ARTIST AT WORK

WORK IN PROGRESS

oil on 24" x 26" black gessoed canvas

I have had this photograph I took of my three dogs 

hanging on the fridge for many years.

The black and tan Herman, passed 4 years ago, so it's been awhile.

In fact this photo I am using was taken very soon after moving

from Colorado to Kansas.  It was that 'first' winter

and they were all huddled up on their 

dad's lap on the couch to get warm (and vie

for his attention - like a 'me - me - me!!').

I had to paint it, it was just a matter of 

that FEAR you get

when you wonder if you 

can paint it right --- looming

over my head all 

these years.

I have waited and waited and finally

something told me it was time.

I have the dogs likenesses and expressions 

down just about right,

now I just need to work on the 

fur, the light, the shadows...continue

tweaking - it will look so great

hanging in our bedroom

above the Weims crate.

Here it is on yesterday's studio time...

Thanks for stopping by!

Please come back soon to see it finished.

Day 7 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Anticipating a Return"

6" x 12"

oil on wrapped canvas

Purchase notecards of this one from Red Bubble HERE.

Wherever we go, when we travel by RV, our dogs go with us.  This is our two dachshunds Hasty Herman and Chaco - standing and waiting for their dad - as he filled up with gas in a nearby town.  

 Whenever you left the RV, for any reason, they immediately got into the driver's seat to perch there and watch what was going on.

(Herman is no longer with us, he passed away a few years ago.)  

Chaco still goes to that spot when you leave the RV, but the two of them were such a pair and so cute to watch.  They would lean into one another - where one head went the other was almost assured to follow.  

Herman had very keen senses - especially sight.

I remember one time we were in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Maybe I've told this story before but...) a UPS brown truck rounded a faraway corner, Herman was in my lap and let out a really mean growl.  They never liked the UPS truck that visits our house - amazing he picked up 

on the truck so far from home - by sight.

We still have very heartfelt sadness that Herman is no longer with us.  

He was the BEST dog in the whole world!

Now that it has been photographed, 

I see a few places I need a little more work on this painting  .

Today, I go to the surgeon for more follow-up on my ankle.  Stay tuned.

If you would like to visit some of the other artists in this challenge, see the sidebar poster for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" - 

click on that and you will go there.

Where I Stand Sunday

Home - where I can feed the dogs,

watch the cattle,

find shapes in the clouds,

sit and breathe the fresh air.

(My toes are pulled in, cause they get stepped on at this point.)

Mowed 8 acres of grass yesterday. The place is back to lookin like a golf course.

Squashed the "squash bugs" - they are a potential threat to the garden - it's a daily task.

Hubster and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary yesterday.

Goin' back for a quick visit to KC, and then home for awhile

as mom is doing so much better.

Clouds aren't usually this interesting here - but yesterday they sure were.

Maybe you have an idea of how loudly my easel calls to me right now..."it" will be soon!!!

First Portrait of the Year

" The Wiener Boys"

6" x 8" original oil on Raymar board
Yep, that's what we fondly refer to them as. They are quite a pair! A couple of snuggle bugs in a rug at times and other times rough and tumble buzz saws. Dachshunds have extremely distinct personalities and are the perfect dog for an "in the house" dog. Caution on caring for them gently when it comes to their backs...their longer length puts them at a risk for spinal injury.

Chalk this painting up to my first "1" of "15" I am trying for this month.

Dachshunds - Work in Progress

These are my two dachshunds.

They love to sit on the bed and look out the window.

It gives them a good vantage point.

I am still working on this one.

Not too much further to go.
Stay tuned.

Where I Stand Sunday

Oh, to be a sporting dog!

Every scent on the wind - a thrill

every sound on the horizon - an alert

every move in the grass - a warning.

I spend my days - wondering..

Is it worthy of my attention?

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. The ground we tread on has its own stories to tell.

Art on Sunday

I am working on a series for art note cards of dogs. Thought I would start with two very familiar breeds, Dachshunds and Weimaraners. I like the "zeroing" in part. These are quick pastels. If interested, check out my Etsy to buy them. They should be on there in a day or two. Thanks!

New Roof

Accepted a bid for a new roof today. The contractor said it was the worse damage he had seen in the county. It's nice to know we are the winners on that one! So, I learned that when you buy "50 year" shingles that really doesn't mean that they will last 50 years. It means that under normal conditions (not in this part of the world) they will last for that long. So I guess the insurance company looks at it as GOOD material and will be more willing to give us the next roof, based on the quality of the shingle material. Funny, how that works. He said it's like buying a warranty on your tires or your battery. Huh. Amazingly the job will be done in ONE day! Anyway, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET ON THE STEEP ROOF AFTER ALL!!
Two doxies got in a horrible fight today. This is about the third one. I had to dress the wounds on the red one. This "alpha" stuff gets complicated for them, I guess. In the meantime the red one takes a beating! We will have to separate them in the dog run, which will be hard to do. Interesting how dogs are so forgiving. 15 minutes after they fought, the red one was licking the black and tan one and snuggling with him. Go figure...

ALARM

Introducing our "custom dual home security monitoring system"..aka Hasty Herman and Chaco. LOL!! Always activated, always on alert. They are the subjects of my "Day 1" blog with the dog painting. They are doxies of the best kind!!
BIRD NEWS: MEALWORMS came today, Peepers is a happy bird!! The "fuzz" on the top of his head today makes him look like Professor Irwin Cory. His feathers are really filling in. Won't be long!

DAY 1

Hello all! Well, I am attempting to "amp up" my computer skills and abilities with a blog where I can display works that have been completed and maybe even some that are "in THE process". "Eclectic" describes the state of my "art" these days.
Having the time to experiment, leads me to explore new mediums and improve on old ones.
From time to time, I may refer to my studio by name, "Studio 165".