That's the life!

My client wanted her dog painted in his unique sleeping style and sent me some images to work from.
The first ones were not very detailed to say the least.  She confessed to being the world's worst photographer and got no argument from me!  Her son came up with some clearer shots and the  painting was completed and delivered today to a happy client.  It was fun to paint such an unusual pose, although it looks oddly comfortable to me.
5x7 watercolor

Hair is hard

Here's what's on my easel and on my unused Nordictrack this week.  You can get a glimpse of my ultra organized studio and the barn out back.  It's a beautiful spot to work in.  Virtually finished with these two paintings.  I may go back in and mess up the mane a little more, and yellow up the lighter one.  I tried to keep loose, and almost succeeded.  They do look good from far away :-)

They are titled "Scenes from a Marriage 2 & 3."

Got some work done this week- I did change the color of the sky on the back scratchers and I like it better.  Trying to stay loose on the other one, the test will come when I put in the manes.  I am liking working on two similar pieces, they look good together, plus they both use the same color palette.

What's on my easel

Here are two paintings just waiting to be finished.  The two heads has more to go but I am going to try to go lightly and painterly and try to keep it looser.  I may go back into the back scratcher one and try to loosen up some of the details there.  I love the sky so much in the first one that I think I am going to change  the second sky to the more gray tone.  Seems more interesting.

So in a few days when I stay home long enough to do some painting we'll see how things shape up.

I have been painting lately...

and I have two new ones almost ready to show.  One I thought was done but I am rethinking it after some of the work I have done on the second one.  So I will keep you waiting for a little while.  In the meantime, here is a horsey photo to tide you over; it is of my horse Merlin and our friend Kaz.

Sidelines article

I was excited tonight to open my October 2009 Sidelines magazine and see a lovely full page featuring my artwork. The pieces reproduced beautifully! I couldn't be happier-well maybe a teeny bit happier if my name had been spelled correctly on the sidebar- but it's spelled correctly in my contact information and that is the important part. I look forward to seeing what comes of such great exposure in a national magazine aimed at the world of horse shows, show jumping, eventing, fox hunting and polo.

Carly and Merlin

I have two oil paintings waiting in the wings to be started/completed but couldn't resist doing another watercolor, a little bigger than usual, about 8x10. This one is of my daughter Carly and our horse, Merlin based on a photo taken while she was home last summer. She just completed 2 years of service in the Peace Corps and as of 2 days ago is home for good, or at least until she decides what to do with the rest of her life! I think I will keep the original, but prints are always available if you are interested.