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.

Labrador Dogs Tug Santa Scarf Christmas Cards

Those silly Labs are having fun with Santa's scarf.  He was looking for it while getting ready for his big trip and finally tracked the dogs down having a game of tug in the yard.  If Santa gets a late start this year we will know who to blame!

This is my first new Christmas design for 2016.  I love my regular customers who ask me to make a new card every year.  I have a large collection of Labrador Christmas Cards in packs of 10 and 20 as well as single cards in my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop Greeting Card section.  There are cards with black Labs, yellow Labs and chocolate Labradors, of course!  You will also find a nice selection with two dogs in various color combinations - Something to make everyone happy!

Holiday greeting cards are just the first step.  You will find great gifts for all your Lab loving family and friends.  Happy shopping at the OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop where finding unique dog-theme gifts is easy and fun!

Off-track Thoroughbred Horse Portrait Painting OTTB

It was lots of fun to paint this handsome Off-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) portrait painting.  This piece was commissioned by a mom for her daughter's 13th birthday - lucky girl!!  The subject is her special horse, Stuart.  He was bought by them off the race track and is now doing very well in training and showing as a hunter.  It's so nice when these wonderful horses get another chance to live a good life.  So many of them never get that opportunity.

I've been riding at Hess Stable myself since March.  It is wonderful to have horses back in my life again after a very long absence.  I also have a thoroughbred to enjoy, though he is quite a bit older and well-trained previously as someone's dressage horse.  Lucky for me that Truckee is now a resident with many other rescued thoroughbred horses at Hess Stable.

If you or someone you know has a special companion why not honor them with a custom horse portrait painting - or cat or dog painting.  Any pets are welcome!  Visit my website at http://www.ottertailart.com/Portraits.html for information, then email me to get started.  Now is a great time to be planning for Christmas.

Horse Painting - Retired Thoroughbred Race Horse

I started riding horses again after missing it for 30 years.  Wow!  That sounds crazy since I am only 32 :-).  It's been great to get back around horses - the smells, the sounds, the energy.  I am loving it!

It comes as no surprise then that I feel the need to paint them.  This is the first one.  I left it abstract and with the canvas texture showing to give a rustic feel.  It just felt right this way.

This handsome fellow is Homer, a 20-something year old retired Thoroughbred race horse.  He is now enjoying life at Hess Stables with a bunch of other ex-race horses.  He was kind enough to strike some lovely poses for me when I was out taking reference photos, so he gets to be the first on my easel.

This original painting is 12"x9" acrylic on canvas panel which will make it easy to frame.  Plus the final top coat protects the painting so no glass is needed.  Sweet Homie can be yours for $198.00.  Email me.  I'm looking forward to more time with the horses and creating many more horse paintings.

See more of my animal and dog paintings and contact me through my website at OtterTailArt.com

Training Tips from 2-year-old Labrador Dog

Happy Birthday Mooki - 2 years old today.  That means you are grown up now so there will be no more "bad dog stuff" ... right?  Haha.  I know that won't be true, but I am happy to say he has made a lot of progress over the past few months towards being a well-behaved dog.

I am a good trainer and have experience with lots of dogs.  I admit I prefer the softies and, having had a bunch of them, I have gotten away with some training short-cuts.  Mooki has a willful streak, is quite stubborn and, well, not the brightest bulb in the pack.  He has pushed me back into being a more strict trainer instead of the lazy way I slide into with the easy dogs.  We went to "1 strike and you are out" instead of 3.  It means I have had to follow through every time if he ignores me.   I am happy to see him making big strides toward listening better, especially when it comes to being rough on the other dogs.  At this point I may give him a little slack, but if  he needs to be told more than once a couple times in a day, we go right back to the 1-strike system.  The good news is that Mooki does not dislike these rules since it is very clear to him that he is in control of the consequences of his behavior.  Animals like clarity.

One of the big mistakes I realized I had slipped into was too much of telling him "don't do" this or "stop" doing that.  Frankly, I was getting annoyed with him and not thinking like a trainer.  It is much much MUCH more effective if you tell them what TO DO instead of what NOT to do.  Now that I have corrected myself Mooki has learned some good new cues.  In addition, his recall has gotten significantly better since it is a "to do" cue that gets him out of trouble (and often gets him a fun reward).  We will happily put those rough days behind us and move forward with positive energy!

Hand-Painted Silk Scarf Labradors and Botanicals

Today is our coldest day this winter and we got a couple of inches of snow yesterday to cover our bare ground.  It's making me think of spring!  Phil said it is coming early this year.  Are you ready?

"6 Heads Botanicals" is an 11" x 60" China Silk scarf adorned with hand-painted Labrador dog head profiles among twining leaves and flowers.  The colors are spring green, warm golden yellow and blossom blues.  $70.00

China silk, also known as Habotai, has a nice sheen, light and billowing drape.  It will help you feel shiny and special.  6 heads has been the most popular design of my Labrador silk scarves and every one is unique.  All of the dogs and elements are hand drawn with resist on a suspended blank silk scarf.  Once the resist dries I apply colors that I mix specially for each individual scarf.  This completely hand drawn and painted process results in one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art.  How special is that?

6 Heads Botanicals is $70, payable by check or through PayPal.  Order this or any of my scarves by emailing me.   I can also paint a new scarf just for you in colors of your choice.  Get your spring juices flowing!  See more at my Hand-painted Silk Scarf webpage.

Hand Painted Cute Black and White Dog

Introducing Zen Dog Too.   He is made of wood and is 13 inches long by nearly 15 inches high, 3 inches wide.   Hand-painted and covered with a protective coat, he will be faithfully adorable in any room of your home.   I don't think you would believe the hours I spent lost in creating his doodles, he will be the last of his kind.   Zen Dog Too is available to good homes only.  You can adopt him for $158.00 plus shipping.  He will make you smile.

He is, in fact, the second Zen Dog, but his name is not a typo.  Since there will be no more of these I am going with "also" instead of number "2".  Plus it matches his cuteness better.  Check out lots more of my artwork at OtterTailArt.com

Happy New Year for 2016

Happy New Year Everyone!  I borrowed this pic from Mike Dooley who I love for his Notes from the Universe.  Join the Infinite Possibilities Project if you are so interested.  Whatever you do, I wish you all a happy, healthy new year filled with love and light!

Onward and Upward!

Labrador Dog Christmas Cards - A large selection

'Tis the season for connecting with friends and sending them tidings of joy.  I have an avid group of return customers for my Labrador Christmas Cards who insist on new designs every year.  Last season after I created a mellow single sailing Christmas Lab several people requested a design with two dogs for motor boat lovers and/or those who live in climates that are warm for the holidays.  So, here you go!  A black Lab and a yellow Labrador enjoy cutting the waves as the wind brings them great smells and sends ears flying.  Black and yellow Labrador motor boat Christmas cards are available in sets of 10 and 20 or as singles.  (Psst - sets of 20 are a better deal.)  The inside verse reads:  Hope Your Christmas is Full of Fun.  It's a very merry way to extend holiday wishes to friends and family.

Want some cold winter scenes instead?  There are plenty to choose from in my Labrador Christmas Card collection.  Designs are available in yellow Labs, black Labs, and chocolate Labradors, of course.  Be sure to scroll down for the sets of 20.  You can buy yourself a little holiday gift with the money you save. 

Rally Obedience Title for young Black Labrador

Is that a look of disbelief?  You can't imagine that I waited so long to announce your first AKC title?  Let's get right to it! 

Black Labrador, Mooki, earned  his Rally Novice obedience title at the Wine Country dog show circuit in New York at the end of September 2015.  He earned 99 points out of 100 on the first two legs and the judge loudly and pointedly - and politely - told me it was all my fault and not his.  Knock me on the head a few times to remind me that rally is looking for something different than regular obedience!  I finally got my act together so he earned 100 points on the third leg to finish his title.  He got second place and third place the first two days thanks to my error.  We won first place the last day and a nice bag of treats.  Good work for a 17-month-old boy at his first all-breed dog shows, and very large ones at that.  "Overwhelmed" was the word of the weekend.  Onward and upward to more life experiences Mooki.

Cool off with thoughts of Holiday snow

It seems funny to post an OtterTail Dog Art Christmas card during this heat wave we have been experiencing in the northeast.  Maybe it will help cool us down!  I know lots of my customers begin looking for holiday cards in August as I get requests every year, so it's definitely not too early to get started.  This fun design of 2 Labrador dogs leading one of Santa's reindeer is available in sets of 10, sets of 20, and beautifully made single greeting cards.  You can choose a black Lab with a chocolate Labrador if you prefer, or even 2 black Labs walking the reindeer out to the sleigh.  The verse inside reads:  May your Christmas be merry and bright.

Other new designs will be added for the 2015 holiday season soon.  Meanwhile, I'm feeling cooler already - just chillaxing while the Labs enjoy their job.

Zen Dog Painted Statue

 My first Zen Dog.  Ohmmm.

He was a joy to paint and I did, indeed, get totally caught up and carried away in the process.  He was started to be a fun, colorful, eye-catching addition to my artwork display at the newly rebuilt shelter of the Humane Society of Schuyler County in Montour Falls, NY.  I got so involved that he became a piece of art himself.  I now have a shelf full of wonderful items for sale at the shelter, including:

•  OtterTail Dog Art fine art prints,
•  dog design greeting cards and Labrador Christmas cards,
•  OtterTail Dog Art wood cut peg racks and picture frames
• cat and dog original paintings.  

Zen dog is welcoming shoppers and bringing his own joy to the display.  To top it off, I am donating 30% of all sales of these items to support the Humane Society of Schuyler County.  It's a win-win situation for all!

This Zen Dog is approximately 17" wide from tip of toe to tail and 20" tall to the tip of his nose.  He is made of wood and finished with a protective coat of polyurethane.  Although he went outside to have his picture taken, he is meant to be a house dog to brighten any room in your home.  Zen Dog is looking for his own happy home.  His adoption fee is $138.00 plus shipping.  Are you the one?

This portrait painting of two Labrador Retrieves was fun and challenging.  The background was requested to be reminiscent of the ocean.  Finding a nice flow of colors and variations was an interesting exercise when combined with making it a nice backdrop for both a black Lab and a yellow Lab side by side.  I always use some of the background colors in the animal colors.  I enjoy using a very limited palette for all of my paintings and strive to get color coordination by using the same few colors throughout, mixing my own rather than opening another tube.  In this case, the black coat is actually a mix including blue from the background with ochre and sienna and those colors are used to create the yellow Labrador's coat.  You may note in some of my previous Labrador paintings that I tend to use Alizarin crimson and Pthalo green as my favorite black mixture, but that would not have blended as well with the background and yellow Lab.  It is a good exercise to make myself use different combinations.

Did you think I used black paint from the tube to create a black Lab?  Nope - that was one of the first lessons I read about in attempting to teach myself to paint and I'm so glad I did.  Mixing colors adds much more richness and I love how each one peaks through as I shift the balance of the mixes.

Color challenges aside, both the owner and I love the result!  These two Labs are getting older now, so the owner asked me to turn back the clock a bit and take out some gray.  I may try that on a self portrait - LOL!

Would you love a pet portrait of your own?  Visit my OtterTail Dog Art Portrait page for basic information and then contact me.

Dog Painting Donated to New Shelter

I painted this dog portrait of Pit Bull, Maximus, as a gift for the Humane Society of Schuyler County to commemorate the opening of their fantastic new shelter.  The old dog shelter was a sad and sorry place.  Now they have a new warm and safe building that also houses the HSSC cats and has rooms for surgeries, grooming, meeting potential adopters, educational programs and fun gatherings.  Now, finally, all of the dogs have beds.  Max was the first to get one.

Maximus is the honorary "mayor" of the HSSC shelter.  Sadly, he has been in their care for 4 years, ever since he was about 6 months old.  Max is a very sweet guy.  He takes part in local parades and other events.  He even got to "cut" the ribbon at the opening of a new wine store.  He is waiting for a special someone to adopt him - I hope they find him soon!

It was my pleasure to donate this dog painting in honor of Max.  It is 16"x20" acrylic on canvas and hangs prominently on display in the new shelter building in Montour Falls, NY.

Tree Hugger Painting

I admit I have (at least) a couple of self-imposed hang-ups when it comes to painting.  One is that I find a white canvas uninspiring and the second is that I hate to waste paint.  So after I complete a painting project I satisfy both problems by using left over paint to awaken a blank white canvas that will be used for a future project.  I may do this once or multiple times before a canvas is chosen for its "real" job.

This painting called "Tree Hugger" was born through my waste-not process.  The background colors were layered smears of leftover paint from several other projects.  I also used it to test colors as I worked on another canvas.  It lay on the side table waiting to collect more dregs when I happened to have some extra brown mixed at the end of a dog portrait.

Inspired by the wild array of colors I used the brown to paint one of my regular activities - tree hugging.  I have been practicing animal communication for over a year now and discovered that it is also fun and easy to talk to the trees.  Turns out they are very wise.  I chose one tree I pass on my daily walks with my dogs to be my regular counselor.  It's a young ash tree - no different than the hundreds of others on our property.  It isn't as big as the tree in this painting, but I hug it anyway.  Trees have great energy.  I read this article the other day that confirms what I already felt - Trees Can Heal You.  If you haven't hugged a tree lately (or ever), I highly recommend it.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse at my painting process.  I kind of like this little ditty.  It will likely inspire a future rendition and that is always fun.  Not a bad way to use left over paint and a blank white canvas.

Visit my OtterTail Art website and Amy Reges Print Gallery to see more and shop.

Do you need a cuddly gray kitty to make your house feel like a home?  This sweet cat is waiting for you.  One of my latest paintings of another model from the Humane Society of Schuyler County (if you are looking for a live version there is one there looking for you too!).

This was a fun painting that went through many transmutations.  It started out wildly colored.  I thought the cat would not be gray at all even though the model was this color.  But as it progressed my fairies took over and kept changing colors of both the subject and background until this image emerged.  Sometimes that happens - what I start out planning takes a totally different track.  It's part of the fun and always a learning experience.

The original Gray Cat is an acrylic painting on canvas panel, 8 inches by 10 inches and is available for $175.00 to the first adopter offering a good home.  It will be simple for you to frame and no glass is needed.  If you prefer a print in the size of your choice with a variety of substrate options you can find your heart's desire here at Gray Cat Prints in my Amy Reges Print Gallery under Other Animals.

Thanks for visiting!  Can you hear the purrrrr?

Black Lab and Yellow Labrador dogs lead Santa's Reindeer

One of my new Christmas designs for 2014 is this dynamic trio of two Labrador Retrievers leading one of Santa's reindeer to the sleigh in preparation for his long night's work.  All are filled with the excitement of Christmas! 

This design is available in my Labrador and Dog Christmas Cards gallery as well as on prints of various sizes and greeting cards in my OtterTail Lab Art print gallery.  These are two of my shops and both printers make high quality Christmas cards with my Labrador and dog designs.

This design is also available with a black Labrador and a chocolate Lab leading the reindeer.  I know very well that Labrador lovers have their favorite colors!  I like to keep everyone happy.  If you would like this design with 2 black Labs (always popular) or any other color combination I will be happy to set it up for you. --- As long as they are REAL colors.  Labrador Retrievers come in three colors - black, yellow and chocolate.  The whole silver, charcoal, champagne and other crazy colors people have come up with lately are recent mix breeds, not true Labradors.  I'm sure there are lovely dog souls among them, but as a traditional Lab lover I cannot recognize the "flavor of the month" dogs that are offered by breeders who only care about money and not the health and integrity of the breed.

Just to set the record straight, I personally have loved many mixed breed dogs.  Both those I have owned and those I fostered for rescue groups when they were in need.  I love all dogs.  I paint portraits of dogs of many breeds and mixes and consider that an honor.  I offer animal communication with all dogs of any heritage.  It is the unscrupulous, devious breeders that I am against - not the dogs!  Here's to the pure hearts of dogs everywhere!!  May all people find that level of love and integrity within themselves.

So, off my soapbox, I am happy to offer this and many other Christmas and holiday cards designs featuring black, yellow, and/or chocolate Labradors and other breeds.  My ever-growing collection is sure to tickle your fancy if you are a dog lover looking to share some fun and happy canine spirit this holiday season!

Be Thankful for all of your blessings

Rest In Peace Dad.
Aug 1925 - Oct 2014

Thank you, Universe and Dad, for everything.

Another dog portrait painting commission is ready and waiting for approval.  As usual, my photograph does not do it justice.  Photographing original paintings is a skill in itself!  They always look better in real life!!  I think it captures her and the fact she is a cutie with plenty of thoughts and ideas of her own.

This lucky girl was adopted from a rescue group by a very loving family who has provided a great home for quite a number of Lab and German Shepherd dog mixes.  This is Daisy and she is one of two new members to their pack.

This original portrait is painted in acrylics on stretched canvas, 11x14" full of color and loving energy.  Get one of your own by contacting me.  Check out the basic information for pet portrait paintings on my OtterTail Dog Art website at:  http://www.OtterTailArt.com/Portraits.html

 

Since I have been practicing animal communication I discovered that once you tap into your ability to talk to other souls you find it is not restricted at all. It was actually the trees who first contacted me. Since then I have found them to be full of wisdom and great teachers. There is one particular tree I stop to connect with on my daily walk with the dogs. It is a young ash tree - one of hundreds, nothing particular. In addition to great advice, this tree has given me numerous images to paint. Here is the first one in what I hope will be an interesting series of Paintings from the Trees.

Titled: The Tunnel in the Trees, this original artwork is acrylic on 8"x10" canvas panel. Before I began painting the canvas was textured with shapes of leaves scattered throughout which adds another layer of dimension.  To get your daily dose of inspiration buy the original for $159.00 and go deep in to the tunnel.  Contact Amy to purchase this original paining.


Giclee prints, canvas prints, acrylic prints, and greetings cards of my Paintings from the Trees are available through Amy Reges Fine Art Gallery where you can process your order efficiently and safely online.

Feel the energy, hear the wisdom, be inspired by the trees.

 

Dog and cat paintings are in progress, as always.