Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Yellow Labrador Retriever Painting

Here is a painting of Reilly Blue that I decided to do as a memorial for our good friends and his last family. It is acrylic on watercolor paper. I did it in a somewhat more realistic style than I usually paint. Fixing red eye is a challenge and I always prefer to remove the collars. I also posed him sitting instead of lying down. The colors of my dog paintings do not always look the same on-line as they do in real life, but I think you can see his likeness. Prints of Reilly Blue will be available through my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop, as well as greeting cards and other products.

I have been painting silk scarves since I finished this Labrador portrait. Painting on silk is always fun because the colors flow so freely. Once those are all complete and photographed I will be rebuilding my hand-painted silk scarf page of my web site. There are silk scarves for dog lovers, wine and grape lovers and those who simply like colors and silk. I hope you will visit!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Lab Tested

This picture is over a year old and includes my lost loves, Obi (bottom left) and Gwen (top right). Eponine (top left) and Marius (bottom right) are still here Labbing me up. It was a fun photo shoot with me wearing one of my "Lab Tested" design t-shirts. As you can see - I am thoroughly tested and Approved!! For those of you who may have purchased this design from my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop, you now have collectors items. It seems someone has trademarked the term "Lab Tested" and the rest of us are not allowed use it. So, I have revised the design offered in my shop (after a several month absence) to simply say "Tested" in the muddy paws on the front and it still has the same design on the back saying "Approved". It's a funny world with people owning common phrases many of us have used long before they got the idea to take control. The term "Gone Fishing" is also trademarked and threatening the design I have by that name as well. No fear, I can remove the words and adapt my silly fishing dog to stay out of the way of the word police. Pesonally, I will stick with my Labs' attitudes and happy spirits - Life is too short for owning and fighting over words that belong to everyone. Make up your own words or phrases and you deserve to own them - take over common phrases that lots of people have enjoyed for a long time and wallow in your own mire. Not for me - we're moving on. Labs just want to have fun!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Cats this time

I created this painting of 2 cats as a wedding present for my niece and her new husband. They were married on 3 Feb. 2007 in Tampa, Florida. I flew down for the event, which was quite a feat for me since I do not like to fly and have not been on a plane since 1999. Now I am home again - home, sweet, home - back where I belong and back to painting.

I call this painting "Twogether". Leanne and Trey have 2 cats, so I thought they would enjoy this design. For me, this picture represents being together as friends and partners -- There for each other to lean on and rely on and share the experience of life, and yet, still unique individuals with your own hearts and minds and needs and interests.
This is an acrylic painting on canvas panel, 12" x 16". I call this style abstract realism. My husband, Jim, made a solid maple frame to finish off our wedding gift. It was fun to paint and try out new techniques and I hope the bride and groom enjoy it for many years to come.
Prints will be available in my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop as well as my gallery on Artist Rising. A modified design is also available on t-shirts, clothing and more great gifts for cat lovers.