Ghost~

Ghost is the dog who hangs out at Blue Tree Music School across the street from the Chatterbox in the Standish-Erickson South Minneapolis Neighborhood where I live, and I was asked to paint him, and so I did!
Though maybe it is in the Corcoran neighborhood, now that I think about it... I can't remember if it is 38th Street or 35th that is the dividing line...
This was a tricky pup to paint with all that white and freckles even!
And I did actually fo back in and straighten out his muzzle a bit, because it looks a little crooked to me in this...

8x8a acrylic on wood

Spoken for!

Another COmmission....

And this is another one!  I've been so fortunate at the outdoor festivals I've attended this summer to end up meeting amazing people and their pets, and then to be asked to paint these amazing pets!

Here's another one!

12x12 acrylic on wood

spoken for

A Commission...

Here's another one I've been working on for a bit here~  like the fluffy ness of this one~  He's a sweet older dog, with those soft ears and lowered eyes~

8x8 acrylic on wood

Spoken For!

August 27, An Otter in Progress

This is what's on my easel at the studio at the moment- I'm working on writing out the "Waterways and Otterways" story so Duane can start making the puppets so we can practice it before the opening on September 23~  and I'm also trying to finish up a few of my larger pieces that haven't been seen by human eyes... at least, outside the studio!
SO it is a work in progress...
Any thoughts?

big- like, 3 feet by 3 feet, I think...

but not finished yet...

Hmmmmmm....

August 26, Cash Again

And this is the third of the Cash series~  I knew I wanted to paint this one as soon as I saw it!  Seriously, could you say no to that face?  I love it!

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

August 25, Cash the Dog

Here's another view of the amazing Cash the Dog~

8x8 acrylic on panel

spoken for!

August 24, "Cash the Dog"

I met Cash in Grand Marais at the Art Festival last July, and fell in love with his gentle and large personality.  I was therefore saddened and yet honored when his owners contacted me later to ask for a series of commissions of him, as he had passed away over the end of the summer.  SO amazing~  so this is the first one, and a couple pics I took of him.
Love these spirits that live with us for such a short while!

younger Cash the Dog

August 22, Abstract Birch

I really enjoy the strokes on this one- there's a freedom in painting the spaces around things- it was painted plein air as well, though I wasn't being a stickler for detail, which I think is a bit obvious!
I am enjoying the cooler Minnesota weather as well!  We actually had our new gas fireplace on for an hour this morning, which is just SUCH a delight!  I put a gas fireplace into my old house and loved the warmth and coziness of that glow, and I am looking forward to enjoying this one this fall and winter!  Hmm, possibly there will be paintings of that, I imagine.
Oh and I'll be taking the 30 Dogs down at the end of next week, and installing a selection of Sketchbooks from Duane!  Stay tuned!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$55

not all are priced this low! 

Click to grab this one! Wahoo!

August 21, "Cobblestone Beach"

This is a tiny Plein Air painting I did this summer when we were in Grand Marais at the municipal campground~  I think the boys slept in and I wandered down to the beach with the dogs and attempted some plein air-ish stuff... this is the only one I will show you because the others were gessoed over~
I kinda like the variety of green I was able to pull out, and that rather frenetic sky~  and the pink beach really is that pink!  Crazy, right?

6x6 acrylic on panel

$55

click here if you'd like this one!

I'm making it cheaper because I'd like to move it out of the studio!

August 20, Cooper, A Commission!

here's a commission~  been a bit busy!  Fun news about the otter story!  I'll catch you up on it later!

8x10 acrylic on panel

sold!

August 18, "Otter Vibe"

Hi!  Here's another otter for you!
Had a bit of excitement at our house last night~ we were waiting for my sweet youngest sis to come stay overnight, watching some "Big Bang Theory" and suddenly there were flashing lights going past our window and Duane went to investigate and there were three firetrucks at the end of our block and the house at the end was pouring terrible smelling smoke into the street!  In a relatively short amount of time, twenty minutes maybe, we had to back up from the smoke and it was difficult to see.  The fireman were very active, breaking windows, opening the fire hydrant, and it looks like no-one was home. It still smelled terrible this morning-  I was really glad we had the air on in our house~
Whew!
And yes, here is another otter! This one will possibly be at my LOLA Open Studio Sale on September  15-16 at the Ivy. I'm pretty pleased with it... It was fun getting the light to feel true, and that his eyes are closed in a kind of ecstasy is also SO great! Dang, gotta love those otters!

8x16 acrylic on cradled panel

$255

click here for this luscious loafer! Ha!

August 17, An Otter, as Promised...

Here is a lovely one- this is one of the fellas that was entertaining me so delightedly last Sunday!
And I had to repaint bits of him- there's that issue of contrast and true color, and how do you represent that in paint? And how do you suggest movement when it is a still image?  Hmmm...
Well, I must say, I am pretty happy with this one!  I really love that intense focussed look on his face too~
Aint this FUN?!

"A Good Dive"

10x20 Acrylic on wood

$400

click here to nab this one! 

Or, if you really love it and can't afford it right this minute, you can always send me a note and we can talk about a no-interest payment plan!

Wahoo!

Aug 16, Quartered Rushes

Man!  I meant to post yesterday, but go too involved in having fun!  It's the last week before workshops, and I had a lovely private lesson with a beautiful client, and then painted more otters at home, and then we watched "Song of the Sea" up on our roof last night with our local boys~  LOVED it!  If you haven't seen it, you should!  It is a beautiful animation, made in Ireland mostly, about the Selkies!
Which now Max says he wants to be... kinda like otters, huh?  Hmmm~
And this is another marsh painting- I'll post an otter later!

8x10 acrylic on wood

$155

click here for this view!

Aug 14, "Vertical Rush"

Yes, I voted this morning, and I have my hopes for the world and what the results of the primaries will be- but dang!  a part of me just hates the suspense, and the extension of this suspense to November, and so on... ack. But I suppose that's just part of life too!  you never know what's going to happen next...
Like this painting- it's related to my other Marsh series because it's the same place but a different time of day- I do like the diagonals at the bottom, but I may go into some of the blue in the middle yet- it feels too regular somehow...
I'm trying to get a lot of painting in this week! My last one of break!  Wahoo!

6x12 acrylic on cradled panel

$144

click here to snag this tangle!

August 13, "Otterly Moves"

I took the boys to the Minnesota Zoo yesterday in the afternoon, and it was hot but really great!  The otters were totally putting on a show and the light in their tank was AMAZING!!!!  YAY!  I had a great time, let the boys totally get ahead of me while I grinned and took a ton of photos of those sweet, silly, elegant, twisting weasel cousins!  More paintings coming!

8x6 acrylic on board

$96

click HERE to nab this action!

August 12, Plein Air Attempts!

Wow-  sorry folks!  Been a bit busy lately-  it is amazing how easy it is to fall OUT of a good habit!  I mean, I've been painting every day but somehow the POSTING hasn't been happening!
This is a painting I did a few weeks ago with my darling friends Robin and Michelle over at Minnehaha Falls~  the water is such a joyful challenge~  it really does look brown... but I prefer purple!

8x10 acrylic on wood

August 6, Whew!

Dang!  We had an awesome weekend at Powderhorn Park Art Festival again!  And I won an Invitational Artist Award For Painting this year!  Wahoo!
Seriously, it was a fantastic event, and there were so many fabulous DOGS and people, and despite the rain on Saturday, and the heat and humidity on Sunday, I had a record-breaking event!  Wahoo!
Thank you everyone who came out!
I'll be taking a brief vacation away from the internet for the next few days~ so stay in touch and we'll catch you this weekend!
Thank you!

August 3, Pics from Last Night!

The opening was so fun last night!  Thank you everyone who was able to make it to Diamond's! It was an unusually cool evening, and a number of dogs came too~ Chica Bella and her owners, Rita and Patrick, came and told great stories, and Dottie Dog and her big extended family all came too, and so did Webster and HIS family!  It is an honor to be allowed to celebrate all this love, I can tell you!

Dottie came and I got to see her ears in action!

Webster is even MORE endearing in person!

Chica without her helmet~ but just as sweet!

The show is up through August, so pop on by!

Yay!

August 2, A Commission!

Whew!  I spent yesterday finishing up all the dogs, wiring them, framing a few, creating the label list, and then hopping over to Diamond's to hang them all up!  It's always so fun to hang show there- the clientele are so kind and eager to see the new artwork- they'll move out of their seats so I can get to the wall, and even help hang things up for me!  Such a great space!
And I'll be there tonight for the Opening Celebration from 6-8pm!  I'll be in the back space with some wine and nibbles and would LOVE to see you!  I also just finished the BOOK for this year's dogs-  I'm actually working on the CAT one from March- so sorry about not getting that one in! You can order a copy of the book for yourself here~

This is Lindy, who was commissioned at the Grand Marais Art Fair a couple weeks ago, and I've just finished her!  Isn't she great?  She's got a kinda crooked smile~

8x8 acrylic on panel

SOLD