Hmmmm, I haven't quite had time to set up some Otter Photos for my planned "Otter-Tober"... perhaps I'll make it a 10 day challenge and start on the 5th to the 15th, at least for now... so many other things on my list right now!
Did you vote yet? If you're in Mn you can! I'm going soon!
And these are the last paintings I did last Saturday! I forgot to take photos of several others...
I seem to be managing one painting posted every other day... and I do remember that a this was an absolutely gorgeous dog! She was elegant and composed and classy~ wow!
I'm not sure what is filling my time, aside from work and painting and all that necessary stuff that has to happen, and I think there's an element of procrastination too- not sure why...
I am intending to do an Otter-Tober, though I did come across some Octopus photos that I'd like to get back into, so there may be a partial Octo-tober-pus kinda vibe as well~
We'll see!
I do have a lovely group gathered for Paint Love starting this Saturday morning, and I have space for one or two more if you are so inclined!
Wahooo!
I started doing these quick paintings for Wet Paint at Paws on Grand over a decade ago. I'd sit along the side of the store with 5 or 6 other local artists and the lines would form and we'd paint or draw for up to 3 hours! It was INSANE! And great for learning better how to draw and paint quickly. Put the pressure of people lining up for your work and see how fast you get better!
Really, it was so good for me. And I met some awesome people, and I love Wet Paint too! Roz Stendahl painted there too, and might still, and Tracie Thompson, who left this world in November of 2020. Tracie was the one who suggested I take photos of the beasties and paint from those, rather than try to draw each one from life because they just don't sit still. She also lent me some watercolors and brushes my first time, because I'm somehow better with shapes AND lines...
More fun ones from this Saturday!
This is Weenie, and the one I posted the other day was Winnie! I loved her ears so much...
It's been our Homecoming week at my school, and today we had the Blessing of the Animals where we sit and paint and draw the critters after they've been blessed, for an hour or so. My new colleague and lower school art teacher Lara joined me today, and we had a lovely pile of kids showing up with beautiful dogs and cats and hamsters and parakeets and stuffies! I'll post one a day for a few days here, and then in October I am going to paint an otter a day for as long as I can!
I don't think I posted this one yet- I often forget with commissions, because I need to wait long enough for the gift to be given so I don't blow it, not that I think this blog is that widely viewed... but you never know, and I'd hate to spoil a surprise.
I know this one has already been given, and I just wanted to make sure I'm posting more images! I'll probably do another "Otter-tober" and a "Home-Vember" because I need to have a source of daily painting to draw on. I'm working on a few paintings of my son and his friends, but those aren't ready to be seen yet... and might not ever be.
People are so tricky!
So I had actually painted this one during the summer, and didn't mind him/her hanging on our wall for a while, so I only recently contacted my friend Shelly Thrall to let her know I had completed it. And we're gonna do a trade because Shelly makes beautiful jewelry!
I have to admit there are some photos I just have to paint. Especially of dogs- there's a couple I've come across on friend's feeds on social media lately, and I want to paint their pups so bad. I'm thinking I need to add onto my series from 2010 that I titled "My AutobiDOGraphy"... I actually copywrighted (copywrote?) that title so I own it because I think it is really clever. And I'm thinking I need to get that book together and publish it too. Originally, the idea was that I did paintings of dogs from my past, and I included the stories of how much they meant to me and when in my life I loved them. Because I would not be the person I am today without all the dogs who loved me.
I imagine you know what I mean.
More on this later...
We had a long lovely weekend! Thanks everyone who came to Diamonds yesterday for the "30 Dogs" Celebration! Such a great group of people. I pretty much always enjoy hanging out with people, and it's just SO nice to be able to be with people again!
This is another painting from my Mishawaka horse series- it's the light that I love so much- those long shadows~ and those long legs!
It's been a busy start to the school year and I actually was able to take this past weekend mostly off. I do want to make sure and invite you to the "30 Dogs in 30 Days" Celebration this coming Sunday, September 11 from 2-4 at Diamonds'! I'll have the NEW BOOKS with me and also the postcards of all the dogs! And I'll also have some snacks and maybe a little wine....
This is a pup from earlier this year!
Her name is Kitty~
