Dairy Cow Painting - Black and White Princess in Pink

I had the urge to paint a cow, so went to a local dairy to take some pictures. I had never been to a large dairy farm and was intrigued by how many black and white patterns there are and how different each cow looked.  Some were prettier than others.  I thought this girl was a beauty.  I admit I felt sympathy for all of them because they cannot go outside at this farm.  So I took off her ear tags and surrounded her with pink to make her feel special.  And here she is, my "Princess in Pink".  If you would love to have her mooooove to your home to share her special beauty contact me.
This original acrylic painting on stretched canvas is 8"x10".  The sides are wrapped and painted so you can choose to frame it or hang it as is.  $130.00 - you can use PayPal or mail a check.
Prints and some nifty products are available in my online gallery at Amy Reges on Fine Art America.

Thoroughbred Horse Portrait

Anyone who knows me knows this horse portrait painting had to be coming.  It is a portrait of a horse I have been riding and leasing for 2 years.  He is an Off-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) that ended racing many years ago and was retrained as a dressage horse somewhere along his journey.   His name is Truckee Tudor.

I met Truckee as a lesson horse when I decided to try riding again after a 30 year hiatus.  (It still sounds crazy to hear that in my head!).  I had been introduced to dressage for a short time back then and really enjoyed it, so that is what I wanted to learn.  He was a great teacher from the first day.

Truckee and I grew closer.  His use for lessons declined as arthritis developed so he could no longer jump, which is what all the "lesson kids" wanted to do, and I was the only one interested in dressage.  His owner offered me to lease him, so 2 days a week he was mine and the rest of the time I shared him off and on with others.  Eventually, it got to be pretty much just him and me and our focus changed.  He developed heaves and masts that are possible cancer, so no longer up to the demands of other riders.  We still had fun together, even on days when we could only walk or I didn't ride at all.

Truckee is a smart, sensitive 17-yr-old guy, set in his ways and assertive that things should be done correctly (according to him).  He was well-trained to the level of dressage that he knows and would show me how things should be done or let me know when I messed up.  He gave approval, or not, on just about everything I did with him, not just riding.  It was rewarding when I made him happy.  Due to circumstances he recently moved away and out of my life.  I am happy to have this portrait painting to keep his memory warm in my heart.

If you are an artist you will probably understand when I say I started this painting all wrong.  And because of that I struggled with it to the end.  It was on and off of my easel for months.  I have to laugh and say Truckee gave me a hard time with this just as he sometimes liked to give me a hard time in my other lessons.  Always a great teacher - Thanks for everything Truckee Tudor.

Happy Birthday Brown Dog

Happy 10th Birthday to my kooky Brown Dog, Lobuff OtterTail Noble Nissa, RN RA RE CD.  Thanks for always being there for me Sweet Patootie!  This also marks the date of the first litter I bred 30 years ago.  Yikes!  Time goes fast and they were wonderful!  I stopped breeding many years ago too, but the birthday of my first litter will always be memorable.  I knew Nissa was the right puppy for me when I found out she was born on the 20th anniversary of my first litter.  I was happy that her breeder, Lisa Weiss of Lobuff Labradors, offered her to me when I asked.  It's been a great 10 years with many more to come.  Love you, Miss Nissa - The Enforcer.

Fun Goat Portrait Painting

I love painting portraits of animals - all animals.  This was my first goat.  She was a cherished pet who enjoyed getting into mischief.  She also liked to help her human in his beer making hobby and the reference photo for this painting is used as his label logo.  That made it extra fun for me to paint as a tribute to her memory (and extra special for their daughter to have commissioned as a Christmas gift).

Please visit my website for information about commissioning a pet portrait of your own at http://www.OttertailArt.com/Portraits.html

I look forward to every new animal adventure in painting, whether it's a dog, cat, horse, goat or any other being that is special to you, he or she will be special to me too!

Black Lab and Yellow Labrador Steal Snowman Carrot Nose Dog Holiday Christmas Cards

Black and Yellow Labs with Snowman Holiday Cards
Here is a new holiday design for your 2017 Christmas cards, or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Happy New Year or whatever you like to share and celebrate.

A silly black Labrador tries to steal the snowman's carrot nose as the happy yellow Lab watches wagging her tail.  Carrots are a daily treat for my dogs, we love them!

This design is also available with a black Lab and a chocolate Lab stealing snowman's carrot.  Visit my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop and browse the large selection of Labrador Christmas cards.  You can save 25% when you choose sets of 20 Lab Christmas cards or select sets of 10 Lab Dog Christmas cards for your shorter list.  Many designs are even available as single Labrador Holiday cards.

  Inside verse: Wishing you joy and happiness this holiday season and throughout the new year!

There are more greeting cards with horses, other dogs and a special Hanukkah Labrador Card in the Other Pets Christmas and Holiday Cards section.  Something for everyone!  Happy shopping and sharing!!

Painting of Two Gray Horses, OTTB Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse

"The Grays" is a painting of two paddock buddies at the stable where I ride.  City is an OTTB retired Thoroughbred and Buddy is a quarter horse.  Both are gray with freckles.  They shared their space with my favorite horse and a bunch of others.  (Buddy has since moved to his owner's land and the others now lounge in smaller groups.)  Always looking for treats that they knew I carried when I went to visit, this day I was ready with a camera as they posed so sweetly to ask for more goodies.  I chose them as my subjects for this quick, more abstracted painting than my usual portraits.  It was fun and freeing to push the paint around and let it drip, smear it and add some more.  I will definitely be doing more of this style for my dog paintings as well as horses and everything else.

The original painting has been sold.  Click over to the horse section of my OtterTail Art gallery at Amy Reges on Fine Art America to order a print of this two horse painting in the size that fits your space and on the surface of your choice.  If it is a shower curtain or a bedspread that strikes your fancy, good news! they are there!  Or choose a more traditional painting print and have it matted and framed before it is shipped.  SO many choices you will have tons of fun shopping!

Bon Voyage Sweet Kitty

Sad to say good-bye to Dame Helen of Hector.  ?1998 - 3 May 2017 - RIP Miss Helen.  She chose us and used us for her happily-ever-after life.  Jim and our dog, Dave, found Helen under a box on the porch of Jim's hunting camp one cold November day.  He checked with all the neighbors to see if she had wandered from home - Nope.  He asked all the locals if anyone wanted her - Nope.  So he asked me if he could bring her home.  My requisites were that she had to get along with the dogs, she had to be allowed to go outside (i.e., not harboring any contagious cat disease), and she would be HIS pet (= he should maintain the cat box).  So home she came, cleared on health and surprisingly already spayed, ok with the dogs (who she quickly learned to love) and Jim promising his role.

At first Jim wanted to name her something silly or cute, but after knowing her for a few days he agreed with me that there was nothing silly about her and an "old lady" name would fit her better.  Hence, we came up with Helen (depends on your generation if that sounds like an old lady name to you).  Immediately it was formalized to Dame Helen of Hector (we live in Hector) as she clearly thought she deserved a title and due respect.  With that, she moved in, became one of the family (with 10 Labs at the time) and made herself at home.

For 13 years she refused to sit on Jim's lap despite his pleas and that fact that she was "his".  She would sit on my lap more than I could stand.  In her old age we were finally able to convince her that Jim's lap was warm and comfortable and she spent many hours a day there until the end.

You were a good one, Dame Helen.  The honor was ours.

Horse Angel Painting - a Gift from a Horse

I created this painting as a gift for a friend after this horse, Chia, showed me this image and asked me to paint it for her.  Chia and another off-track thoroughbred race horse were retired to this loving person's stable.  Before long both horses, who arrived lame, developed serious founder.  After every effort to help them heal, it was decided the most humane decision was to euthanize them.  Knowing I practice animal communication, my friend asked me to communicate with the horses and tell them how sorry she was and how much she loved them.  When I connected with Chia he already knew what had been decided and understood.  He wanted me to let our friend know that he appreciated all she had done, that she did help him feel better, and he hoped she would try again with future horses.  He was so sweet and gracious, as the animals usually are when I connect with them.  He wanted her to know he would be galloping free and fast across the heavens with a light heart.  I kept the image he had shown me in my head and did my best to recreate it in this angel horse painting on canvas.  Now our friend has it as a memory of sweet Chia and a tribute to the other horses she has tried to help and will continue to help in the future.

It was my honor to communicate with Chia and all of the other animals with whom I have connected.

If you would like to schedule a telepathic animal connection with any of your pets or animals in your life please visit my animal communication web page for information.  You don't need to live nearby, my communications are done long distance via email with a photo of your pet.  The animal can be here now or passed-on, so don't hesitate if you want to make this connection.

If you would like a print of this painting, please contact me.

New Combination Frame for Upland Game Bird Dog AKC Titles

As OtterTail Dog Art we are happy to announce this new design for our popular Combination Frame.  This frame was created to hold a standard AKC title in the bottom cutout and a photo of the title-holder in the top opening.  The original design features flying waterfowl and cattails.  You can see it on my OtterTail Dog Art Wood page.

This design displays a pheasant creeping through the corn ($92) and was created at the request of an upland game bird hunter for two of her newly titled Labradors.  It would be a great gift for anyone with bird dogs.  The lower opening is sized to accept an approximately 8" x 10" photo in place of the AKC title, so you can fill it as you prefer.  It is lovely either way.

This example is cut from solid maple.  All of our wood items are created in solid hardwoods with the beauty of the natural wood color and grain highlighted by a hand-rubbed finish.  You can also choose black walnut, cherry, or request which other hardwoods are periodically available.

Celebrate your accomplishments in partnership with your dog in this lovely display.   Order today!

Black Labrador dog Portrait Painting, Life size

Handsome Diego was a wonderful model for this recent commissioned Labrador dog portrait painting.  I had a great reference photo, which always makes the painting process easier.  I love that this collector chose the large 20"x16" size.  This makes the subject life-sized.  It will be a lovely tribute to his beloved black Lab where it hangs in his home.

My portrait paintings are done in acrylic on stretched canvas.  There is a final protective coat applied so the paintings can be framed without glass or, since I paint around the edges of the wrapped canvas, they can be hung unframed.  For more information and to order your own, visit my website here:  OtterTail Dog Art Portrait Paintings.  In addition, you can purchase this and many of my other paintings as prints, greeting cards, and images on products in my online shops at Amy Reges Fine Art and OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop.