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.

Christmas Over, New Year Coming!

Click my Pic:

I retire my mini portraits, 5x7" in an 8x10" mat until May, so I am offering the

HANG OVER SPECIAL!

Same price as my Christmas Portraits until the 15th of January!

(I WILL have a different special at Valentines, but that is a couple of months away!)

I can guaranted the minis is 7 days from sending the photo to in your mailbox.
Still only $90.....

Keeps me in dogs for the blog!

Happy Christmas Eve!

This is Dozer. His mom won a silent auction and I delivered it a few days before Christmas!

I hope has a happy home!

Three Good Friends

I have a very bad reputation for being the most important thing on a pet owner's mind, right before they lose their good friend. The Chessy in the portrait ended his life while I was painting. PLEASE think of maybe getting a portrait while you can enjoy the dog AND the painting. It makes me cry sometimes when I deliver these....

Pretty Dark Little Schauzer

This is probably the last of the pre Christmas commissions. NOT BY CHOICE, but I ran out of photos. It is for an organizer of a great little animal charity, Lucky Dog. Her Mom's dog is not just lucky, now it is immortal.

One of Those Black Dogs

I am always getting two questions: "How do you paint White dogs?" and "How do you paint Black dogs?" I use every shade of not quite black and not quite white that I can.

A few more!

I have a few more commissions (YES!) and here is the lovely little Yorkie... Roxy!

More Dots

This lovely young lady is staying here while her Mom, a dear retiree, moves back home to a community of her peers. Because she is going along, her kids have commissioned this memory to take along and remind her of her friend until she returns next winter.

Buddy Love - For You to Rescue!

I did a wonderful event this weekend for Lucky Dog Rescue and demonstrated this portrait of one of their little charges. This is Buddy Love and ready for YOU to love! Email me.

Tomo

Look familiar? This is one of the responsibilities of being a portrait painter. The owners are always bragging on how snowy white this kid is. My golden light was a bit too yellow and I did a bit of tweaking and we think this is the image. And I signed it...

Mom's Neighbor

It is all in the family here. This is my mother's best Summer friend's little dog. A bit of a puppy when they first met, I think it has grown into a much more mannered little thing, but the friendship rose above juvenile rambunction and this is their Christmas gift from her.

Mr. Lucky

This is a dog in charge. While taking the photos for his portrait, if we did not talk TO him he was not allowing the conversation to continue. The recently adopted Mr. Lucky is indeed a Lucky Dog!

This is one of my DIAMONDS, on its side... I think that makes it a square. How very normal!

Anyone Want a Calendar?

I am thinking of offering a calendar of my runnin' dogs from the adventures in my dog park for Gifts this year.

I have to design and get the goodies going, but was wondering if any of you all would be interested in ordering 12 of your favorites on to hang on a wall?

If so, comment on your favorites or drop me an email and help me choose. If you don't want to buy it, you can STILL comment and we can vote for our favorites.

Pick a date or a breed etc.

deejaystar@yahoo.com

dj*

Lady

We have waited for the perfect hairdo and right look and for some reason all of the stars aligned and Lady, who I met about this time last year, is finally immortalized!

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Truman

This was the winner in the Silent Auction for Friends of Animal Care and Control. It is a memorial. Took a while to even get the photo because the winner and I were crying too much to talk about it!

Giving Thanks

Well, I am a bit shy of my DAILY dog, but starting this on Thanksgiving last year this is the titular anniversary of the blog.

Thank you all on this great Thanksgiving day!

Ready to Chew.... um... HANG the Stockings!

Titus and Troy, ready for the holidays and a Christmas Card!

My Kid, the Cat.

...also known as the dude. Yes, I am getting obsessive, but today I did the unthinkable! I decorated him. I will say I was amazed. He seemed to think he was looking pretty studly, so I just had to immortalize him!

Amazing Ears!

I met this little Papillon last Friday at a wine tasting event. Sitting on the floor next to her, she came in meekly and shy. I do my favorite little sound to perk them up and WHOOSH, these ears flew open like wings! I was nearly knocked off my heals!

Shadow

I either missed it or looked at my reference so long I THOUGHT I had painted this beautiful dog. I met Shadow's owner in the park today and mentioned I had a great painting of his dog! So, since I can't find it, here is another... we will keep checking!

Change of Species

From a photo donated as reference to a group of artists, I did this little Maine Coon as a demonstration, first for a very festive wine tasting and then finished Saturday at an outdoor festival. More dogs to come as Christmas nears, but even kitties need a little representation as gifts!

Such a Clown!

I regret I have forgotten this little girl's name, but she is a commission for my vet. This is the diamond canvas which is a 5x5 and hangs very simply on a nail anywhere you need it. Same price as my minis $90.

Aussie...OOOPS!

I still get a little nervous posting gifts, but this is a great one! Mom and Dad love this good old dog. They know he won't be around long so we are cautiously sending emails, hoping the son won't see it and spoil the Christmas surprise.

The Christmas Gifts are Starting!

This lovely couple is a great gift from a son to Mom and Dad of the best dogs a family could have. What a really special treat to remember the rest of the family. Sure beats an Ipod!

Bark and Wine Winner

Remember, when you are getting the Christmas shopping done, I work pretty fast at this time of the year...

I received the photo from the silent auction winner at last weekend's Bark and Wine event and am ready to deliver this weekend! SUCH A CUTIE!!!

Dog from the Dark....

Sounds so mysterious! Nahhh. I was painting last weekend at the Bark and Wine event and the sun set and I had more to paint... I was pretty amazed how LITTLE I really screwed up. Here is the last of the three from Valley Rescue.

A Hand Me Down Commission

I am so grateful for this one. A good friend and artist just didn't have time for a rush order. YOU KNOW ME! I got the picture yesterday and helped her with her own holiday rush:

Another Rescued Chihuahua

My Bark and Wine buddies on Saturday had a crew of

great dogs available. By the time I got this one started,

I am happy to report, I believe it was heading to a home!

Max

I did a rescue group - Valley Dogs - this evening, and wanted to be prepared. This is Max. the son of the organizer. And that teeny green is the TENNIS ball in his mouth. Rescues are the best, but I am going to have a very hard time labeling this one... some Sharpei, some Mastiff????

Chuy, the Chihuahua

The organizer of my last charity dinner knew a good thing when she saw it and ordered the first of my mini-portrait specials for the year! This little Chuy is all personality... and apparently some tongue as well!

Almost Done

I have some shadows to fill in but I would say, if their mom likes them, I do too!

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: