Who's your Buddy now.

This is 'Buddy' a handsome mixed breed dog owned by a friend. He reminds me of a German Shepherd in this portrait, especially with his large upright ears and coloring. His direct gaze speaks to his personality which I'm told is strong and energetic but lovable.
This guy loves to run and he has just the right home for it with a big beautiful field on the owner's property and plenty of pesky wildlife around to keep him entertained..like a family of foxes.
His new mother loved him from the start, but he was a handful and his dad wasn't quite sold on the idea. It took a little time but Buddy worked his way into everyone's hearts and now his dad takes him everywhere.
This is acrylic with touches of casein mixed in, painted on a terra cotta toned panel. I started using toned pastel papers several years ago and use that same underpainting for acrylic and casein. You can see it peeking through in the background and in areas of Buddy's chest and neck. I like the warmth and cohesive quality of this method.

The Green Monster

This may seem strange but ever since we bought this funny little green toy for our dog Koda I've wanted to include it in painting. It was her favorite as a pup but we took it away because it started to fall apart. I saved it just for this..The weird shape and eyes really get me.

Koda has since moved on to more exciting oral fixation playthings such as Steve's leather mocassins, my shoes and art magazines. If we leave her home alone she'll gather them all up and pile them on her bed until we return. We also have a huge green tennis ball collection for her scattered throughout the house. Koda can bounce and catch a ball multiple times and will do it in front of us to signal "Playtime! Come on you two..liven up!"

Koda makes a great subject and she has very expressive eyes. Sometimes when she narrows them they look very exotic...almost sexy.

This is another pastel painting at 20 x 20 and was photoed with a flash so it appears pixallized and too red. Pastels are difficult to photo because some pigments reflect the light...like little mirrors.

All my work is for sale..except maybe this one.

Just Thinkin'

I've been focused on Koda as my subject for the past several studies and small paintings. Some of those will be used for larger paintings but I've come to a point where some ruminating has to take place before those happen. This last(for now anyway), painting of Koda, was finished late last night. I was inspired by a Wyeth watercolor of his dog Nell called "The Kass'. Wyeth's painting is very simple but so poignant..Nell is lying on the floor in front of an imposing Pennsylvania Dutch armoire called a Kass that was given to Wyeth as a gift from a grateful client. Sunlight pours in bathing Nell and just hitting the elegant carved details of the cabinet. My house is less grand but this scene of our great room was just right.
This is 11 x 14 casein on Jack Richeson pastel board.

This Is Mine

I couldn't believe my luck when I saw the photo of Koda used for this painting. The picture was taken about a week ago. I clicked away on the digital as she raced around almost running me over with her beloved soccer ball. The ferocious look in her eyes, the weird angle of her tail, and the flying ears just cracked me up. I dare you to catch her when she has this ball! NO CAN DO!..The only way to get her is to wear her out..which wears me out!
This is 5 x7 casein on heavy card stock with terra cotta Colourfix primer as an undercoat..love the stuff..the dog too.

Koda Under the Leaves

I've had an idea for this painting of Koda mulling around in my head for a while. Don't know why but the idea of wallpaper designs got me started. My thought was to put her against that type of background and it had to be harmonious and decorative but not distracting. To show more movement and energy I placed the leaves or feathers, whichever you prefer, randomly across the field..as if floating or dropping. Not sure why the leaves or feathers either..just like the shapes and the green harmonizes with her reddish coat.
Koda was reluctant to pose for me..I woke her from a nap but she came through and gave me just the right look. What a clever girl..
This is casein on 11 x 14 Jack Richeson toned pastel board...

This is Gracie

I got alot accomplished today...cleaned up the studio and the house, gessoed some panels to prepare them for painting and started one of those with an underpainting. I've been thinking about the one I'm about to start for quite some time so stay tuned as I work though it.. I'm thinking forward to shows and hope it will be worthy.
While waiting for the underpainting to dry I painted this portrait of my middle son's 8 month old puppy Gracie. She's a rescue from Arkansas and a sweet little dog. Her ancestry is a guess.....the vet says a Jack Russell and Dachshund cross...so she looks like a very long JR with a full length tail. Her big floppy ears are really comical and her markings are definitely that of a JR. We don't know how or where she was found but her temperament is just right for a young family.
I got a nice photo of her with a very trusting look in her eyes...typical of her. The contemporary design of the carpet she was sitting on adds an interesting background as well. The black curved structure in the top left is a rocking chair base.
This is 5x7 casein...and not for sale..I know who'll want this one..