july 2, Toby for Wendy!

Here is today's dog, a charmer for sure!  From what his owner says, Toby leads one of those lucky dog lives where he's allowed along to her workplace~

"Toby is a 7 year old Boston Terrier. During the school year, he is lucky enough to spend a couple of days a week in the office of Meadowbrook Elementary in Golden Valley. He has a special talent of covering himself up in his bed when he's chilly. He is a friend to all; people, dogs cats - he's not particular. He never passes up a ride in the car, a game of frisbee or a tennis ball. His favorite toy of the moment is "pig", whose nose he has sucked on so long it's starting to rot. When pig is finished, he'll choose another "baby" and start again. He's done this since the day I brought him home at 7 weeks old. He is, of course, a one-of-a-kind and we are lucky to have him in our lives!"

Of course, I love the ears...

And here are a couple photos of the Private Art 2: Key North Opening of Thurdsay eve~  thank you so much those few brave souls who ventured out in that life-sucking heat!  I'll be back again on Thursday the 14th of July to do an "Artist's Talk" so if you'd like to try and come again, I would appreciate it!  I don't often get the opportunity to see the big dog paintings in an exhibition space~  and you really do need to see them live!

"Backseat Opinions" and my favorite~

"Woeful In The Kitchen" with mom & dad in the background...

Susan, Trish & Jan

July 1, 2011~ MO! For Kelli~ & the LIST

This is Mo, my sister Kelli's dog in Columbia~
This is the first dog in the series of 30!

And I have the revised Official List at the end of this story, and also on my website for the 30 Dogs Project here!



And this is Kelli's story of how Mo found her, and took her in with those big brown eyes!

"It was May 2010, my first day back in Bogota after being out of the country for a month. Because it was dark and rainy, I decided to walk a different route home from work. On my way, I saw a cute little dog running down the street. I noticed she was not with any humans, but that she had a collar. So I figured I would check for the address and bring her home. She was shy, but came up to me and let me pet her. So I went under a light to look at the tag on the collar and there was no identifying info, except a number for a rabies shot five years earlier and "Motas" written on the back of the tag. (I later learned that the collar and tag, and name, probably weren't hers. But I digress.) I wasn't sure what to do, so I started to walk slowly toward home (hoping she might lead me to a house that was obviously hers), but she followed me the whole way. On my front steps, she stopped, sat down (wet, cold and shivering) and looked at me with her enormous, sweet doggie eyes. I had no choice. I let her come in, figuring we would find her owners the next day. Umm, yes, that did not work out. I searched for weeks, but never found an owner. So, somehow she ended up adopting me (yes, that is how it was; NOT the other way around) and I had a Colombian street dog for a roommate. She was the sweetest, most loving, funny, energetic dog ever. (And maybe one of the sheddiest, too, if that's a word.) Just last month, I had to give her up because I was moving to the Middle East. Fortunately, a sweet Colombian co-worker of mine, who has two dog-loving children, hubby and live-in nanny, offered to adopt her. Handing her over was incredibly difficult, but I know she is having a blast with her new family and I hope to see her on my next visit back to Bogota. Little "Mo" (who was dubbed "Moses," "Mojito," "Mo Mo," "Mosley," "Mona," and many other such monikers by my friends) will always be one of the best dogs and proves that you don't need a pedigree to be a big ball of love.  "

July 1- "Mo"  Kelli C~ (mixed breed)
July 2- "Toby"  Wendy (Boston Terrier)
July 3- "Jeremy"  Lisa A(mixed breed) 
July 4-  "Cooper"  Mary (Corgi)  
July 5- "Addie"   Jane  (Black Lab)
July 6-  "Atticus"  Lauren  (Golden Schnoodle...)
July 7- "Henry"  Abbie (mixed breed)
July 8-  "Clover"  Christine (mixed breed)
July 9-  "Hudson" Liana ( Basset Hound)
July 10- "Ike"  Julie  (Vizsla)
July 11- "Arwyn" Sandy (Chiuaua)
July 12- "Blueberry" (Havanese) "Gizmo"  (Papillon) Michelle
July 13- “Gucci” Megan (Shih Tzu)
July 14- "Stella"  Kari  (mixed breed)
July 15- "Bitsy & Otis"  Krista (Rottweiler & Boston Terrier)
July 16- "Bassa" & "Buster"    Mark (Scottie)
July 17- “Coco” Bethany (poodle)
July 18-  “Spencer/Luna”  Shawna (standard poodle)
July 19- "Afton" MaryJane  (mixed breed)
July 20- "Champ" Rosemary (Chow-mix)
July 21- "Woodstock"  Karen (Basset) 
July 22- "Peeps" & “Scout”  Helen  (mixed breed)
July 23- "Basil" Lea (Lhasa Apso)
July 24- "Sully" Grace & Russ (Hound)
July 25- "Eddie"  Carla (Daschund/Beagle)
July 26- "Moxie" Rob (Burmese Mountain Dog)
July 27- “Cody” John Gettler (chiuaua/daschund mix)
July 28-  "Goldy" and "Sota"  Jill (Golden Doodles)
July 29- "Ditto" Tabitha  (Schnauzer)
July 30- “Smokey”  Kelly
July 31- "Zodi" Julie  (Husky)

June 29, Wed!

Wow!  I am featured on Dog Art Today, a great blog about Dogs and Art, TODAY!!!  And I am the DAY today!  Yay!
I am needing to do a little reconfiguring on the previous list, which is WHY I am reminding myself I shouldn't PUBLISH it before I have it all figured out~  because I don't want to be hurting any canine feelings here~ or human either, for that matter...  if you didn't get on the list, don't worry, I will still be capable of painting in August!

Just for a switch, and I really don't think the owners mind, I am giving you a house tonight...

30 DOGS in 30 DAYS! Beginning FRIDAY!!!

Alrighty folks!  See below for the OFFICIAL LIST (and let me know if I screwed up on anything!) Things are filling up FAST!  I am nearly full at this point but could probably do a little shuffling if needed~

Here is the dealio~  this FRIDAY JULY 1 I will paint and post my FIRST DOG of the month!  This one is MO, my sister's dog that she had to leave behind in Columbia when she recently relocated to Lebanon~  yes, that's a whole 'nother story...  I will continue to post and paint ONE DOG A DAY (and possibly 2!) for the entire month of July, INCLUDING when we are up in Grand Marais, and when we are wandering around doing other things in town like Art Car Parades (July 23!) AND  Red Hot Art (July 29-30), etc.....~

THEN all the dogs will be on exhibition at Diamond's Coffee Shoppe (1618 Central Ave NE) throughout the month of August, with an OPENING on FRIDAY August 19th from 6-8pm!  We are working out when dogs may be invited too~

And above is "Bingo On The Sidewalk", and below is "Luna Posing"~

thanks for all your support!

July 1- "Mo"  Kelli C~ (mixed breed) 

July 2- "Rupert"  Mel (Papillon)

July 3- "Jeremy"  Lisa (mixed breed)  

July 4- "Toby"  Wendy (Boston Terrier)  

July 5- "Addie"   Jane  (Black Lab)

July 6-  "Atticus"  Lauren  (Golden Schnoodle...)

July 7- "Smokey"  Kelly G  (mixed breed)

July 8-  "Clover"  Christine (mixed breed) 

July 9- "Ike"  Julie  (Vizsla) 

July 10- "Hudson" Liana ( Basset Hound) 

July 11- "Arwyn" Sandy (Chiuaua)

July 12- "Blueberry" Michelle (Havanese) 

July 13- "Gizmo"  Michelle  (Papillon) 

July 14- "Stella"  Kari  (mixed breed)

July 15- "Bitsy & Otis"  Krista (Rottweiler & Boston Terrier) 

July 16- "Bassa"  Mark (Scottie) 

July 17- "Buster"  Mark (Scottie) 

July 18- "Cooper"  Mary (Corgi)  

July 19- "Afton" MaryJane  (mixed breed) 

July 20- "Champ" Rosemary (Chow-mix)

July 21- "Woodstock"  Karen (Basset)  

July 22- "Peeps"  Helen  (mixed breed) 

July 23- "Basil" Lea (Lhasa Apso) 

July 24- "Buddy" Lissa (mixed breed)

July 25- "Eddie"  Carla (Daschund/Beagle)

July 26- "Moxie" Rob (Burmese Mountain Dog)

July 27- “Cody” John Gettler (chiuaua/daschund mix) 

July 28-  "Henry"  Abbie (mixed breed)

July 29- "Ditto" Tabitha  (Schnauzer)

July 30-

July 31- possibly a cat...  just for contrast...

June 21, Tuesday!

YES!  It is time to sign up your dog for the 2nd Annual "30 Dogs in 30 Days" Project!  I have just a few slots left, so if you are interested in having your favorite canine (present or past!) immortalized forever by the stylistic and brilliant hand of Kat, E-MAIL ME TODAY!!!!

And for your perusal, a few dogs...

And to contact me, please send an e-mail to katjojo@hotmail.com or you can call me at 612-720-6675~!

June 12, Sunday Eve~

Yup, I am gearing up to send out requests for participants for this years "30 Dogs in 30 Days" Project for this July!  That will come out TOMORROW i hope....

Here's a couple of the paintings I did at Valleyfair last tuesday, sweating and crabby, under an umbrella by the carousel being the moma hen for all my happy damp flirtatious middle school kids~  what a riot!  You know how you stress about doing something before it happens and you get all outa whack and snappish?  And then you actually go through with the event, and it really isn't that bad at all~  my fellow teachers were wonderful and sweet and cute, and the kids themselves were great, all showed up at our check-in times, and the busses were there on time, and we didn't experience too terrible traffic heading back to St Paul, and most of the parents were there right away!
Whew!

June 5, MONDAY!

Good morning~  I don't like humidity and am gearing up to try and combat my soon-expected crabbiness...  I am also too aware that tomorrow is going to be even HOTTER and guess where I am going to be?  I think this is a punishment meted out by my Great-Grand-Uncle Mnsgr Corrigan for leaving St. Mark's after so long-  I will be at VALLEYFAIR with the sixth and seventh graders ALL DAY TUESDAY.  
Ack.
I am planning on bringing my paints and some small panels so I can at least feel like I've done something... but wow~  that is NOT going to be comfortable....
And the show is now up at Private Art 2: Key North over by the Red Stag Supper Club and I Like You on 1st Ave~  The opening will be June 30th!  Wahoo!

And this is a recent commission~  Luna, a lovely big-eyed girl~

June 1, Wednesday 2011

 So these are a couple of commissions I've been working on~  just felt I've been a little negligent of what I like to think of as my secret little support group~  and I really wanted to post something!  I mean, I had a great time up in Grand Marais and got a PILE of stuff done, and then I've been busy as heck since then, with some GREAT news (for me!)~  I will be teaching art at Breck School next year!  I am SUPER-excited to be going somewhere new after such a wonderful long run here at St Mark's~  it is really nostalgic at this point to be cleaning up my classroom and getting rid of stuff~  I am one of the teachers who has been here the longest at this poin.  And I really love the kids-  man~
But I really am excited about new doors opening and new opportunities making themselves known...

So

I am also excited about my upcoming show at Private Art 2: Key North- The show will be hung this weekend and the opening is on June 30th, so you have lots of time to get over there!  It is ALL DOGS!  And it will feature my most recent 5 big paintings, 30x40!
SO much happening!
I have to get back to these commissions and get them FINISHED!!!!

thanks for following!

Wed May 25th~

It is kinda amazing how as you move through life and gain confidence in yourself and your self worth, the world responds and respects you right back.  I have a new job for next year, and I am really excited about it!  I've been in my current position for a very long time, and a change has been due~

A few more dogs...

Monday May23

Haw!  Followed this girl along the beach to ask for a pic with Max toddling (well, strutting really) along and then realize I DON"T have my camera but mom does and she pulls up and cognizes the situation and lures Max off while handing me the snapbox and I get off a good click or two and this is the result-  quite shy really, gorgeous dog~  lovely frontal gaze with that cautious low-lying tail~

Sunday May 22

Whew!  Back home around 7:30pm which is an hour and a half late for Max's bedtime so we've had a bit of a personal tornado around here.... and wow!  What incredible cloud formations on the drive home!  Of course, I was terrified and naggin at  poor Duane who was functioning on as much sleep as I plus had been wrangling a toddler all weekend...  I have got to WORK on my fear and figure out how to just breath calmly-  I get so focused on disaster and so worried about everything!  I mean, I KNOW there's no use in worrying until there's something to actual deal with~
Anyway I hadn't meant to get all worked up here about that-

Sally at the Market

We went up to Grand Marais to work and my mom and I worked our little tails off!  I accomplished what I'd set out to do, which was to paint 5 30x40 canvases with dog portraits, and I DID!  And I only did one of MY dog, Gus!  All the other dogs were ones I came across while in Grand Marais-  one of my favs I'll post tomorrow, Luna, the dog owned by Amy the artistic director at the Art Colony!

Woeful in the Kitchen Wednesday

SO these are my GUS, leaning in the kitchen on wed afternoon, knowing that something was up because we were all packing the car and Bingo was already at mom and dad's house.  The Irish Setter was at the Farmer's Marlet in Grand Marais yesterday-  three and a half years old and already retired from a show-dog career-  very contained which seemed odd for a setter.  Thus I loved the pose with the tense eyes and her teeth showing.....

May 4th!

As my friend Amy said to me today, "Happy Star Wars Day!  May the 4th be with you!"  Ha ha ha haaaa!

"Please?"

River Road, April Snow

38th Street, April Snow

I had a busy weekend, with a WONDERFUL opening at Diamond's Friday eve, thank you everyone who made it!  And a Craftastic Saturday where I painted three new paintings and sold some cards~  here are the new pieces, which are now actually hanging at Pizza Biga at the Turtle Bread on 48th and Chicago!  Duane and Max and I went there last night for delicious pizza, and as Max was flipping out and we needed to leave, two women came in and started going on about the new art!  I couldn't help saying, "Hi, I am the artist" since I was right there and they were going on and on, and then they continued to tell me how much they love my work!  Yay!  Thankfully, Duane took Max under his wing and I was able to chat a bit and pass out cards.  It felt a bit odd, but very fulfilling.  You know how it is with us Minnesotans, it's hard to take a compliment anyway, but to actually announce that they could direct their comments straight at me took a bit of guts, I gotta admit....

April 28th, Thursday!

Can you believe April is almost over?!  This year is simply passing before my eyes!  Does this always happen as you get older?  When I was younger, I must not have been enjoying life as much, since so much of it seemed to take forever....  but NOW!  Man!  I try to keep track of every incredible beautiful moment!
Love love love!

Here are a couple lovely kitty commissions!
Come see me tomorrow night at Diamonds!  I just picked up a trunkful of adult beverages...  maybe I should pick up some non-alchoholic.... naw, I'll just get a pot pf coffee or something from Diamonds!

April 26th, Tuesday

Wow.  What a long rainy, squirmy adolescent-filled day it has been...   All junior high today, all kinds of misdirected energy... we're going on a field trip tomorrow to the Science Museum to see KING TUT!  They must just be as excited as I am....

So Jan asked me to paint an art bike and an art car for the art car parade stuff this year-  this is what I have so far~
Oh, and if you are in town this weekend and NEED some fun gifts ideas for graduations and weddings and Mother's Day, come see me!  I'm at the Historic Pilney Building on West 7th at Randolph from 10 to 5, Saturday only!  There are a pile of creative, exceptional, hand-made LOCAL artists!
Oh geez
I almost forgot the "20 CATS (Or MORE) in 30 DAYS" Opening is THIS FRIDAY at Diamond's from 6 to 8pm!  Diamond's is on Central ave, a bit north of the Northrup King, a titch south of 18th!
see ya somewhere!
xokat~

April 23, Easter Eve...

Just a couple more paintings~  really tired...  going to bed soon~

In Front of the East Bay Hotel

Duane's Ice

xokat

April 20, Wed~

Wahoo~  it SNOWED this morning... I took some breathtaking photos on my way to work along the River Road and ran out of memory on my camera because I hadn't erased the many photos of my students' artwork I keep taking to put on our Artsonia site!  It hadn't even occurred to me before to think maybe you all would be interested in seeing what my kids do~ but here's your chance! and your link~
and here are a couple paintings I've been working on~  this really is a new action in my life I must admit, this strong attempt to paint at least a few times a week if not daily~  and I am pretty happy with my results.  Unfortunately, I am also only human and need to go to bed soon~
any comments are welcome, esp on the "38thSt" one-  I can't tell if it makes visual sense or not...

love!

Saturday April 9, 2011

Whew!  Haven't been able to paint in a few days, but I have been arty in art functions~  mom and I were just at Private Art (Private Art Gallery, Susan St. John, 25 St. Albans St. South, St. Paul, MN 55105, 651-227-1449, susanstjohn@visi.com) for an opening for Hazel Belvoe's work and it turned out to be a hoot!  It is a salon setting style gallery, and I had been there in 2009 for Eleanor McGough's opening  and loved that show so it was interesting to see new work hanging.  It's one of those great brownstones behind Dixie's on Grand Ave, around the corner on St. Alban's...
ANYWAY, I thought I'd post a couple commissions I just delivered to their owner~  and admit that seeing other's art always makes me want to paint.  So you might ask why the heck am I posting this instead of painting?!?!   Hmmmm....
Good question....

where's my brushes?

Wednesday, March 30!

Sorry, wow life kinda got away from me!  I can't believe I haven't posted since sunday night... but then sitting here, trying to think of why, I'm not coming up with much except the fact that we're in the middle of a whole bunch of stuff, it's the end of the quarter at school and grades are due, the yearbook (for which I am NOT getting paid this year, due to budget cuts, but I'm doing it anyway, and I know there's at least a couple of you who've suffered my whining about it) is due in a week, I've got the 3rd Annual Short Animation Film Festival next Friday (remind me to post some of the kids' videos!) and Max's second Birthday is TOMORROW and I don't have anything for him.....   PLUS I'm trying to get all the cats varnished and wired for hanging, and I've got some dogs too, for the Deviant Dog Show at Northrup King, Gallery 332-  Show dates are April 7th (First Thursday) from 5-9pm and Saturday, April 9th from 3-9pm-
The CATS are being hung friday night at Diamonds and will be there the entire month of April-  I will be figuring out the opening date with Leah and Lucy on Friday night, so you will know when the Opening/Closing is by Saturday!  It'll be a party, with cards and prints of the cats as well as a couple ( gee, maybe only one by then...) available for sale!
SO

Here is Notrik, our Representative from the Great State of Nebraska!
I JUST HAD TO PAINT TODAY!  Way too much work and no fun!~  paint feels so good.....

March 27th, Sunday~

This is Gingersnap, our host in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, Eng, for our honeymoon trip in 2008 when we didn't realize Max was along for the ride!  We stayed at our friends' house and watched their delightful and accommodating feline, who has a larger than life personality.

I looked through a bunch of photos to find this one and am feeling peculiarly nostalgic for England...  it'll be a couple years before we can get back there, unfortunately.  Good thing I can mail art there tho....

March 26th Saturday!

Here is a leisurely relaxing Betty~  rather sweet-  I need to paint my own puffy Jeebo in such a condition~
oh and a view of Lake Superior from earlier this week.  Duane has taken some amazing photos that I will be attempting to interpret as time allows...
Now, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to carry on here, folks!  There are a number of cats I still desperately want to paint, but I am not promising much.  This has been an incredible experience for me, and if I weren't so darn TIRED I'd paint another cat tonight!  But it's already been a long, successful day and I need to go lay down~
xokat!
And did I mention I am hanging all the cats next friday night at Diamond's?  That ain't no April Fool's either!

March 25th TODAY

Okay so here is Marceaux!  I think I spelled that correctly...
And I am sending out a revised list, because I have actually painted WAY more cats than I had planned, and still have a bunch I wanted to get finished before the show I am hanging NEXT FRIDAY!!! ack-
So the cats will all be hanging together at Diamond's Coffee Shoppe  for the month of April!  There will be an Opening/Closing party too!  But I don't know when just yet- I'll send that out as soon as I do!  This is an insane time for us right now, with all the crazy house stuff, taxes, the end of the quarter so I have to get GRADES done, the Deviant Dog art show at Northrup King, my 3rd Annual Short Animation Film Festival at school, and tomorrow morning I am giving a small presentation at a Music Educator's conference about Art and the Happy Child....
yeah.

Throw something else at me.

March 25th Friday~

Yup, kinda didn't have any time yesterday to paint, what with the drive home from Grand Marais and entertaining a two year old in the van, and then clearing out said van and entertaining jubilant dogs who were overjoyed to realize they weren't going to have to be the responsible homeowners they thought they were in our absence...
SO here are the three cats I managed to paint in our hotel~

Capers (for Mimi!)

Ginger (for Bill~)

Gavin!  For LAUREL!!!

And I am working on tonight's cat NOW!  Will post that a little later....

March 22nd- Tuesday! My dad's BIRTHDAY!

So I got my dad a small round tube with a loon on it at the Ben Franklin on the harbor-  it is a toothpick holder-  he likes to have a toothpick in his mouth a lot, especially when he is dozing in the easy chair "watching" the evening news...
And again, here is a crappy photo done with my photo-booth app-  I'll send this again when we get home and I can get a good shot!
Billy-boy, this is your Ginger-girl!

March 21, Monday!

I know it's Tuesday, and I haven't painted the piece for today yet, but I did Gavin last night up here in Grand Marais and forgot my camera so I had to use photobooth to take the pic-  I like this one!  I hope Lori does too~  the photo isn't really great-  I'll have to send better ones out when we get home and I get my camera!!!
It is COLD and WINDY up here and there are Blizzard warnings out til wed eve, so we'll probably be up here til thursday~  mom and dad and us, in a two bedroom suite at the East Bay hotel~
the waves are pounding the shore right outside our window~
If you've been paying attention, you would realize I have accomplished more than my original TWENTY!
And today is the 22nd....

whew!

March 20th, Sunday! Percy AND Gulliver!!!!!

Yup!  Two in one day!  It is amazing what can happen when I get a decent couple hours in a row!  These two are cats who are in the same family, and I usually really like to paint them together, as in, both at the same time because then the color palette will be a lot closer and the "feel" of the pieces will ring true.  Sometimes if I am painting a double commission, I wait until I have a chunk of time like this morning, or I paint parts of both at the same time and then try to finish them together at the same time.  I can never control all of what happens at the end of my paintbrush.  Some things that occur are seriously magic.  THAT"S the fun part!
Thanks!

This is Gulliver- lovingly backlit~

...and this is Percy, who appears to have quite a gaze...

kat~

March 19th, Saturday~ Skeeter & Squeegee

This seems a little more washed out than I intended.  I may need to look into a new camera~
And again, I don't know who is Skeeter and who is Squeegee, but I love the names!  And I have to readjust my pricing for two cats in a painting because it is twice the work!  Thank gosh this was a great photo....

March 18th, Friday!

So this is Charlie, a mature but steady cat, you can tell by his eyes...

Somehow reminds me of Columbo, or Magnum PI, or maybe even Rockford... you know, one of those steady, no-nonsense kinda seventies guys with a small moustache.  And big green eyes.
I hope his owner doesn't mind.

March 17th- HAPPT SY PTRICKS DY!!!

Yup~ got this one done but I think the pupil on the left eye is a little off-  can ya let me know if you think so too?

March 15th-

I am feeling rather overwhelmed at the moment, and am going to take my artist's prerogative to put Wally to a later date.
So I'll leave you with a recent dog instead~

thanks!

oh and we are ON for an April CAT Show at Diamond's Coffee Shop over in Northeast Mpls!  The show will be up for the month of April-  I'm thinking we may have a "Closing Party" so the new owners can come pick up their paintings as well as an Opening Party!
yeha!

March 15th- DAKARI! (happy Birthday Christine!)

Consider this as posted yesterday, since really, who is capable of functioning at this hour in the morning?

March 14th- Thea!

I   know, it's tuesday morning, but I DID paint it last night, while watching the incredibly dramatic and awesomely sad and twisted "Bachelor" where the guy pretty much leads one poor girl into thinking she's getting a marriage proposal when he's really dumping her for the other girl, but you can tell the producers wanted him to make a choice between two so someone would cry....
ANYWAY

this is the lovely Thea, a personable and cuddly hairless cat, under her heat lamp~