Elin Pendleton Continues "The Dog Walker" Acrylic

I signed it, but it isn't finished yet. However it really has that "feel" I was seeking when I picked up the brushes.
12 x 16 Acrylic "The Dog Walker"
Do you see the strong triangular design, with the black lab on the left anchoring that corner? An overlay of this image would show the many diagonals that work to repeat and support the structure of this work.

I really like it at this point, but it truly is not finished. I had pressure on me to use this image for entering the Art Show at the Dog Show, and it was summarily rejected. I entered it more because of what I KNOW it will become, rather than as a finished piece. But judges are arbitrary, subjective and totally in control of the shape of an art show, so I don't take that rejection personally. Sometimes that's just where the chips fall.

Below is the image with tension-creating diagonals for you. To me, this angled tension with so many lines sets the stage for excitement in this dog walker composition. Horizontal and verticals are static, lines that lean are tension-filled and exciting. Note the two vertical signposts in the upper left corner, effectively stopping the convergence of the snow lines off the edge of the canvas. "That's design, baaaybe!"

After I finish up both this one and the backlit Lab (which DID get accepted to the show), I'll share with you the second painting for the upcoming DVD on misty and overcast lighting--in stages, of course!

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE. (Still some slots!!!)
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Princess Fergie," 12" square, larger than lifesize Chihuahua portrait, done in acrylic on 1-1/2" cradeled Ampersand Gessobord. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait) may always come to me.

In November I hung an exhibition of my work at Body Pure, a pilates studio in Birmingham, Michigan. It was a great opportunity to showcase a variety of Dog-a-Day paintings in a contemplative setting - something I don't often get the chance to do, since the majority of my pieces head off to their new homes as soon as they are dry.

Fergie is the studio's official mascot, greeting customers with a trademarked timid little dance. Like any princess worth her weight in gold, she's selective about those she approaches (but just between you and me, a cookie works wonders). I shot a variety of reference photos, and was eager to get started on another "big" piece, knowing that Fergie's personality would simply leap off the panel.

Her portrait will hang in the lobby area of Body Pure for the next few months, that is, after I get it glazed and delivered. You are invited to stop by and compare the real thing to the painted version - after which you are welcome to call me and begin a discussion about how I can do the same thing with your own pet, larger than lifesized or just a wee bit smaller.

(BTW, this cradeled gessobord is an absolute dream to paint on! and it makes for an incredible presentation - the painting is "wrapped" around the sides and sits off the wall so there is no need to frame. It elevates the art to an entirely new level.)

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year(2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years(2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

THROUGH THE GATE PLEASE

"Through The Gate Please" is a painting from a dog's point of view. This Westie is making it clear that on this sparkling Winter morning, he would prefer to go through the gate and go for a walk in the dawn light than stay in the confines of the garden. We often see dogs as cute, and so they are, but they are also thinking, sentient creatures with dignity. Because I respect them as much as I love them, I always try to let that dignity come through in my paintings of them.

I think the red gate is balanced nicely by the large field of white, and the red is subtly carried through the piece from the pink ears and tongue, to the little red plaid collar to the red dogwood branches to the gate itself. Why a red gate? I like red gates, and in this case, it warms up a cold winter morning.

This West Highland Terrier painting, "Through The Gate Please" is an 11 x 14 watercolour on Arches 140 Hot Press paper.

Heather Anderson Animals In Art Sheltie Hollow

Kim Ratigan-"Going to the Dogs"

Well, this year is opening with a blast :-D
I just got news about my entries for this year's Art Show at the Dog Show exhibition.
I have had three works accepted and am thrilled!

These will be displayed amoung 3 different location in Wichita, Kansas, between March 3rd thru April 11th. I will post more details soon, but now its off to the framers!

Going "to the Dogs" are:

"What's up Dach?" 4"x6" Watercolor

"My Ball" 5"x5" Watercolor

"Soulful"
5"x5" Colored Pencil on PastelMat


You can view more of my work on my website, www.justagallery.com or my blog, Kim Ratigan Paintings & Portraits

"Tunnel!" Cattle Dog oil painting, by Linda Shantz

Well, it's been far too long since I've contributed to this blog! I've been immersed in horses on all levels for quite a while. Normally it's this time a year that a couple of dog paintings show up as I feverishly prepare entries for the Art Show at the Dog Show, but I decided not to enter this year. There has just been too much going on, art-wise, and in life in general - I had to cut myself some slack.

I did, however, get this little painting done recently. This is a 6 x 8 oil on Raymar cotton canvas panel. I love agility, and even portraying it brings a smile to my face. I photographed this little Australian Cattle Dog at an agility demo at a horse show a few years ago. There's no question in my mind that this guy is having fun! The painting is available for sale, $280.00US including shipping. You can either contact me directly, or visit my online store at Etsy, if you're interested.

If you'd like to take a peek at what's been keeping me busy on the horsey end of things, just visit my blog. Hope to be back here soon!

~ Linda

painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Emmie's Beauty Sleep," 6" s 8", acrylic Collie portrait on canvasboard, $324 to the first one asking nicely. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me.

Last week I got the nicest note from an old collector (old meaning pre-Dog a Day) with photos of her newest family members. The pictures of Emmie owning the couch were too good to pass up, and when I got her blessing, I rushed to the easel.

Well, it didn't happen quite that easily. Well, in a way it did. You see, I had kept this week free of commission work in order to lead a pet portrait workshop at an elementary school. The workshop was rescheduled, so I happened to be easy peasy to slip Emmie in.

I will, of course, hold Emmie and give my collector an opportunity to add this Dog a Day painting to her walls. But should she pass, I guarantee there will be a line forming!

Meanwhile, I have begun planning my next solo exhibition. It will focus entirely on rescued pets - which means I need some models! I plan on creating at least 20 new paintings for an August show to be held at a Very Special Venue. The paintings will be accompanied with the animals' stories - lots of "happily ever afters." The paintings must be for sale at the exhibition (ie you are under no obligation to purchase anything but are welcome to do so during the show with proceeds going to a Special Animal Welfare Cause). Participation requires sharing quality reference photos with me in a timely enough manner for painting creation. Send me an email if you are interested in nominating your companion for inclusion in this show. (And I'll fess up right now that I'm a couple days behind in emails - but I will acknowledge everything I receive as soon as I can!)

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

Elin Pendleton Continues "The Dog Walker" Acrylic, third stage

Working in acrylics gives the user a lot of latitude in application techniques, and I've used a few at this stage. Although still covering the canvas, I'm layering the snow piles behind the walker with heavier applications of pigment, giving some texture to the end result. In the gray pavement, I'm using more transparent layers, allowing the subtle values to work in harmony. I have also begun to put in more and more details on the major "heartbeats" in the painting, but still only roughly.

You see, for me, getting the "gist" of the movement and "feel" of the action taking place is more about the generalized lines of the design at this point. I am not interested AT ALL in the details, although some do manifest at this time, such as the light and shadow, blue and white on the girl's jacket. Always mindful of the focal point, her coloration on the jacket and the subtle repetition of the blues in the blue-violet of the sidewalk unify the painting, even at this early stage! That's counterpointed by the yellows in the distant taxis and in the retriever.

Yesterday (Sunday), I went on a hike with a group of fun people, and we ended up at the top of a local mountain in Riverside, Mt. Roubidoux. As you can see, the weather has cleared up from the storm, and most of us ended up in tee shirts, even though there is snow in the distance. Fun!

I hope wherever you are, that you're dry, warm and enjoying your time with friends and activities.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Tribute to our Family Dog

Our 16 year old, deaf, family dog, Jesse snuck out of the gate 3 weeks ago on that bitter Sunday and never came home. Despite out tireless efforts, we have not found her. I am so pleased that my artist husband, Steve created this little 4 x 6 oil portrait of her last year. She disappeared as we originally found her-wandering. It is SO sad!  It's a very fitting and lovely tribute to a little "Lassie dog" who was the ultimate family companion!

Theresa

www.PortraitsNC.com

Elin Pendleton Continues "The Dog Walker" Acrylic

I'm doing what I always do--cover the canvas with the abstract structure by massing in the largest shapes and values. And of course, completely out of the "Cool Box" from the Color System. Not much concern with anatomy at this phase, nor with faces or calligraphic lines. I've found that the big masses draw in the viewer, and then they'll spend a pleasurable amount of time wandering through the variances and nuances of the lines and subtle value and hue changes, once entranced by the big structure. That's no mystery--the great illustrators of the last century made a point of doing this, too. Look into the work of Howard Pyle--and his students N. C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Violet Oakley, and Elisabeth Shippen Green, among others--to see how powerful the establishment of the big masses is to the overall impact of a painting.

Now that I've sent you on a joy-urney into American Illusatration, I'll just add that my demonstration in Hemet is scheduled for February 10 at 1:30 at the Simpson Center. And the workshops in Georgia are almost full--both weeks! There are still spaces in Florida (pdf file download, application info) at the Carriage Museum grounds (first week in May), and Mt. Desert Island in Maine at the end of August (plein air and Color System week!).

And the weather here has finally turned to rain and wet, yet the mountains are green as an Irish morning. The wildflower show at Two Trees will be spectacular in mid April! Here's a photo of Two Trees taken in June, mostly after the wildflowers, but still showing some of the green of winter rains. It is an idyllic place for an arteest...

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Elin Pendleton starts an acrylic for Art Show at the Dog Show

Even while working on the oil of the backlit Labrador, I also had the easel occupied with this acrylic, destined for jurying for the Art Show at the Dog Show. It is a 12 x 16 board, and the source material was a dog walker spotted outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

You can see my source material printed and set to the left of the canvas. The lighting is overcast, so of course the first layin and the majority of colors will come from the "Cool Box" (Color System).

I was utterly fascinated by the seemingly indifference of the dog walker and the rambunctious Lab pup on the left side just SO wanting to get away and "do something". The white standard poodles, the Golden Retriever, the Catahoula Leopard Dog--yes, there is one in there--and the Newfoundland. My goodness, which category can it be submitted for jurying?

Ah well, I hope you'll enjoy how it unfolds. I'll finish up the oil this week as well and post the finished canvas for you.

Still a few spots in the Color Boot Camp in February at my studio--and a demo coming up for the Hemet Valley Art Association, too!

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

An Afghan Hound and a Whippet

Here are two new ones from me, Yvonne Sovereign, Southern Wind Studio. The Afghan Hound is a commission for the Tampa Bay Afghan Hound Club, reproductions will be made for their specialty trophies. It is titled Beach Breezes, 11 x 15" watercolor. The whippet is one of my own dogs, and is a 14 x 18" oil on canvas. I call it Serenity.

Pastel of Cocker Spaniel cutey!

Figgy is a beautiful little buff cocker spaniel and I created this 16 x 20 pastel of him as a surprise for the husband while also creating a large pastel portrait of their charming daughter, Mary Michael!
"We LOVE this incredible portrait that I asked you to create of Figgy as a surprise for my husband! He was so happy with Mary Michael's portrait and never suspected our secret! Many thanks for being able to pull it off on such short notice!"  - B. F. Watson Raleigh, NC

Clients are what it is all about! -Theresa
M. Theresa Brown

Elin Pendleton finishes the Labrador for Art Show at the Dog Show (sorta)

MANY changes from the last posting of this "turkey", and now I no longer call it that... HA! Taking a long, hard look at what came back home with me from the demonstration, I could see easily that I'd lost both the value relationships and the color punch of backlit evening light. So I put myself to and spent a good amount of time working on those aspects of this oil.

It is now to a stage where I'm comfortable signing it, however, I still need to work on the dog's head. It doesn't read "Labrador" to me yet.

What I really do like about this piece is the colorful water int he foreground and the spash. Everything but red is in there and it is so joyful, like the dog, who is painted in muted hues of those same yellows and purples.

So don't give up on the ones that are giving you problems. They can be pulled through to become good paintings. Asking for some advice can provide an independent source of input as well. AS long as the core structure is in place, and the values are moving forward, most paintings can be brought to a finished state without too much work. I hope you enjoyed this one. I'll publish on my other web sites it when I finish the head details.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Elin Pendleton messes up a painting....

Ten more minutes in the demonstration painting for the art group and I'm making a bad problem worse. If I were in the studio, I would have taken a break, had a cuppa coffy and taken one huge step backward to see what was going on and what was going wrong with this painting.

The "essense" is there, but the values and colors are off in many places. I'm thinkin' (wrong) the dog's shadow side needs to be lighter because after all, it's a yellow lab and yellow is light, right? Not always, and making that shadow side as light as I have loses the "pizazz". The buzz and zap of color excitement is eluding me and I'm at a loss as to how to pull it back and fix it as I'm painting it. I'm talking and entertaining the group, so my focus isn't on the deep introspection of a quiet plein air location or standing in front of my easel in the studio, in company only with myself. Hey, it happens....

I had a doubt about sharing this painting at this "uglies" stage with y'all, but realize that perhaps the benefits outweigh the chaos in that someone can learn that artists "of a certain level" still can make major mistakes.

Tomorrow it will get better. (Didn't Annie say that?) Ha!

The weather here has been in teh 70s and sunny, and I've enjoyed the winter pruning of the roses and other garden plants, and also the lemon harvest. My freezer is already full of squeezed lemons, so the bumper crop will be donated. It's good to give back the excess. And I've been working on editing the Misty Light DVD, too. Hours of work, but all good footage.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Elin Continues the Labrador Demonstration Oil Painting

I skipped through a couple of ten minutes sessions to get you to this point because I want you to see the bigger picture of what happened. I'll add one of the earlier ones below for clarity. The Warm Box is open now, and I'm putting in the cadmiums that are int he sky on the left, and also in the water reflections.

The splash under the dog is WAY too green, and the blue is too strong--got carried away there, and didn't even see it until much later. That's the down side of painting for a demonstration, talking, and changing the time of day on source material! I'll pull it through and modify it later, but wanted you to see it now. That's because no matter what, everyone makes mistakes as they work through the process of painting. It's knowing where those mistakes are, and how to correct them, that may separate the less experienced painters from the pros. I can also see that the values aren't dramatic enough to convey the backlit evening time, so there is another major "fix" that will have to occur before I can call it done.

That's like life, though. We go forward, thinking we're doing what's right and "proper", only to be caught up short with new knowledge that radically changes our behavior and our outlook on things, as we formerly perceived them. In art, we can stretch our wings into new directions, as long as we are not shackled to the expectations of galleries and collectors. In life, the restrictions are more insidious--sometimes coming from within ourselves, even! So I'm leaning into my ARTIST mindset, and making some fun and exciting choices about how I'm going to spend the rest of my life. Conventional wisdom can go pound sand--I'm having FUN!!! The art is reflecting that outlook--more free, more interesting subjects and truly exciting to create. Life is GOOD.

Oh, yeah, good except for the cortizone shot they poked in my hip today. Seems I have a touch of bursitus from the motorcycle accident and the doc thinks that this shot will fix me up right 'n' proper. I'm not to do anything but WALK for three friggin' days, so she says. That is SO not fair. I want to chase my horses, fall all over the mats in aikido and dance the night away! OK, so I'll find a bucket of patience somewhere.... Friday cannot come too soon for this lady.

Still have one or two spaces in the February Color Boot Camp coming up Feb 12-15. Best value for your artistic money, in that this will not change your style or method, but will profoundly affect your color choices and color harmony in your work! Email me for the information. It promises to be an intimate and enlightening opportunity for you, right here in my studio.

Here's the one prior to the covered canvas image, and I can easily see I lost my concentration in that splash area, and the dog doesn't have much detail...

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Labradoodle

Just completed my first portrait of the new year and my second portrait of a Labradoodle. This handsome boy had lots of curls which were a challenge to paint as it seemed they went every which direction. The first Labradoodle that I painted had a more shaggy coat. Not really being familiar with what Labradoodles look like the difference in coat surprised me, but I guess it's quite common for there to be different coat types within the same litter.

I chose to do this painting in gouache which is currently my medium of choice. I love it's opacity and the way it flows off the brush which allows me to work back and forth from light to dark and vice versa so I can easily achieve coat pattern and texture.

Thanks for looking!
Catherine
www.petportraitsbycatherine.com

Elin Pendleton continues one for Art Show at the Dog Show, 20 min. into it

Blinga-bling! Twenty minutes into the demonstration at the Canyon Lake Art Association, and more of the canvas is covered--this time with the grays and sky areas made with the three Big Ones--Alizarin, Yellow Ochre and Ultramarine Blue (with white) to create these harmonious grays.

If you put your hand over the left side, and just show the right side, you can see that even at this early stage, the colors are beautifully harmonious--all coming from the Color System's Cool Box!

Other news, with our mid-70s weather, I've been working with the mustang and bonding with him in the corral. It is a lot of fun to have a young horse again--he's stout as a tank, still growing at 15.2 and even in winter woolies, he is a beautiful buckskin. I leaned all over his back today, and worked on reining left and right. And today (Sunday) I played water volleyball for almost three hours, so my shoulders are sore. Great exercise!
Here's a picture of him still in slick clothes. BIG mustang feet, too.

So even though it gets hot in the summer, there are certainly good reasons to enjoy California in the winter (what winter?). I know much of the country is in a deep freeze right now, and I hope all are doing well in coping with the ice and slush.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

This past summer we visited some new friends in upstate New York and stayed overnight.  That evening there was a full moon which we watched rise over their rolling hay pasture overlooking the old barn and farm house.  It got darker and darker but we could always see their energetic American Eskimo running after  large sticks.  The moon, the woods and pastures, deer, and the easy company of new friends made it a night I will always remember.

5x7 watercolor NFS

5x7 prints $10

Judith A. Johnson

Elin Pendleton continues one for Art Show at the Dog Show, 10 min. into it

I'm changing the source material from a late morning time to a backlit sunset, so the challenges to work the Color System are at hand. Looking at an image that can only guide the anatomy and then mentally rearranging the lighting and colors while talking to a group in a live demonstration has to be either very courageous, or totally nuts.

So I start with what is for me caution, only laying in the areas that are not going to be profoundly altered nor need major revisions later. Hey, play it safe! These are all cool box mixes, most notably the yellow ochre/burnt umbers in the dog and distant trees, with the counter point to these "oranges" being the blue and blue violet water reflections of the evening sky.

Last night I painted another dog painting, and captured it in stages as well--deadline to send off the submissions for the Art Show at the Dog Show is today, so the next one, entitled "Entangled Relationships" will be my blog posting later this week. Late night in the studio, whew!

Now I can get back to painting the second (acrylic) for the Misty Light DVD this week. Cameras rolling?

I'm hearing positive feedback from the workshop folks on the East Coast--still a few slots at the Georgia Farm, the Carriage Museum in central Florida, and the Maine workshop at Mt. Desert Island/Acadia National Park. Looks like all will be filled, in spite of the economy. Why not take a restful mini-vacation and learn the Color System or plein air? Just email me and I'll put you in touch with the organizers for one of the few remaining spaces.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Elin Pendleton starts one for Art Show at the Dog Show

I did a demonstration of oil painting for the Canyon Lake Art Association last night, and painted this 16 x 20 oil for their pleasure. I am doing this painting for the Art Show at the Dog Show, and it is a yellow Labrador getting that spring into the water on a retrieve. The source material is from collector Dick's son, who raises these great dogs. And the body of water is Lake Elsinore, near where I lived for many years.

I've prepped the canvas with a base color of what looks like a cool yellow, but is Australian Red Gold--a burnt orange. The lights in the room weren't conducive for good color, which will play out in the other images coming. Sigh. I had one of the members stop me every ten minutes as I painted it, so there will be some nice progression.

If you look at the design of this drawing, you'll see that the splashy water and the dog's head occupy the Golden Mean of this surface. Intentional. The source material wasn't like this, and I've also moved the horizon line down into the canvas to create more distance for the viewer to enjoy. It's good to be back in oils!

Signups continue for the February three day Color Boot Camp here in Riverside! I'm looking forward to the new "recruits" to the Color System. You can go here for full information.

And on ebay is one of my book/kits for painting horses--Walter Foster had a run of these, and they are now sold out. I'm not selling this one, but find it interesting to see them come up occasionally.

My roots go way back with the CLAA, being a life member, so it was fun to visit with them again. Tomorrow you'll see what it looks like (and how I think, in the text) after ten minutes of painting.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Greyhound Impressions

Lately I have been pushing myself into doing larger paintings without fussing too much in the process. This one of a Greyhound is titled 'Watching Me Watching You' and is an 8"x8" oil on Gallery Wrap canvas.

Paula, new drawing by Sheona Hamilton-Grant

"Paula"
Pencil on Paper,
Sold
Sheona Hamilton-Grant. All rights reserved.

I would love you to meet Paula. Her portrait was wrapped and placed under a big festive German Christmas tree.
Paula is a wee “pup” with curls from here to kingdom come.
She's a real cutie, as her collar indicates pocket size would be an apt description. Pass the collar and look into her eyes and you will see she is as kind as she is wise.
Paula lives with a brown boxer, a giant Poodle and a yard full of dressage horses.
Let me tell you she is very much against the word doll and gives big a definition of her very own...

Hound Dog

Hound Dog

What a fun way to start off 2010. Hound Dog is a private commission (thank you) of one of my pen and wash animals. This fellow was created using the recipients own photo with all those folds of skin he was an interesting subject


Hound Dog is 5" x 7" pen and wash on watercolour paper.


If you'd like to commission one of these little guys for yourself then drop me an email: catherin@animalarthouse.com


I will be adding my pen and wash gallery to my website in the coming weeks.

Catherin
http://www.animalarthouse.com/

Another dog at Woofstock last summer here in Kalamazoo- a fluffy Golden Retriever.

5x7 watercolor  $60

Judith A. Johnson

Today..A Book Review

Today's post is a review of a super book. Okay, now I know it is not art but the author is an artist and the book is about dogs! I will get back to the art tomorrow. This book touched me on so many levels that I just had to share. I picked up this book called Memoirs of a Bathtub Psychic by Bethanne Elion  and I could not put it down. I read it in two evenings and loved it. This book is a memoir of how the author got started on her holistic journey to save her dogs and how she has come to terms with her psychic abilities. I have posted a full synopsis of the book below which explains the book better than I can. I am after all a painter not a writer. :)  This book is very informative and a real eye opener for anyone who manages their dogs conventionally.....ie kibble, full vaccinations, etc. You will laugh and cry as you read about  her journey. A real page turner!  If anyone is looking for a great read to cozy up with I highly recommend this one! You can get started by reading Chapter One at her website.

Chapter One

Enjoy!

Memoirs of
the Bathtub Psychic
The True Story of a Clairvoyant and Her Dogs
by Bethanne Elion

SYNOPSIS:

This debut memoir is the heartwarming true story of a woman’s relationship with her Newfoundland dogs, Sophie, Emma and Cubby. These “barking bears” teach her to trust her natural psychic ability, which leads to the discovery of a talent for animal communication and healing.

Afraid to acknowledge her instincts due to negative experiences as a child, a deep love for her dogs motivates Bethanne to open her mind and take unusual steps to improve their lives when they fall ill.

She begins to suspect that some conventional veterinary practices, especially vaccinations, may have actually caused her pets’ serious health problems. Following her intuition and signals provided by her dogs and the Universe, she starts down the path toward holistic medicine.

By opening the channel to psychic communication, Bethanne receives information about her previous incarnations and the lessons she must learn in her current lifetime. An enlightening relationship develops with her spirit guide (and love from a past life), a Native American entity named Gray Wolf who offers wisdom at key moments. She does psychic readings for farmers and pet owners while relaxing in the bathtub, when her third eye is open and important clues for her clients’ healing are revealed.

A compelling read for all animal lovers, this book will be of special interest to pet owners interested in holistic health, organic raw food canine nutrition, and critics of excessive vaccination. It is written in a dynamic, poetic voice and has been well-received by holistic veterinarians and professional psychics alike.


About the Author

Bethanne Elion has a BFA in writing and literature from Emerson College, in Boston. She was born in Danbury, Connecticut, and has lived in New Jersey, Massachusetts and California. Settled in Vermont since 1999, she shares a house and ten acres with her Newfoundland dog, yellow Labrador and three cats.

Bethanne has been deeply involved in animal communication and holistic healing for many years. She works as a nutrition consultant for private clients and for Volhard Nutrition, makers of natural diet and other whole health balancing products for dogs.

As a psychic medium, she incorporates her knowledge of the influences of health and nutrition on behavior in her intuitive pet consultations. Her clients include organic dairy farms, ill and recovering dogs, pets with behavior issues and their owners.

Bethanne is currently at work on her second book, the sequel to Memoirs of the Bathtub Psychic.

Bethanne's Website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deborah O'Sullivan
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Gone to the dogs

Back to some fun with watercolor dog portraits- this handsome Golden Lab walked by my booth at "Woofstock", a dog friendly event put on by the SPCA of Southwest Michigan this past summer.  I have a lot of resource material from that day, everyone was proud of their dog(s) and the parade was all day long.  Watch for more pup paintings!

5x7 watercolor, $60, a portion of the profits benefit SPCA of SWMI.

Judith A. Johnson  lojomjnc@charter.net

Happy New Year! Newf Watercolor and Dressage Painting

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Now it is back to our regularly scheduled programmimg! :) I took a holiday break and now I am back to work in the studio. 
I have some interesting blog posts coming up.. so stay tuned!
I've  got a wonderful new easel...The Cheap Joe's Signature Field Easel which I will review here with photos. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this easel
I will review a book that a wonderful author/friend wrote. The book is titled Memoirs of a Bathtub Psychic be Betanne Elion. I know it is not about art (although she is an artist, too) but this book is a wonderful read.
I will be posting more about the painting process itself. Lots of WIPS and commentary on techniique and answers to some of my most frequently asked questions.

I am looking forward to creating some wonderful new art this year.  Here is the start of this work in progress. This is very large 30 x 22 (full sheet) watercolor. This is the initial stages of glazes ...lots more work to be done on this. After doing so many large pieces last year I have been wanting go larger!

I also have a couple of pieces that I had started that got put aside as commissions and pressing commitments came in. One of them is Newfoundland pup that has been haunting me. I started the painting.. early last year (I think) and as I was organizing the studio it's cute little eyes (which I had almost finished painting) were peering at me over a stack of canvases. This one I will finish this week. I got a huge chunk completed last night.

The eyes are almost completed here. This painting will require a lot of glazing. This is my typical portrait style watercolor . I thoroughly enjoy doing these and I haven't done many of late because of my many acrylic painting commitments. I need to take my time at this point to lay done the initial washes of color. This will help to creath depth as the painting progresses and the values deepen. So does anyone recognize WHO this little Newf pup is?

Enjoying the process!

Deborah

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Deborah O'Sullivan
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Shih Tzu

Sammy was a Christmas commission, and I had such a good time with this one. I went to meet and photograph the little guy, and any day where I can cuddle a sweet bundle of fur is a great day for me. All the Shih Tzu dogs I have met have been charmers, and Sammy was no exception. Painting him was a joy. This is an 8 x 10 Coloured Pencil painting.

Heather Anderson www.heather-anderson-animals-in-art.com

Springer Spaniel

Calling this finished, Its not a commission, but more of a practice piece, I wanted to see what I could do with these very curly ears, the drawing size is approx 8x8 inches on mellotex paper,

Three Christmas pet portraits by Terry Albert

Wow, this is my first post of 2010. As I look back, I realize that between my two blogs, I have written 112 posts this past year. That says something about my love for pets and my love for writing about them.

Meanwhile, I continue with my artwork and pet sitting too. I finished several pet portraits just before Christmas. The first dog, Justin is a yellow Lab, one of my favorite subjects. It was fun to paint her picture as a puppy and now as a 12-year-old.

The second portrait is Max, a German Shepherd rescued from Coastal German Shepherd Rescue here in San Diego. He lives in his new home with Dena, a GSD I painted several months ago, who is also a rescue. They are two very lucky dogs, and I salute their owners, Jackie and Howard, for adopting from a rescue group!

Visit my blogs: Everything-Pets or Dear Labby, my blog for pet sitters. Contact Terry Albert about a portrait of your pet, or visit my website at http://www.terryalbert.com. Thank you!

© 2009 Terry Albert. All rights reserved.

Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Heinrich (in process)," 16" square, acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord commissioned pet portrait of a German Shepherd, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me.

I hope my first blog posting of the year finds all of you happily emerging from the activities of the past few weeks. The Santini family enjoyed a stellar holiday, including the exciting addition of a new baby boy - congratulations John & Elise!

This last week we (my husband and I) finished up the studio remodel that was started in June. I have shared some embarassing before photos (wow but this space was dysfunctional!!) and the shiney new sparkley after pics on my Facebook page. I am looking forward to the delight of working in a space specifically tailored to my needs - I don't expect to be more productive, but I do plan on enjoying myself even more so, if that's at all possible!

I also learned this morning that I was honored with a 2009 Making a Mark Award -the Moose Award - for the best depiction of an animal on a blog. Big thanks are due Katherine Tyrell for bestowing this tremendous honor on my artwork. For those of you who are unfamiliar with her blog, it's a great resource and starting point for all sorts of art and art business related topics.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.