Arizona Art Alliance Demonstration Today

This is one of those progress shots.
I had to man the show at our gallery in Scottsdale, so I brought a nice little image from a recent Giant Schnauzer rescue event.


Now that the holidays have actually arrived, it is time to get set for the pictures YOU really want for yourselves....

This will be posted when I finish it. I will have prints available on FineArtAmerica.com

Another Memorial

One of my donation pieces... a little too late.
(HINT TO PEOPLE: Get the painting when you think of it. Enjoy your art AND your best friend so you don't cry when you get the painting...)
It has been an emotional season for me and too many of my pieces are memorials. Makes me very sad. BUT the good news is that the art is always of happy times.

Michelle

I was up too late, too much coffee and finished this before going to bed. One last memorial for a (hope we can make it in time) Christmas gift for a mom.

A Schnauzer and its Human.

A double portrait from my local Giant Rescue group event on Sunday.

Great Pyrenees Diamond Dog

I do watercolor on diamond format canvases that make great decorator accents. This is one of the last Christmas commissions (UNLESS MORE COME IN!) ready for delivery.

Bella

This is a challenge. The painting is a client gift from a businessman to a friend/business associate. We have a tight budget so it is going to be reproduced and available for cards as well on my Fine Art America site when we are approved and going.

There is something about Tibet!

I guess I am a master of messy hair! This is a pup from my favorite Tibetan Terrier breeder. Generations of dogs! How cool.

Two Police Dogs - Memorial

I got a note from Boston, from a wife of a K-9 officer. She wanted to give him a portrait of his two favorite partners as a Christmas tribute.

The Little Sister

The third of a set of paintings as a great-grandmother's gift to her daughter of the grand kids

Big Sister

The German Shepherds are coming up Monday, but for now these human puppies are coming off the easel.

I told you we would be doing more species....

The first of three beautiful Grandma Gifts for the holidays.

More Horsing Around!

I seem to have been discovered by the horsie set!

The amazing star on the front of this memorial piece was a challenge, but I personally find it one that keeps looking back at me from my easel.

YES, I am crazy.

NO! You may not get one of these!!

This is literally only 5"x7". I am doing a special favor for a returning client. I DON'T do multiple subjects in the Holiday special pricing (even though you add 50% more for each added subject) but to see if I COULD this is a double portrait in black and white....

I start multiple portraits and my regular pricing at 8x10".

Now I have to see if I can get my eyeballs screwed in right again!

A Gift, Many More to Come (I hope..)

I am starting to finish up the early bird gift givers. This is a larger 6x8" piece and when I start getting too busy, this will be the smallest size I offer, but for a few more weeks the minis are still available!

Specializing in white and/or black dogs!

Christmas is starting!

Although this is a private commission, not a gift, it is the first of what I would call the RUSH.

One of my minis and, as I am now all mammal, it is not a dog.

A Little Audition Piece

I am hoping to illustrate a little book on dogs and kids. I can do both but I will need to figure out how to get myself enough of them to populate the book.

First try

Splashy Pom!

I brought my unfinished cat to the dog park today, but could not do a cat... just couldn't... so I did this splashy little Pomeranian.
9x12" watercolor.

Unfinished Demo from Last Night

I had a LOT of people interested and charity events are ALWAYS more fun than real life!
The dinner was great and the winners incredible.
By asking the first person who I met, I decided the Rex Cat reference I had ready would be my demo.
It is pretty dramatic as is, but I am going to finish it tonight.
REMEMBER... we are not just dogs anymore!

First Demo Today

I went to the AZ Art Alliance Gallery where Gabriel's Angels, a therapy dog program, was supposed to have a doggie costume party. I only had a few hours because tonight was a big charity event!
I have been having fun doing a much looser looking dog style, more contemporary of late. So the bloodhound was the sample I took to the event (tomorrow's post) as my demo of size and style of my silent auction prize.

Fast Evening at the Park

So... I run out and bring my easel and my kit and a quick layout of this... and FORGOT MY PAINTS!!!
Well, I had my pencil. It is actually 9x12"

Two Redheads

I got mostly finished in the park and decided these needed some jazzing up so I got all free and splashy for two lovely dogs.
9x12"

Back in the Park

I have finally been brave enough to venture out again. The blog crashed to a halt when both my Mother and Cat were ill last year about this time and I just lost the momentum. But...

I started this demo at a little show I was hanging, and decided the weather was so nice, I would continue it in the dog park!

Not promising a complete dog every day this year, but I am going to post even the progress shots... for SURE a dog a week. AND we will include cats and others...

Two lovely red headed Setters in progress.

Leonard, probably done.

I have a bad habit of being hyper focused. When I get a commission and have the times, I lock my knees in front of the easel and paint for up to 18 hours at a time and then burn out.

Leonard was a bit of a binge. I am happy as is, but I will probably live with him a little and see if I really want to add the background (I suppose the client will make that decision for me) but for today, he is complete.

A slide show...of the Amazing Leonard.

I started this demonstration piece in the Grand Opening event for the Arizona Art Alliance Gallery and previewed it against the wall of my human portraits

This a commissioned piece in progress (I hope)
I will post the finish in a new post but add to the show as I work.

Keep checking back!

ORDER NOW! Christmas is not that far off.

Because these are such perfect gifts for holiday giving, I offer my 5x7" minis seasonally and it is that time.

Here is my inch by inch guide to estimating your costs if you go larger or any different materials... it needs a click...

Mercury

I quite am smitten with this girl!
I got a call because she had been rescued from euthanasia two weeks ago and her mom wanted to add her to the gallery of great dogs on the wall. 6 years old and the SWEETEST, she is my first Weimaraner I have had the pleasure of meeting for the portrait. REALLY great girl.

A really great Dane

This charcoal is a memorial gift to a client. Another of their Harlequin Danes was immortalized years earlier with a young upstart. Now a portrait charcoal is a reminder of a great friend.

Horsey Hug

Yup, these are some of the big doggies out here!
I have a few requests for horse portraits and am very happy to do them. Because I am a bit busier doing other projects, I am going to only post commissions or whims from now on. I have found the many irons in my fire are starting to heat up!

Double Boxers

HI!
Summer is getting hotter in the BEST sort of way!
I am back from all my human wanderings and back into animals.
The blog will start branching out after this one, but for now, we are back with a lovely pair of Boxers.

A Token Dog in a BIG Project.

I have been working in Chandler AZ for the last month on a 7 panel mural for part of their new civic area. The concept is art looking back... or what it must be like from the "ART'S" point of view. Random viewers and this couple and their pet populate the walls of Vision Gallery in Chandler

Second Demo acrylic painting.

It occured to me that I have one one horse, a group pose and the last bull dog and those are my ONLY acrylic pets! This white cat was another attempt to only use the student kits but I will say, the nature of acrylic paints was taking it a lot of very interesting places. So here is a unique one... CROSS SPECIES AGAIN!

Teaching Demonstrations

I am now an official Grumbacher educator. I will be teaching in local Michael's art stores in the Scottsdale are starting July. This is the first of my demonstrations. As I have not done any animals for months, I grabbed one of my great shots of a local British Bull and did this piece, using only the student paint kit.

House keeping...

I found a surprise posting that I never actually showed the finish...
CLICK HERE
and see the Christmas surprise all done!

You can buy these....

Today I went into mass merchandising.

I have been making high quality images of my "Runnin' Dogs", those great ones playing with their balls and frisbees etc. Through Fine Art America, I am trying to market smaller sized prints which you can buy on paper or canvas to decorate your home.

They also offer note cards.

I can't really afford the inventory of printing, storing and shipping these to people who are interested, so I have started small.... BUT if you want one of your favorites, email me either through their site (there is a link in the corner) or drop me a line and I will make the most requested ones available on the site.

I am HOPING this will make all of us happy. It is a hard thing to limit myself only to original art in this economy, so click on over and see what you think....

KEEP IN TOUCH!

http://debra-jones.artistwebsites.com/

We are Cross Species Now.

Because I have really had a lot of other work to do, the blog is going to integrate and I will be showing my kitties (birds, horses and turtles if people ask!!!) as well. I am a pet portrait painter, and will be sharing the business.

This is a memorial. And a birthday gift. And an oil. Lots of stretching here. Mixing media is good for the brain, but always hard to shift gears.

Well Loved Boston.

This is another gift to a friend by a friend. Somehow I seem to be a darling of the Boston Terrier set. This old man doesn't have years left, but there is now a great memory to help take his place:

A Winner.... with some guilt!

I give a lot of charity donations, especially around the holidays. This is the last of my winners. Apparenly our subject had a run in with its mom's favorite wash-up glove. This is a recreation of the event. The actual glove has ... well ... passed on.

A Very Missed Friend.

I have a really great client who is giving this piece to a friend. When you get a phone call that their VERY best friend has died and the tears are in their voice, what a great friend she is to offer a little memory for him to cherish:

A Birthday Gift

This little puppy was a commission through a show about GOLF! One never knows who one will run into, eh?

Hello again!

I am all over the map these days! I just am finishing two shows, not dog related, and one more on Easter, but I have had occasion to do a couple more dogs!

Here is the demonstration piece I did last night for the Arizona Art Alliance show in Scottsdale Arizona.

The Final Demonstration

I went over the softer shapes in both white and black pencils to make the fur more furry. Crisp edges and bright eyes. Voila!

Charcoal Aussie

Sorry, folks! I have been trying to keep things going all over the map and the pictures I have been painting do not have fur! I promise to post all dogs but they are few for now (but I have a feeling something big may be happening in March. Cross fingers for me.

This is a demonstration of charcoal that I did for my class in Mesa. We are tackling all sorts of subjects and I will take this to a sharper finish tomorrow. Keep watching.

A Prize of a Puppy!

I work with Trisong Tibetan Terriers and this little pick of the little is my newest portrait in the hall of champions!

Sweet Little Millie

This young lady was sitting in the dog park JUST SITTING! I spoke with her owners who were visiting from out of town. I was hoping to finish this and show them before they went home to San Diego.... Millie is a little widdow and although she seemed pretty disinterested and very opinionated when approached for comment, I found in most of my photos of her, she was actually either asleep sitting up, or resting her eyes.... such a personality!

Bill, the First Portrait this Year

I seem to be popular with the Pit Bull set, and I am complemented to be! I met Bill's owner at a the Lucky Dog event and was contacted to do this little memorial of a great old friend.