DAY 21 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Chi)

"Practicing MAX"

6" x 8"

pastel on pumiced gatorboard

This was intended to be for practicing for

a more complete piece.

Really like the color and the feel.

 This one is happily going to the Max's owner

and it isn't that I won't attempt MORE of Max

at a later time - he is a cutie.

Number 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Xander II"

watercolor on Arches

6" x 6" (approx)

Here is a better painting of Xander..didn't like the one 

that I did the other day, but when you

are in a crunch to do ONE a day,

and you start kind of late in the day

and you are driven

that is what happens.

I like this one much better.

Ahhhh..only ONE more to go!!!!!!!

Number 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"The Other Bailey"

5" x 7"

watercolor on Strathmore

This dog is named Bailey, same as mine, but is older 

and belongs to my friend's the Joneses.

She is 14...and I remember her as a puppy.

She came to play with my Herman one day.

Herman gave her a run for her money

I will never forget it.

Update - just found out,

Bailey had to be put down

recently.

Number 27 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Xander"

6" x 8"

watercolor on Arches semi-rough

Xander is in the household with Venture and Venus, whom I 

painted earlier in my 30 in 30.

He is an American Foxhound, as well.

He is the newest member in the household

of my FB artist friend, Liz.

He is full of antics.  Never a dull moment.

He does something either interesting, amazing,

and almost assuredly downright hilarious every day.

I painted him quickly, as I

had my own dogs to attend to

since it was such a nice

calm day at 71°.  That will

make you people back East

envious..with all the snow and wintery weather.

Our dogs needed baths, nail clippings,

and ear cleaning.

Cold winter has not allowed

us to bathe much - in the

'dog world' here in a long while.

Number 26 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Bruno"

5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

watercolor on Arches semi-rough

Bruno belongs to a friend in Denver.

He is a Swiss Mountain Dog.

What a happy face!!

Today I was faced with a big question

DO I paint this in oil or watercolor??

My immediate choice was watercolor...maybe

it's a sign.

Number 25 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Aiden"

7" x 7"

pastel on Art Spectrum/aubergine

SOLD

Aiden is a Whippet who lives in the mountains above Denver.

He always wears a jacket.

I can understand that.

Number 22 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Gracie"

6" x 8" ish

watercolor on Arches semi-rough

I have painted Gracie before, in oil...not knowing it was Gracie

long story for that.

Although this is not the photo the owner wished

I would paint, it is my favorite - for 

light and shadow.

I tried this one with a little more 'design' to it.

She was very pretty, one blue eye and one brown.

Her owner wrote to me:

"I was working at a veterinary office and she was brought in in a plastic bag with 3 of her siblings and we were told they were dead. She wasn't, she was barely alive, breathing only a couple times a minute. I took her and rubbed and rubbed her in a heating pad for an hour until she was breathing normally and had a strong heartbeat. That was in 2002. She turned 12 years old on the 14th of November. In July of this year she was diagnosed with cancer, and doesn't have long to live. My heart is breaking, but I am just trying to keep her as comfortable and happy as possible in what time I have left with her."

Gracie passed just before Thanksgiving 2014. 

I love this story.

It shows such compassion and hope for animals. 

Thanks to all who have allowed me to use their photos to paint

from this month!!

Number 21 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Archie"

7" x 7"

watercolor on semi-rough Arches

SOLD

Archie belongs to a artist friend, Marcy, who lives in

Salina.  She got him this past year.

I love the 'champagne color' challenge.

Had to get out the white gouache..as I needed

that ear fur to fling out into the space a little more.

Wow - only 9 more to go, this

21 has gone by so quickly..

such is life, I guess.

Number 20 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Nia"

7" x 7"

watercolor on Aquarelle/Arches

SOLD

This one is a FB friend's - daughter's dog, Nia.

I loved the photo of her and could see

the underneath blanket being

played up a little in chroma

for great sassy contrast.

Lovin' doing watercolors.

They seem to be working for me

right now.

They are opposite of oils and pastels, 

which are darkest to lightest

as you paint.

Watercolor is just the other way around.

Plus I have some open cuts in my pointer and thumb

on my painting hand, that keep getting

gamsol and oil paint in them..at this

rate they will never heal.

So right now, my brain and those fingers have to 

constantly slow down

and think.

Number 19 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Bailey"

5" x 7"

watercolor on Arches

This is our weimaraner 

(vy-mer-rah-ner) - 

we call him 'Bader Boyz'.

This afternoon will be spent on varnishing,

fixing our big pole yard nightlight...

it has been out and without it 

it is VERY dark here at night.

The RV needs some extra TLC in winter,

it's such a nice day, we will

attend to some of that, too!

Number 14 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

'Best Friends'

6" x 6"

oil on wood veneer

When we are RV vacationing at our favorite spot, Cape Lookout, Oregon,

there is a daily migration from the campsites - up and over the sand dunes

 at sunset.   Camera in hand, it is the best time to

people watch, and shoot lots of great photos.

It's like the neatest 'human attended' event I know.

People bring their lawn chairs, their bottles of wine,

dogs and kids

and their beach toys.

There is cheering and clapping as the sun

makes it's grand departure

from view.

I was so touched by this girl, sharing this moment

 with her 'best' friend.

The dog seemed as 'in tune' with the

event as much as everyone else.

I like this scene so much, I will chalk 

this little one up to practice 

for maybe a larger version 

some day soon.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - NUMBER 13

"The Best Dog in the Whole World"

9" x 12"

oil on Raymar canvasboard

Hasty Herman - our little black and tan dachshund - 

left this world just over 4 years ago.

He was almost 10.

I have painted him many times,

but found this photo this

morning, and it's so 

typically HERMAN.

He would plop down

on just anything

that was creating a soft spot.

This shoe area in the laundry room 

suited him just fine -

using Dad's shoes as a chin rest.

A little paint shine - this time of day

it's unavoidable.

PAINTED WITH LOVE....

and remembrance

Number 10 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Gunny"

9" x 12"

oil on canvasbooard

I know Weimaraners - I have one...but 

EVERY ONE is different,

sometimes by just an ever so

slight way.

Gunny is very different from the 'O Gray One

that I have.  He belongs to my cousins

Chase, Taryn and Cade. 

This one took me awhile.

I loved every minute of it!

One third of the way done.

Life is good.

I have ordered a frame for it, and it rocks.

Day 7 of Painting 30 in 30

"Venture"

6" x 6"

oil on pine veneer

This is Venus' sister.  She is an American Foxhound.

  See Day 5.  There wasn't an outdoor

shot that gave the same sort of sunny pose

that Venus' painting had

but I liked this indoor shot.

Although my version kind of reminds me of a 

'doggie mugshot'.

I see one or two areas that need 

addressing with this one

 in the morning.

Along with painting today, I sewed a complete

mitered corners baby quilt out of flannel.

Busy day.

If you would like to see more paintings from about 1200

other artists go to Leslie Saeta's blog

on the sidebar.

There are so many, and each year, I try to visit 

and give say hi and give support,

but this year is overwhelming.

I am pleased that the world seems to be filled with artists.

Day 5 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Venus"

6" x 6" oil on

pine veneer

To know someone, you have never met, on Facebook since 2009

makes my head spin, but I have known Liz that long.

We painted in parallel on Karin Jurick's "Different Strokes from Different Folks" - 

no longer alive in the blogosphere.

Those were the days - I garnered many FB friends during those

painting challenges - I cherish the ones I still have.

This is one of her dogs, an American Foxhound, Venus.

This one was 'right there' for me, because - the PHOTO was so good!

Bright sun, filtered by shadows from the form and from the yard,

as they sat on the steps I believe.

Great contrast and close-up with all the details I needed!

Some photos do NOT lend themselves well to

being painted and I have tackled a few this past year,

it's very frustrating.

I think someday soon, I will write a blog 'tab' to help

those wanting their photos painted.

An aside, if you get a sunshine glimmer in the eye(s)

you probably have a good one!

But for now....(smile).

Please help me out and follow my FB page and LIKE it,

if you haven't.  I would appreciate it -

my goal is to get to 200 'likes'

in the month of January.

A Finished Painting of Three Dogs

"Three Dog Night"

24" x 36"

 oil on black canvas

NFS

Finished and allowing drying time, and will have it to

LOOK AT while I organize and PAINT ON.

Always see something, but not going to NOODLE this one.

Dog Portrait

"Juanita Chiquita Bonita"

8" x 8"

oil on Raymar board

JCB was found wandering the streets of El Paso - and taken to a no-kill shelter where no one would adopt her, but someone DID as I just painted her for that someone's birthday....such tough but also a sweetie pie!

Number 27 in a Challenge to Paint 30 in 30 Days

"Snow Dog"

12" x 12"

oil on gallery wrapped canvas

SOLD

This one was just plain fun!  The Sheltie's name is 'Patch'.  

He belongs to 

my friend Caprice in Midway, Utah.

I saw this photo of him and just HAD to paint it!

This is bigger than I have been painting and I LOVE it! 

Oops, somehow this published, although I had it set for tomorrow.

Number 21 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days with Leslie Saeta

"Ruff and Sioux"

8" x 8"

oil on Arches oil paint paper

Family dogs - live in New Mexico.  

They are Australian Shepherds, of course.

I felt I hit the 'sweetspot' on this one.

Have I said I really like this paper?

Number 21 of 30.

Leslie Saeta's - Slice of Life blog..here.

In the Land of Hunting Dogs

"Raylea"

8" x 11"

watercolor on 140 lb. Strathmore

Where I live, there are alot of breeds of hunting dogs...some hunt, some do not.

This is a friend's Brittany Spaniel.  Today's need was to paint an animal, which is my favorite thing to paint.