Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing

Mixed media drawing on cotton rag paper. This is what I did for fun after finishing my commissioned pieces last night. Something is clearly not right in my brain, but ... as still life goes, it's more interesting than Ye Olde Wine Bottles and Fruite, yes?

Granddad, Granddaughter, and Horse

Some of you may recall this commission from earlier. It is now hot off the easel after a very busy holiday rush. Click to enlarge. Photo has some glare on the horse's lower neck, chest, and front legs, so I'll have to try again for photos in different lighting.

 

And you may or may not recall my source photo. You can see here how much I edited out the "noisy" background trees to put the focus on the figures, and the adjustment I made so that the horse could have his feet back!  

Bichon and a Dachshund

Sketches from owners' snapshots, both 8 x 10" mixed media on cotton rag paper.

Lounging like a Christmas Greyhound

Okay, technically Christmas Eve Greyhound. Hugo is a big old gentleman, well-seasoned and kind, looking stylish in his brindle coat. I sketched him last night as he napped through the second half of a party. I felt he had the right idea, with the napping; I've been dead on my feet, myself, but the party was a joy.

Today of course is the holiday and I am not supposed to work, but chances are that I will, because there's something I want to do and it won't feel like working. I'll post the results, probably tomorrow night.

At the moment it is one of the more beautiful mornings I've ever seen, and I am going to get my shoes on and go walking in the clear December sunlight.

More Winter Painting at Hopkins Honda

 

These were done before Thanksgiving, but I just got photos yesterday afternoon. All are acrylic (water based) paints directly on plate glass, and will be removed sometime in spring. 

Things on the Horizon?

Several days ago I got a call about an opportunity to be part of a nationwide community-level campaign for a product I happen to enjoy.

I won't know for another two or three weeks whether I've made the chosen team of artists for the Twin Cities, and until then, I won't be talking too much about this project or naming any names, but it feels really good to be in the running at all.

Meanwhile, I am making dog portraits like a madwoman, due to the rush of Christmas commissions! Here, in progress, is a 12" square drawing that'll be shipped to the UK on Tuesday. Yellow Lab puppies, so adorable. This is pastel and carbon pencil, watercolor, and pastel on Rives BFK Tan paper.

Hopkins Honda

Once again, I have decorated the interior windows at Luther Hopkins Honda for the holiday season. This is my fourth year doing this job, and I still love it.

The guys in the Service Department adore their deer and pheasant this year. I enjoy making them smile.

  The pheasant was a last-minute decision for me, as a way to add more life and color to the snowy scenes.

This work is all in acrylic paint and flat interior white latex, for the snow. At the end of the season, it gets scraped off; that part is not my job. The paint adheres well, but only as long as it stays dry, so I imagine they wet it down before razor-scraping it off.

Painting a Custom ... Dog Kennel? Yep, Dog Kennel.

So this is where I was tonight, finishing this project for Pawz and Rest. It's a beautifully crafted hardwood dog kennel/bed, and I had the honor of designing an Arts and Crafts style pattern to enhance the top.

Inspiration came from various stained glass patterns and from the seeding plants I've been finding in my walks around town -- reminding me that spring will be back soon enough.

It's rare that I'm asked to do more graphic work like this, and I enjoy the process very much.

This took about fifteen hours from design to completion.

Happy night at Home For Life's "Fall Fancy Feast"

My finished fast-and-loose portrait of little miss Audrey Hepburn, which raised $350 at silent auction!

 

 

The whole evening was splendid. I'm currently getting ready to head out for an appointment, so I have no time to write much about it, but I had a wonderful time and learned a lot more about the outreach Home For Life does -- just how much difference they make for the people, as well as the animals, that they help.

Home For Life fundraiser tonight

I'll be helping out at Home For Life's annual fundraiser tonight. Painting a quick, bold portrait of Audrey Hepburn on site at the event. Here's my beginning sketch on the canvas.

Audrey is a star, as her name suggests. An adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who lost the use of her back legs in an accident years ago. I can't wait to meet her! And of course I am taking my camera.