Lolly Llama ~~ Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Lolly Llama," 6" square, portrait of a llama, done in Golden Open Acrylics on Ampersand Gessobord. The painting can be yours for $299 - inquiries may come to me. From photos taken at the Michigan State Fair a few years back, I present for your viewing pleasure a lovely llama draped in all the colors of spring. And then some. Can you tell I'm in denial over the snow continually getting dumped on us? I have threatened to lay astroturf over our front walk and porch, just to add a much needed touch of green to the yard. ORDER NOTECARDS. ORDER REPRODUCTIONS (once the original is sold). Wishing everyone a safe and happy weekend! Thanks, as always, for looking at and sharing my artwork with your friends and family - Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com A demo page from my journal done with watercolor crayons and Ebony pencil Journal, Baby! I'm leading my fearless group of young journallers in a class focused on texture and color this weekend. I'm also organizing a new grownUPs Journalling group that will meet once a month. If you are interested in any of the above, please let me know! Thanks!! ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Back in the Saddle

 

With the Brumby Whisperer completed for Arizona its time to get stuck back into Back in the Saddle
I really enjoy painting black and white watercolours so Ive made the decision that half of the pieces for Arizona will be black and white watercolours.
Upon completion Back in the Saddle will be 10" x 14"

Catherin McMillan
http://www.animalarthouse.com/
email: catherin@animalarthouse.com
Commissions welcome.. gift vouchers available

Lay byes welcome
Pay Pal accepted

The Brumby Whisperer

The Brumby Whisperer

Well I think this fellow is finally finished... didn't want to add to much colour to the horses mane being white or cream in colour it could have become quite messy.

The Brumby Whisperer will be part of the Arizona exhibition in August unless sold before hand

10" x 14" watercolour  
Catherin McMillan
http://www.animalarthouse.com/
email: catherin@animalarthouse.com

Commissions welcome ... gift vouchers available

Lay byes  accepted.

Pay pal welcome

Driving Through Flowers

                                                                             "Driving Through Flowers" casein 24 x 12"

Yesterday I finished this casein on board.....Another painting inspired by the beautiful Friesian mares of Tanbark Acres Farm in Cana, Virginia. They are in the middle of foaling season on their farm now.....I am hoping for more beautiful Friesians to paint from their bevy of beauties!
Thank you, Tanbark Acres! The painting is available and can be seen on my website.

Part of being an artist is making decisions. Decisions on what to paint?,,,what medium to use?..what format to do?...how to start and when to finish each painting.?? And then what paintings should go to what galleries?..... what invitational shows?.... even what to blog about? [ If one chooses to blog...another choice! ] I am very bad at making decisions.....and that is how my day started today....What to eat for breakfast? One or two cups of coffee? Stay in my pj's to paint? or actually get dressed in jeans? ......I am tired already.

Our Cobs mares.... waiting for hay!

But I need to feed the horses hay again and do barn chores..........so, I think I will stay in my pj's under my snow pants, bundle myself into my down coat and head to the barn. All those other decisions can be decided on later.....as we say in Italy.."Domani Domani!!

Kathi Peters AAEA Assoc.,WAOW Assoc.



A Gentle Breeze ~~ Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

NEARLY FINISHED: "Gentle Breeze (Nitro)," from the "Black and Whites" series, 8" x 10", portrait of a horse, done in Golden Open Acrylics on Ampersand Gessoboard. Almost completed - and can be pre-purchased for $469. Please send your inquiries to me. Those of you who follow the studio on Facebook heard me bragging last week about an ambitious piece I started. Monday had me lamenting about a painting that was giving me problems. They were one and the same, the piece I'm sharing with you today. First it sunk deep into "The Uglies" - that stage where the artist is still working things out, and nothing quite yet meshes or works visually. Every piece goes through this phase - it's just that some linger longer than others. And Nitro refused to budge from "The Uglies." And I didn't know how to fix him. Over multiple days, I studied the piece in a mirror, upside down, and from my periphery. I used red cellophane to work out issues with values (laying a piece of red cellophane overtop a painting reduces it immediately to a value study, enabling you to see any problematic areas). I imported a jpg to Photoshop and experimented with other choices. I thought a lot about the depth I was hoping to achieve and visualized the color theory and practices that would make it work. I closed my eyes and painted it, over and over, in my head until I had the confidence for another try. This morning I tackled things immediately. Within 10 minutes there was an incredible shift in the painting, and I had my mojo back! I thought I was done, but now see some subtle shifts to make that will shift the mane towards translucency and better connect the shadowed barrel to the head. But that can wait! For now I want to celebrate the completion of this one and bask for a bit in all that I've learned via "Gentle Breeze." Thanks so very much for following along with my artwork! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com PS I painted Nitro already before - you can see his first painting, "Freedom," on the Painting a Dog a Day blog and onFineArtAmerica. My winter herb garden, compliments of my sister-in-law, enjoying the sunshine filled kitchen. Early Spring?? Michigan has been blessed with several gorgeous, entirely unseasonal days this week. I've never done winter well - I pretty much bundle up and hibernate until May. But this week has been very pleasant. We've enjoyed long walks, thrown 1000 snowballs for the dog (it sure felt like 1000!), gotten re-acquainted with the sun, and even gone for a bike ride. The bunny hutch got a good scrape down yesterday, which made Lily and Clover happy. And the crocus-es and wild iris already peeking up got a good feeding of bunny poo, which made them happy as well. This is February! In Michigan! I just might have to fire up the Bar-B-Q tonite! Hoping wherever you live that you are enjoying your days equally as well as the Santinis!

EquiSearch

EquiSearch

The Brumby Whisperer.. work in progress

 

The Brumby Whisperer Stage 2

Started work on the horses head .. blocking his head and neck... and started work on the horsemans face and beard..

 

Some artists make beards on men look so easy.. Ive decided its a challenge as you dont want it to look like a line around the jaw but dont want it to look like a muddy puddle either.

Will continue working on the horse and then come back and re-work the horsemans face..

The Brumby Whisperer is10" x 14" and watercolour

Catherin McMillan

http://www.animalarthouse.com/ 

email: catherin@animalarthouse.com

Original work for sale

Commissions welcome

Lay byes and gift vouchers available

Pay Pal accepted

What a Lady ~~ Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"What a Lady," image approximately 6" x 8", paper size 8" x 10", a special commission from a group of friends depicting a certain birthday girl's beautiful chestnut mare "Lady." This piece was done in Golden Open Acrylics on multimedia artboard, a fabulous surface that I enjoy using for sketches. Reproductions and notecards of "What a Lady" can be ordered via my FineArtAmerica storefront. I offer what I call "Painted Sketches" as a lower cost alternative to my traditional Dog a Day portraits. Painted Sketches are still done in color, with my Golden paints, but they are on paper (acid free, museum quality still - only the best will do in these parts!!) instead of a panel. These can be sized to match your budget (or a standard frame), take less time to prep (and finish!), and are easy to mail - yet they remain just as charming and delightful as the Dog a Day paintings. So if the cost of a commissioned Dog a Day has been holding you back, ask me about a Painted Sketch. They now start at $49US plus shipping and handling and will get you onto everyone's A List. Thanks so very much for following along with my artwork! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com Richeson 75: Small Works 2011 I am always delighted when one of my daily pieces makes it into a juried event. It's even better when said event is not animal-centric. And even better when it's an international collection of talent. Such was the case when "Pup-illion"got juried in this year's Richeson 75: Small Works, an exhibition that highlighted 75 pieces smaller than 144 square inches. I did the happy dance when learning that this little painting would make the journey to Wisconsin and represent Painting a Dog a Day. I did cartwheels and handstands when learning that "Pup-illion" won 1st place for Non-Oils. The awards aren't all up on the site yet, but please take a moment to go visit the fabulous collection of artwork Richeson has collected. And my warm thanks to all involved who helped make this happen!

The Brumby Whisperer .. work in progress by Catherin McMillan

The Brumby Whisperer - work in progress

I have a soft spot for brumbies not just because I learnt to ride on one as a small child that my grandfather owned or the fact that I now own my own brumby boy Star..


They are a breed of horse unlike any other I have ever met, intelligent, funny and loyal.. I wanted to show the bond that can be created between man and a wild spirit..
Hence the Brumby Whisperer was born.


The Brumby Whisperer will be 10" x 14" and is in watercolour


It will be part of my exhibition pieces for the exhibition I will be part of in Sedona Arizona in August 2011


Catherin McMillan
http://www.animalarthouse.com/
email: catherin@animalarthouse.com



Original work for sale
Commissions welcome


Lay byes and gift vouchers available


Pay Pal accepted

"Summer Paint" New Limited Edition Canvas Reproduction by Kerry Nelson

This lovely equine art by Kerry Nelson is now available as a 9x12, limited edition, signed/numbered reproduction on canvas.  To purchase click here!

This painting has come a long way from the last entry. It is almost finished! Several details to tidy up but you get the picture. I am hoping it will make it into the local juried show in Kalamazoo this spring.

"Donkey Foal" miniature oil by Kerry Nelson

close to life-size image of 4x4 inches

A close-up to show brushwork and detail

This small 4x4 inch oil study on hardboard panel is of a cute week-old spotted donkey foal. Available for sale HERE!


http://www.kerryoriginals.com/
http://www.kerryoriginals.etsy.com/
http://www.kerryoriginals.blogspot.com/

Reclamation - Going Green in Painting

Held In The Light
pastel - still on the easel

I look around sometimes at the pile (s) of older paintings in my studio, and can't bring myself to just toss them. The horse in this pastel piece was done quite a long time ago, but I have always liked the glow that he has. I was inspired by another artist's use of representational subject matter in some more abstract, expressive things. So, I decided, what the heck, I'll play around with this a little. Worst-case, I toss the whole thing. So, here is what I have so far. The base "thing" needs some work, and the clouds do too, but you get the idea. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Think you're up to an equine challenge?

Purchase 252 Piece Puzzle of "The Enforcer" here.

Sometimes in winter, the time passes slowly!  This is a perfect time to begin a puzzle, and what could be more than a puzzle with horses in it!?  Here's an image of "horse play".  One horse telling the other that he's the boss in this herd of two! :)

There are other puzzles there on the same site, feel free to take some time to look around while you're there!

I hope you are enjoying the images I find in Montana for you...

Donna Ridgway

And Yet It Snows

"February Chill"                     casein on board                               6 x 6"

It snowed yesterday. It is snowing today. As I write, the gray skies are spilling white onto our farm, covering the woods and fields with another blanket of white. The horses are settled in their stalls after having a morning turnout while their stalls were cleaned. Nell has played in the barn, moused and inspected the stalls for treasures. Now we wait, cozy in our cottage, for the storm to end......then we can continue the endless shoveling. I think of Italy a lot in the winter!!!!



I did the small casein painting, pictured above, after watching Duster [my 23 year old Tennessee Walker gelding ] as he ate his hay that was spread over a snow mound. The day was cold and white. The days have been that way a lot lately!


The painting is available purchase on my website.....along with many other works!


My work is being featured in the art show "All Creatures Large and Small", that has it's opening reception February 3 , 2011 at Gallery B in Lexington, Kentucky. It is a fun show where a portion of the profits from the sales go to benefit the Lexington Humane Society. So I am hoping my Kentucky friends and clients can make that show and help the Humane Society ......it is all about the animals.

The snow is falling harder now.....Nell is so glad she has a cozy house.....she is one of the lucky beasts!!
 
http://www.kathipeters/
http://www.cobcottage.blogspot.com/