Monday moring, but you're just getting up anyway...

...so really I COULD'VE posted this last night and you never would've known the difference!  We had a busy day yesterday- I had some talented students who won awards at MCAD so I attended the award ceremony, and then we had an amazing, tearful, joyous memorial service for Rich Wilson to attend~  and then I was too tired to go to the Academy awards party at my dear friends' house and even went to bed before Steve Martin could play his banjo on Austin City Limits last night.  But I DID get a painting done-

this is an 8x10~  you can buy it here!  And the 30 Cats in 30 Days starts this THURSDAY!  I have a few spaces left!

Wednesday Feb 22, 2012

I am really enjoying teaching adults!  I mean, I do enjoy my younger students too but it is just more of a dialogue with adults.  We learn together. 
This is an apple from an earlier class-  I did a cat tonight that you might see next week for sale...

The antlers did sell, so let's see who is interested in an apple!  You can bid here-

Okay, yes Monday...

...but it's a HOLIDAY so it FEELS like SUNDAY... besides, we had a lovely rowdy loud brunch yesterday and I'm still tired...
So here is another commission...  this is the lovely Stella~

Wednesday Feb 15, 2012

Wow~  busy darn day today!  Showed student animations at school this afternoon for the large community meeting and the response was great!  I'll have to see about uploading a couple for your entertainment...
Here are some antlers that I painted while trying to think of ways of demonstrating painting on a complimentary colored ground...  which is purple...

And if you want them, you can bid on them HERE!  I'm only going to continue doing these auctions for another couple months, because I haven't been getting as great a response as I'd hoped.  I guess I have to give something away soon to get more subscribers!  Stay tuned...
kat!

Monday~ darn it!

I DID get paintings done this weekend, really!  It's just that I get caught up doing the "business" side of the art and then I'm too tired to post anything...

so here's a couple dogs I've redone for a client because I didn't want to give them to her until I liked them!  That's a tricky thing too-  quality control-  I've gotten a lot more fussy about when the work is finished.  I want it to be fresh and feel that it has been painted quickly and with freedom, but sometimes this requires stepping back and letting it sit before adding the finishing strokes, and sometimes it even needs gessoing over, in parts or all!  I need to extend my 6 week deadlines to 3 months....

Wed Feb 8th

Had another great class tonight and forgot to take a photo of my sample!  So here is a lovely commissioned piece of a firepit up at the cabin...

And send me your cats!
xokat

Sunday!!!! Feb 5~

Yay!  FINALLY actually got some painting done this weekend!  Though I also got a little obsessed with Franken-stuff too-  I'll be dropping some things over at Articulture next saturday, if you're interested-  mostly sweater skirts...   It IS so satisfying to go through those bins and pull some sweaters out and get cracking on them!  Thank you Pam Robinson for sending me that box!!!!
SO this is somewhat of a value study of the illustrious Bingo, in order to better be able to explain it to my patient class on Wednesday...

And you can BID on him at my Daily Paint works site!  Just click HERE!!! Starting at $25 bucks, baby!  What a DEAL!!!
Oh, and I hadn't really meant his man-parts to be so obvious...

Wed! okay, yes it is Thursday...

Last night was the first night of my Painting Lessons!  For adults!  And wow!  It was REALLY REALLY fun!!!!  If I do say so myself....  I think I talked as quickly as I could and still be understood, but there is SO much I want to cover!  Hmmm....  thank goodness there's 4 more classes!  And I only left about 40 minutes for the students to paint!  They need MUCH more time than that...  but they were great listeners, and had excellent questions, and even though my demo was not a masterpiece (see below) they still believed I could paint~
I can't wait til next week!

Here's a couple of apple demos....

Sunday Jan 29- 30.....

Man, I DO apologize-  it has been a wicked winter with coughs and colds and stitches... but here is another commission for your viewing pleasure, Koda, and he is being mailed home today!
And do get me your cat images if you are interested!  I am for SURE donating a portion of all sales to the Caring For Cats Rescue group, located here in the twin cities who do good work for our feline souls~  I have to admit, I was a lover of cats before I loved dogs, I think because I was a shy and awkward kid (at some points in my social growth) and the elusive love of a cat meant more to me than the all-pervasive sloppy dog love I now value so much....

...not that all dogs are sloppy, or all-pervasive, and acknowledging that we own a cat who is more like a dog than some dogs I know....

SUNDAY Jan 22, 2012

Soooo.... I seem to be starting this year off being a bit to busy to post... I have honestly been painting my butt off this weekend, but had a few other distractions such as Max throwing his accordion across the living room, no target in mind really, but it connected with Duane's face and caused a ruptured something or other in his lower lip so he had to go get four stitches to close the gaping hole...  you know that little bridge of skin holding your lip to your jaw, when you put your tongue down into the very front of your mouth, in front of your front teeth?  Yeah, that little thing- oops~  Yes.  And then, I took Max to see the New Muppet Movie at the Riverview with friends this evening and just got back, and made the mistake of sharing a HUGE Sprite with him....  yeah, not a good bedtime drink for a 2year old...

SO these are commissions, because I am not finished with the large (16x20) cityscape I am working on...
Stay tuned for more!
And my FIRST Adult Painting Class starts NEXT WEEK!!!!! I am REALLY excited!  I am not sure whether the "Adult' part refers to me or the students...  time will tell...

MLK eve!

Missed Sunday again~  sorry 'bout that!  We had a full house yesterday with lovely artcar folks up from Texas to see the Art Shanties and hopefully have an art car parade on the ICE-  something that rarely happens in Texas, but unfortunately we couldn't drive on the ice either, so our guests satisfied themselves with firecracker-hats instead...  but DO get out to the Shanties while you can!  Only THREE more weekends!!!!!  Here's a link! Art Shanty Projects!   We'll be out there for sure on Feb 4 for the Art Cars On Ice parade and to have a Groundhog Cakewalk for our Anniversary!

ANYWAY, here is a little painting of Max and the penguins at the MN Zoo, of which we are members, which allows me to take many photos of my favorite animals...  I think there may be a "30 Otters in 30 Days" project coming up~  oh and get me your CAT PICS for March's "30 Cats in 30 Days"!!!!
And you can bid on "Who's Looking at Who?" HERE~ starting at $30!

Wednesday's Post, a Day LATE~

Hi all!  This is Castor, just to get you in the mood for the "30 Cats in 30 Days" project that will be commencing in MARCH!  Thought I'd start getting the word out, but perhaps I am pushing it TOO early....

anyway, enjoy a little kitty love...

Sunday Jan 8

Feeling a bit better after over a week of not feeling well, but I am still heading to bed early tonight~
Here is a little piece from a photo on my way to work last week, right at the greyhound bus station on 9th and First Ave~
It's up for auction at my DailyPaintWorks site-  check it out!

Wed Jan 4

I tried sending this last night and it didn't work-  I'm home sick with a crappy cold-  does that affect the whole year, do you think?  Starting off with a cold, introspective, under the covers... hmmm...
I do want to mention that I will be teaching a painting class at my studio this February, Wed eves from 6:30 to 8:30-  There are 5 wednesdays this February!  We'll be looking at painting as a daily habit and how to get yourself there, so expect some homework!  I wanted to let you all know first-  It'll be $100 for the month, and you can pay via credit card~  I'm limiting it to the first seven people and you are the first people to hear!  Spread the word!
Here's a couple commissions for your canine-viewing pleasure~

Petey

Bella

Sunday, Jan 1! Happy New Year!

SO I am back!  Wow, it is crazy how a couple week's vacation can totally screw up your schedule...
I DID paint a lot, some are still waiting to be collected by their new owners so I don't want to post them just yet.  But I DO have this lovely Cairn Terrier I just painted tonight, in an attempt to get back on track. 
It is that shape of a dog that I am most attracted to-  that stocky, solid, trotting brick, reminding me of a bear cub, or a soap sculpture, or a stuffed toy.  Just so compact and smooth.  I want to carve a cairn terrier....

And again, you can own this wonderful spunk of a pup by clicking HERE to join the auction!
xoxokat!

wed dec 21 SOLSTICE

so in celebration of solstice, and of the beauty of a straight-face and a sense of humor, here is a cat.  Do be aware that the Cats of March are approaching, and if you know anyone who would want to be included in the "30 Cats in 30 Days-2012" project, do direct them to this blog and my e-mail...

this is a present for someone whom I hope is NOT following my blog... but I rather like this one~  without and with the frame...

ack-THURSDAY!

Man, I swear I will be better next year!  Wow-  you know, I DO paint almost every single day, and those I miss, I really feel the absence~  I think the issue is actually getting the darn things photographed and posted!!!
Here are a couple commissions for your viewing pleasure!
Xoxokat!

Sun/Mon... I give up~ either way, it's ART, right?

...and yes, i've been just a tad busy this weekend, so this is actually a painting I did in Door County this summer at the Peninsula School in Carol Marine's workshop...  seeing as I didn't bring many still life items, I ended up using these lovely vintage black boots I'd just gotten on-line.  I still want to paint a series of boots, maybe even all the boots I own.  Hmm.  Do I have enough for a month?  I just might...

And this one is also up for auction at Daily PaintWorks!  You can click HERE to bid!
Can you let me know what you think of this site?  It has been an experiment for the last couple months to post a painting there for the auctions, and I am happy that almost all have sold, but I'm not sure whether I should keep it up or not, as they aren't quite bringing in what I would have sold them for...  but it IS fun~
thanks for following!

Wednesday Dec 7, 2011

Whoa!  I mistyped at first and put "2012"...  sure makes you think about how fast time DOES go by.  I still remember learning from Sr. Agnes I think in 4th grade how to put the proper heading on your paper, including date with your name, and writing "1975" and then in January, "1976" and how difficult that was to get used to, but that "1976" seemed to last a WHOLE heckuva lot longer that "2007" did, for me personally, I don't know about you~

so here are a couple more commissions.  And I just want to remind you to check out my Daily Paintworks auctions, because noone has bid on my last two and I can't figure out why and it is affecting my attitude.  They are both starting SUPER low priced, at $25 or $30, and would make great presents, and if you live near me I'll deliver them to you so you won't have to pay postage....

Sorry, just been a little under the weather and sleepy lately.  Things will look up in a week or two~
xokat!
OH and DO come to something this weekend!  Mom and I will be at the Women's Art Festival all day saturday, 10-5, and I'll be at Diamond's with the Holiday Art Show for the Pancake Breakfast on Sunday from 11-1 and at HOBT for the "Dreams of Winter" Artist Reception from 4:30-6 after the 3pm show of "Winter Dreams" which is MY favorite HOBT production, as it features the wonderful groundhogs that were present at our wedding in 2008 at the Artshanty Projects on Medicine Lake on Groundhog's Day!

SUNDAY or monday....

I swear, I WILL be back on a regular schedule as soon as life returns to normal...  whatever that looks like lately...

It's just been a LITTLE nutty, as I am sure you're life is too, with the holidays and all.  This weekend is my last big weekend-  We have the Women's Art Festival on Sat from 10-5 and the Diamond's and HOBT Artist Receptions on sunday, and tomorrow I am going to the Bloomington Art Center to set up for the Gifts in the Gallery Sale, and I end up sitting up and worrying and planning on how I'm going to set my stuff up to its advantage, and whether my prices are on, and who is gonna buy anything anyway...
ack~
so HERE is a pup from the Red Hot Art Festival this summer, silly silly dog!  You can bid on him and give him to someone for Christmas!  Go HERE! This one is starting at $25...

xokat!