the streets of Scottsdale a few years ago, and a vendor had this wonderfully soulful little guardian. From a snapshot, I just had to create this essence of dog.

Terry

This was a commission of love. Terry was (we are almost sure) a mostly Wheaton Terrier mix. LOVED hard by a family and given back as a gift to his mother, by a grad student out here. Pictures were hard to work from, but the result was a perfect memory.