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.

Dog Tired of Dogs.

I know, I just sort of ran out of dog steam! So we have the holiday version of my cat.

Sometimes you just have to have a break!

Annie

This is one of the French Brittany Gun dogs or l'Epagneul Breton's who I have the privilege to be their official painter. Sweet little Annie. Had a bad year of health but is doing just grea now!

Tan Dane

This was a demo for the Great Dane Club of Phoenix. Done among the great drooling giants at the show. THAT is street art!

Gypsy Sketch

This is the mascot of the Scottsdale Artist's School, Gypsy. She has been the subject of some of my pastel pieces and this was one I started as a demonstration. Looks pretty good unfinished if you ask me!

Root, the Spitz

I have a lot of internet and international friends. This is Rooty, a Finnish Spitz from Finland, if I recall properly! Back when I needed samples, he was volunteered and rendered with love.

The Charity Box 2008

A few posts ago, you saw the start of my donation for the last Hope for the Animals donation.

I also donate a blank box for a portrait piece.

Here is what I did last year for the auction winner:

The Giant Donation

I donated this as a prize in an auction back East. Unlike some of our local charities, who I will say, don't mind just giving the money, this was redeemed immediately. So I have never met this dog, but I hear it is big!!

The Chow with Big Eyes

A while back I almost got a job doing some covers for breed magazines. This was one of the ones I was really feeling good about. Apparently, however, a great Chow Chow has tiny little eyes. I have learned to love, even these sad little creatures with big pretty peepers, no matter how imperfect!

Kerry Blue

I have looked and looked at the photos I took of this guy. Where the HECK are those eyes? I just dediced it was less important that I see him, than that HE sees me, so ... I found his TOUNGUE!

The DOX BOX Pt. 1

Every year I donate a finished box to the PACC911 rescue group HOPE FOR THE ANIMALS event. This year I have just begun my silent auction piece, so here is a preview.

(Remember, the holidays are going to be here before you know it! I am able to make these personalized for you. BUT we must start soon!)

Corgi Pup

THIS is the closest thing to a real life rag doll. Soft and floppy, little Nash was on of my favorite commissions. If you ever meet a puppy get it in your arms, it is amazing!

Ann's Old Dog

It always seems that my clients double up. This is the owner of the cute little Cock-a-poo from earlier this year. She had me immortalize her old dog from and old black and white photo. They were obviously a great couple.

Schultz

I give a lot of donations of portraits to charities. This was a winner of a raffle for a Halloween party years ago. Schultz started me on my affair with Giant Schnauzers.

A Hunting Buddy

This is a commission done by a friend for a friend. If you had seen the few photos we had to work from you would KNOW I WAS A GENIUS... ahem... sorry for the outburst... but we did good. These Wirehaired German Pointers are some of the scruffiest beasts around, but as you can see, LOVED to hunt.

Pudge

I do a lot of commissions, but this is a special one.

Growing up, my grandma had a one-eyed cat called

"Mommy". I had a tripod named Feather.

Pets with infirmaties are still GREAT PETS.

This little Pudge was a well loved and honored

member of the family. And who could

NOT love that smile!!!

Papillon Chihuahua Mix

Another gift for a client. This sweetheart has a friend, nam-ed Lucy. Both a little bit butterfly and little bit Tequilla!

Paul's Dog

I had a good friend who moved away a few years ago. She and her husband were models at my art school, and was a gift memorial of his good old dog.

Mango

The wife of local sports figure, now a national commentator, owns this little thing and its portrait. It was a gift from a

friend.

Christmas is not all that far away... hint hint!

Wyatt and Lexi

I have been bringing some of my classics out. I only recently started doing watercolors. These are some of my favorites done on suede mat board with NuPastels. I also was the darling of the Coonhound set for a while! I love those noisy beasts!

Snow Dog

NO! I did not see this in my park! I started painting him and splashed a bit of color on by mistake, so I made the shadow blue and put a lot MORE splash! Ah, art is so creative!

Sample Cocker Spaniel

A few years ago, I was auditioning for a job doing breed standard dogs. I LOVE them, but somehow I would rather have a joyous mutt than a perfect icon.

Brindle Boxer

Just to help fill out my breeds list. This is a classic commission of a great little boxer for a long lost friend.

Shelty in Profile - A Rescue.

This is another volunteer photo from the Sheltie Rescue group. These are the 50/50 pieces still $85, still half to the rescue (hey, I can cut a deal with anyone who puts the money or time toward a rescue of 20% discount for you or donation to the shelter if you tell me where to send it!)

Trotting Terrier...something....

This little terrier mix that I painted before was on the trail of a ball and I got him just set to go. Man, sometimes I get tired just watching them in the park.

Worried Yorkie

A little friend of a friend, just was having a stressful day!

Darla, the Rescue Chihuahua

They got me! I have succumbed to being a spokespainter for the Chihuahua Rescue! $90 and half of it goes right to the charity:

The Golden Greyhound

This and the greyhound I posted a week or so ago, are from a day spent at the Renaissance Faire. The dogs were representatives of a rescue group and were in the spirit of the day. This one was just glowing inside a tent.

Zeppy's Oil

My doggie muse, Zeppelin. I needed a nice representative oil painting so he was the first I thought of! Available for purchase. 11x14"

Chloe's First Portrait.

I was room mates with this little Min-Pin a few years ago. She has a pretty white smile now, but this was my FIRST impression of her in Pastel.

Glamour Dog

I saw this beauty at a charity event earlier this year. Dressed to the 9's and looking good! No breed in particular - pure glamor.