August 31, "Screen Door Survailance"

This painting is hanging at Artistry at the Bloomington Art Center for another month, if you haven't had a chance to see it in person yet!  It is really big, and I had a struggle getting it to feel correct to me-  but dang!  it is SOOO satisfying to see it hanging up where I can step back and take a look at it!
If you haven't ever tried painting something big, I highly recommend it!

Tomorrow I start on a NEW project for Track29, the Paws and Portraits Exhibition, which will be a painting a day for the month of September of only animals that live in the Track29 building in Uptown, Mpls!  At the end of the month, all the paintings will be on exhibition at Track29, and there will be an official public OPENING PARTY on October 27th, to which you are invited, of course!
Follow along!

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3 feet by 3 feet, acrylic on cradled wood, contact me for purchase info!

August 28th, Reclining Moose on Red

We are running this moose up to an exhibition in Wyoming, MN, and then are heading over to St Croix Falls to the Chateau St Croix Winery for the closing reception of my Otters that are hanging there!  Come on over if you can!  There's a fun jug band playing at the Winery as well, and there will be wine tastings and cheeses for you!
From 1-4 today, Sunday!

August 27th, Sunset Seat

And here is the other painting of the gorgeous shiny lab mix-  doncha just love this?  I had to paint that face and those elegantly folded forelegs...  ah, so fun!
I really enjoyed painting this one!
And here is a link to my radio interview last Monday morning on KFAI with Xan Holstrom~  I was a bit anxious about sounding not too nervous or quavery, but I think I did okay!
Click here to hear it!

16x20 acrylic on canvas, sold

August 26, "Lab-Mix Profile- Roxie on Brown"

Wow we've been busy this week!  I'm just sending out a newsletter about upcoming events and wanted to let you know that I'll be posting much more regularly starting NEXT THURSDAY for September, because I'll be doing another "30 Pets in 30 Days" painting project, this time set in one particular population of pets who live at Track29 Apartments in Uptown, Minneapolis!  And there is still time to see the dogs at Artistry-  they'll be up through September 25th, and I've sold this one!
If you've been following me for a bit, you'll know how much I love to paint black dogs-  well, this one was just SO gorgeous, with those gleaming tones of blues and purples, and set against the warm neutrals of the couch I just couldn't resist~  so there are two versions of her.  I'll post the other one tomorrow!

16x20 acrylic on canvas, SOLD

August 22, The Pink Rug

I've painted Gus on this rug several times, and always love the results.  There's something about the negative space and the colors, and the shadows that appeals to me.  I love negative space and edges and there are a LOT of those here!
I've been at Track29 taking photos of residents' pets for my NEXT project, which is another "30 Paintings in 30 Days" in September, in which I will be painting a pet a day for the month with the final paintings on exhibition at Track 29 in October and November!  This is a seriously fun project, and I think it may be a bit more of a challenge than I may be up to, but we'll see what happens!  I have a lot of support and am pretty darn excited about the opportunity!
And yes, that is the sweetest dog's head ever~

18x18 acrylic on cradled wood, $650, click HERE to purchase!

And it will be available after September 25th, as it is currently hanging at Artistry!

August 21, "Noble Dog, Yellow Chair"

This painting is from a photo sent to me by a photographer I met earlier this year, and I loved that intelligence that is so visible in her eyes~  and that pose, and just everything about this one!  It is hanging at Artistry through September 25th, with the rest of my "Dog Days of Summer" show~  love it!

20x20 acrylic on canvas, $800 click here to purchase~

August 19, Jill's Butter Dish

Hi!
I forgot to mention that we'd be out of town for most of this week, and I sorta didn't quite realize I'd also be out of cellular and internet range!  That was a first for me, for several years... and I have to admit it stressed me out a bit, but it was also really nice to feel that there really wasn't anything I could do about it, and that I could just be~  kinda nice.   To sit, and not have to DO anything.  Of course, I DID bring my paints along, and I DID paint!
Here's one of my paintings-  my best friend Jill's butter dish, some sweet antique glass container that she found and rescued from a Wisconsin antique store~ it was a hoot playing with the glass/reflective/transparent/ what color IS that? questions!
Yay!
Oh and I'm having a Landscape Show at Diamond's in September!  If you are interested in submitting any work for this show, do please contact me!  I want landscape paintings and drawings and prints!  Whatever you've got!

6x6 acrylic on panel, belongs to JILL!

August 15, Gus on Green

Another quick little painting this morning~  love that look in his eyes!  I'm trying to get my life back on a schedule again, in preparation for getting up for school in the mornings, and this morning I was up before six to get over to KFAI for a lovely interview with Xan Holston on the Morning Blend!  He said he'll get a link for the interview to me, and I'll post it on this blog for you~  I was worried about stuttering or saying something silly but I think it went well and Max and Duane said they listened in on the show too and I did great!  Yay!

So this is Gus, when he was a bit younger without cloudy eyes~  love that face!

6x6 acrylic on panel, $75 click here to purchase!  Free Shipping on this one!

August 14, Powderhorn Retriever

Here is another little painting from the Powderhorn Art Festival!  A really sweet dog, with a brief attention span...  I have learned that cheese is accepted more readily by most dogs than Milk Bone biscuits...  and it does actually hold their attention!  I spent this morning at Track29 Apartments in Uptown, taking photos of the residents' dogs for an upcoming show in which I'll paint 30 paintings in September, of only pets living at (or associated with!) Track29!  So stay tuned for THAT show!

And in the meantime, I brought my mentor and friend, Elizabeth Erickson, to see my show at Artistry-  she always offers the most amazing insights when looking at work, and it was an education just to walk through my work with her.  There is an abstract quality in the larger works, and we discussed that.  I'll post more on that tomorrow...

6x6 acrylic on wood, $75 click here to purchase!

August 13, Another Basset!

The "30 Dogs in 30 Days" opening at Diamond's last night was terrific!!!  Thank you so much everyone who was able to make it, especially this little crew who were mostly wrangled in by Brad and Carolyn Moore, who seem to have turned into some of my greatest patrons!

And I loved the basset I painted in class so much, I had to paint another this morning, and I haven't done an auction in a while so this one is going for auction!  Yay!  Starting at $25!  Wahoo!

the crew holding their dog cards!

6x6 acrylic on panel, $25 click here to start the bidding fun!

August 12, "30 Dogs in 30 Days" Opening Party TONIGHT! 6-8pm!

YES!  it is TONIGHT at Diamond's, 1618 Central Ave NE, from 6-8pm in the back room!  I'll be there a tiny bit early to set up, and do please come to see all the dogs and enjoy the art and some wine and cheese!  You are welcome to bring your dog as well, though I do caution you that it can get warm in the back hall... I plan on bringing a fan or two!
And this is the Basset I painted on Wednesday!  Thanks so much, Barb, for sending me the photo!
Sheesh! I need a personal assistant for sure...

approximately 8x10, acrylic on canvas 

August 10, Pet Portrait Painting Class!

Hi there!  I had an EXCELLENT painting class at Wet Paint today, and these are what my students painted!  I painted a basset hound as a sample and TOTALLY forgot to take a picture of it before I gave it away, so maybe Katie will see this post and send me a photo...
We had such a great time, and everyone did SO well, and it was a reminder to me all over again about how difficult it is to do something that you don't know how to do, and how GOOD it feels to take a risk and try something new!
These are all acrylic on black gessoed canvas pad, using white transfer paper to get the initial image down, except for Lisa's black cat which was drawn using a grid configuration, and I have to also add that the youngest artist is just entering 6th grade, and she painted the final cat!  I wish I had photos of these after we erased the white lines as well, because they look even MORE awesome!

August 8, "At Attention"

I have to admit I loved painting "Cecil" SOOO much for the 30 Dogs project (July 20th), that I had to paint him again larger!  Those EARS just get me every time-  and those eyes too, I suppose I have to admit...
And YOU should come to Diamond's this Friday for the "30 Dogs in 30 Days" Opening Party!  I'll be there with treats for you, and cards of the dogs, and yes, you can certainly bring your dog if you like but I have to warn you that it can get warm in that back room where I'll be!
Wahoo!

16x20 acrylic on canvas, $640 plus shipping, click HERE to purchase!

though you'll have to wait til after Sept 25th, when "Dog Days of Summer" at Artistry comes down!

August 5, Grand Marais Grin

This is one of the last paintings I painted for the Artistry show, and this one was a bit tough!  I know I watched the last of the "Friends" series while painting it, and even watched "Adventures in Babysitting" for part of it-  that will give you an idea of how much longer this one took!

The opening at Artistry was fantastic last night!!! I can't thank everyone enough for showing up!  Wow!  Even the director was impressed that I had such a great following!  Thanks so much!
Humbling experience too, I must say.  And then today we set up my tent and panels for the Powderhorn Art Festival tomorrow and Sunday!  Dang-  I don't think I sent out a newsletter about that one...
Ack!
See you when I see you!  And thanks for everything!

24x36 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, $1725, click here to purchase~

August 3, Hanging "30 Dogs in 30 Days" at Diamond's!

Hey kids!  YES I will be hanging all the 30 dogs at Diamond's as soon as I'm done posting this!  Whew!
I took the dogs out for a walk this morning and it is already humongously humid out there-  be careful, my loves!  Today is a day for taking it a bit easy and resting up for the cooler weather ahead!
Oh and come see me tomorrow at Artistry with all THOSE dogs!   and then come see me at Powderhorn Park this Sat between 10 and 6 and Sun from 10 to 5!
this is Jasmine, the gorgeous poodle!  I painted a portrait of her in 2014 and held onto some photos from our session because I loved her look so much!  I am trying to track down her owner again to let her know!

12x16 acrylic on wood, $465 click here to purchase~

And this painting will be deliverable after September 25th!