BOAT AFLOAT

5x8 oil on canvas panel
Let me first say I found this DSFDF subject to be particularly difficult. I am not much of a water person, I don't mind looking at water, but actually being submerged in water or in a boat is not one of my favorite things. I almost scrapped this one, but remembered Karin's words about not painting this as 2 separate subjects (water and boat/boater), but instead to see this as a whole. 

I don't paint many figure paintings and I found this to be very difficult, as well. Many of you paint beautiful paintings of figures and in such small formats...I now have a different level of appreciation for those of you who do small format figure paintings, it is absolutely incredible the way you make each stroke count. So many lessons learned, but I don't think I want to take a ride in a boat any time soon!

JESSIE, FLYBALL CHAMP

8x16 oil on canvas, sold
I normally do not do this, but I am posting this commissioned portrait before my client has seen it for herself (hope she does not mind). I painted Jessie this afternoon and am very happy with this portrait, she has the most beautiful fur and very bright watchful eyes. I apologize for the glare on the picture, I'll have to reshoot it after it has dried. 

Not too long ago this same client sent me pictures of her dog wearing a Santa hat, she did not want a painting of her dog wearing the hat, but I loved the shot and she gave me permission to paint it for my portfolio...long story short, she loved it and bought it anyway.

Last week she sent me more pictures of Jessie and requested a painting of Jessie with her all time favorite toy, a frisbee. Lee was so kind as to allow me to select the canvas size and gave me free reign to change the color of the frisbee, it seems Jessie has frisbees of all colors. Well, I didn't change the frisbee color because I loved the pop of lime green, what I did change was the dead grass in the background. If you look closely you can see Jessie's tongue and fur from her ear through the frisbee, that was my most difficult part of the painting and as scared as I was to attempt the translucent feel of the frisbee, it was actually very easy. I hope it comes across as translucent...it does to me. 

I've also posted a photo of Jessie from one of her most recent competitions, doing what she loves best! Somewhere below in an earlier post, is the post of Jessie wearing her Santa hat. Just recently Jessie placed first in her division and will be attending the Skyhoundz World Canine Disc Championship...way to go Jessie!

OLD EYEBROWS

16x20 oil on canvas, sold
This is Old Eyebrows, a Texan longhorn with not only a beautiful set of horns, but an unusual face, as well. This was a commissioned portrait for a Father's Day present. From his livestock, Old Eyebrows is his favorite, more than likely because of his pronounced and distinguished eyebrows! 

MOCHA

12x24 oil on canvas
This is the portrait I've decided to submit in a pet portrait exhibition. Mocha's portrait came about from another client who makes the most amazing jewelry for pets, so beautiful and "un-pet-like"that I want to wear the jewelry myself! Stacy was kind enough to loan me a variety of pieces and when I saw the turquoise, I knew it was meant for Mocha. Mocha, a Great Dane, was lovingly rescued by the Bissell family and has the sweetest disposition...she's just a great big lap dog! Elise Bissell is an incredible photographer and a full-time rescue/foster parent. Note to Sheila:  I will be working on a portrait donation for Elise's Take Me Home Pet Rescue and will be submitting it to you for your new website, look for it later this summer. Thank you all for looking and visiting my blog; I appreciate it very much.

The Pathetic Blogger Award

Thank you for visiting and commenting and for those of you who have e-mailed me recently, I will be returning those e-mails shortly. Although I have never heard of a "Pathetic Blogger" award, I thought I would go ahead and award myself the P. B. award. In the last couple of weeks I have not had time to visit blogs and comment, much less post anything on my own blog. Instead, I have managed to wrap up the end of the school year with a beautiful art show of my student's artwork, deal with the dorm room explosion (miles and piles of dirty laundry) that returned to my home, celebrate my 50th birthday last week with a dinner party for about 40 people, teach a 4-day workshop on Henri Matisse to little ones, come down with, what we in Texas refer to as, the crud, and work on a couple of paintings for a pet portrait contest...and to think, I'm supposed to be on summer vacation! Hopefully I can catch up with my blogging and posting and maybe participate in a DSFDF painting challenge one day soon. Take care.