Charlie, a Commission...

Some faces are simply made to love.
I'm heading up to Grand Marais this afternoon, for my Artist Talk and Demo at Sivertson Gallery tomorrow afternoon!  It is also Art Around The Lake so there are a lot of artists' studios open and I'm hoping to hit a few of them!  I'll be painting an otter tomorrow at Sivertsons- come on by and watch me if you are around!  I do also want to attempt an otter a day for October again- if you have any good otter photos or know anyone else who has any, and you don't mind my painting them, send them my way!

Thanks SO much for following me!  Oh, and Painting Lessons start two weeks from tomorrow!  Sign up and learn something new! Click here for more info! Or send me an e-mail!

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold

September 22, Otter Eyes

Seems to be more like summer today in Minnesota- humid and hot and sticky, when being an otter would be a lovely thing today!  Maybe we need to go swimming when I get home...
And here's a face for you~ I think it may be more of an Otterly October~  and then perhaps a "Home-vember"-  how's that sound?

8x8 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

$145 plus shipping

click HERE to snag this one!

From Last Saturday...

I teach at an Episcopalian school, and last weekend we had a Blessing of the Animals Ceremony outside just before Homecoming, which was a great way to make sure we had a crowd!  My fellow art teacher and artist, Carol, joined me in sketching people's pets as they were either going to be sanctified or returning from their holy encounter and these are a few of the beasties I got to paint!  We did both live and stuffed animals and apparently there was also a llama on the grounds but I don't think either of us got the chance to paint him!

Rocky~

This is a commission I've been working on, along with a few others in the past few weeks.  I am surprised at how much I enjoy painting fluffly white dogs now, when my past favorites were sleek black shiny dogs... I've also been much crazier busy than I'd expected, and I think this probably happens every fall but I just keep forgetting...  I have to admit I am really unhappy with my "30 Dogs in 30 Days" 2017 books and I'll be working on creating another version of them, and that I am considering doing some kind of "30 Houses in my Neighborhood in 30 Days" project for this fall as a way to get me back on my daily painting track because I've wavered badly off.  I mean, I'm painting every day, mostly commissions, and I'd like to paint some of my fun stuff too!  We'll see what happens- maybe the houses don't have to be in my neighborhood, maybe I'll decide I really should try horses for a month...
And I do have a painting class this Saturday, if you've been wanting a One-Day Experience!  Sign up HERE~  and I do also have openings in the Six Week Painting Lessons Workshop this October and November- You can also go HERE to sign up for THAT!  I am so grateful that teaching is as fun as it is!

Oh and I'm also giving a short art talk at 801 Gallery this Sunday at 2pm along with my other Art Car Artists friends!  Come on by!

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold

September 8, Lilac Moose

What's really nice about these tiny paintings is that I can do them fairly quickly and it still feels really good because I'm PAINTING.  I do want some bigger chunks of time soon for a bit more painting time...
This is a little moose, and the background was furzy and blurred and vegetation-ish so I went for purples and yellows~  I like it!  love those antlers too!

And I've got my Fall classes posted HERE if you are interested in joining me in my studio!  Actually, tonight I've got my First Friday Painting Party if you'd like to join me!  I'll be there from 6:30-9, painting away, and you are invited to pop on in and paint too if you'd like!  Bring your own stuff or I can set you up for a couple bucks or a donation. Though I will be painting too, so I won't be teaching!

Oh and tomorrow, Sat Sept 9 I'll be at the Art At Rice Creek Fest just North of Downtown Minneapolis on the East River Road!  Come see me! 10-4 and you can pick up this moose in person!

4.5x4.5 acrylic on wood, $45 click HERE to hang this somewhere eye-catching!

SeptemBEAR

Yup.  I think that's a pretty clever title, myself~ I love the sculptural quality of these faces!  So yummy to paint...
I had a pretty busy weekend with several one-on-one private lessons~  It really is a great thing to be able to meet and work with someone towards their own goals.  Not something I ever thought about doing before but it is certainly fulfilling!
And I'll be at Banfille-locke this Saturday from 10 to 4, with a number of these little paintings and other stuff for sale!  Come on out!  Buy this one now, or come snag it on Saturday!

4.5x4.5 acrylic on wood, $45

click HERE to nab this guy!

September 2, A Commission

This is Miette, a bit of a work-over of a previous commission that needed a bit of work. I'd painted the original in 2011, and I appreciate the chance to play with something again.  And it was a real challenge for me because I could see that I hadn't had the proportions right initially, and I played with that for a bit and ended up doing a lot of gessoing out and starting over.  Funny how that seems to be the best way to go.  Though it was a bit nerve wracking at one point when I felt I'd gone too far to go back, and realized that maybe I should've done the redo on another panel and NOT on the original painting, just in case...  but I had thought it would just be a bit of a touch up here and there.  You never know!
I cant find the original, darn it....

12x12 acrylic on panel