Elin Pendleton, new business card

So much has happened in the last two months that it is hard to put it all into words. Suffice to say that I am going into the 2009 holiday season with a renewed spirit and being more upbeat and happier than I have been in many years! Right now I'm typing to you from (drum roll!) northern New Jersey (Ridgewood) where I'm spending the Christmas week with family and friends--at the opposite end from the 85 degree California weather! It is wonderful! Snow tonight--and I haven't had that for many a moon, and I'm looking forward to the pleasure of the cold, crisp crunch (reminding me of the skiing I used to do!) and comfortable with the knowledge that I don't have to live with it, nor shovel it.

Here's the new design for the postcards that I'll be using for the winter and early spring business cards. Those of you who have DVDs from me have the earlier, lighter green ones. These are all new paintings from 2009, and feature the first painting from the fourth, new DVD "Misty Light and Twilight". I'll have them when I return--amazing Internet!

I did bring my acrylics for this ten-day trip, and will be painting some still life works (the pears in the market here were SO beautiful!) and perhaps some SNOW scenes. Plein air is not an option because outside it is in the high 20s--and I don't have the gear for keeping them thawed. I've painted snow scenes plein air before, however I don't think Sparky would enjoy sitting around with his short little legs in a snowbank. Yes, he is with me, flying under the seat on the 747.

There are plans afoot for a three-day Color Boot Camp over President's Day Weekend (February 13-15) in 2010. Interested? Email me...

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas/Holiday time with people who care about you, and that you'll keep going with me as I stretch new wings into 2010.

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Elemental, my dear Watson

I've been thinking about doing a series of "elemental" horse images for a while--featuring the four classic elements of earth, air, fire and water. I've been playing with this one for a couple of nights--guess which element this is?? I'll likely change and revise it yet more once I've thought about it for a while. Sometimes the images I'm excited about having created at night go into the "what was I thinking?" folder the next morning, but for the moment I feel this has potential.

As always with my work of late, it started as a photograph, then went elsewhere. There's a reason my business card says "reality is only a starting point"

Judy Wood

www.judywoodartphotography.com (website)

http://judywoodartphotography.blogspot.com (blog)

Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini (ok,so it's not a horse)

"Chiquita (Chihuahua Portrait)," 8" x 8", pet portrait of a Chihuahua done in acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard, private collection. Inquiries may always come to me.

Who knows how many times Chiquita walked directly into the swimming pool, only to be surprised by the fact that, yes, it was a swimming pool, and no, she couldn't swim. So she wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box - but she was by far the favorite.

Chiquita passed away earlier this year, and this painting will be an absolute surprise come Christmas morning, as big a shock to her Mom as the cold swimming pool was to the old girl.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Oh boy, do I have lots of places to send you:

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holiday spots left)

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

Cool Down

Cool Down

by

Catherin McMillan

13" x 19" pastel on pastel board.

contact catherin  for more information on how to purchase this piece

Catherin McMillan

http://www.animalarthouse.com/