A Dog for Christmas

As Christmas nears, I am usually painting away till the last minute.  This year, I didn't take on too many painting commissions so I could be a little more relaxed during the holidays.  I just delivered this watercolor portrait of "Nelson" to a wonderful couple who have also become great friends.  This little guy seemed to be full of spunk when I first went to meet him, but his owners later learned he was in pain due to cancer and not really himself.  He had to be put to sleep only a month after I first saw him.  When I showed them the finished painting, they both commented that they could almost see just a touch of that pain by the look in his eyes.  They were both so happy with it and I loved doing it for them.  Now I am planning on painting a little something for myself, the possibilities are endless!  I will keep it a surprise till my next post.

Times have Changed

I had an appointment yesterday with a local art gallery owner. I have spent the last few years doing almost all commission work but have also had the ongoing problem that many artist's have. Where do you market your originals? As much as I love doing commissions, I also enjoy doing art for "myself". In the 80's, I would bring along originals to galleries, but also my various portfolios of work. These consist of photographs and original tearsheets from magazines and companies I did illustration work for. In 2011, I brought along my trusty portfolio, but also my computer. I have all my work available and it can be brought up to see in the blink of an eye! When getting my originals together, I realized that I still have the big portfolios that I have had for 30 years. They have gone with me to more galleries and art shows than I can count. I have done many outdoor shows where my watercolors literally started dripping inside the glass from the heat, or storm winds blew my art off the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ. I clearly remember trudging through almost a foot of snow one Friday evening to set up an indoor show in PA. Needless to say, it didn't get the best turnout! So, what is an artist to do?

I learned yesterday, that technology has developed in leaps and bounds for artists and the "virtual" art gallery of today. I got my first laptop in 2003 and since then have developed my own website and tried to learn as much as I can. The gallery owner suggested various web based ideas for me to pursue. I left there not feeling "shot down", but energized and positive. He is a terrific business person and I am so thankful he took so much time to educate me in other marketing concepts that may work for me in these changing times.

Horses in your Blood

I recently completed a Pastel and Pencil commission for an old high school friend who found me through Facebook. The family I did the drawing for now have a son who owns a beautiful hunter. In high school, I was lucky to have a horse and walked to the barn every day after school. I never participated in high school sports for that reason, horses were my love and still are. My parents would pick me up from the barn, smelling of horses, manure and very happy. There were also those days I was sad and dejected from falling off in a lesson. A few other girls in high school also had horses, and Lori contacted me when she wanted to surprise another friend's family at his graduation. They all have continued the tradition of riding and showing horses. Once horses are in your blood, they are there forever.

Little Dogs

I have to say I am partial to big dogs, but these little yorkies are so cute and were really fun to paint. An artist friend asked me to put her dogs all together in the watercolor painting. I decided on a garden setting to add some additional interest and a few soft colors to the background. I'm not sure what's next, I am feeling the itch to paint something for myself and take a break from the commissions for a bit. As much as I love painting the portraits, I love the creative freedom of "doing my own thing".

Making Customers Happy

I met up with a customer to deliver a long awaited commission of her cats as a Christmas surprise for her husband. I always have a little anxiety when showing finished paintings. I worry if it really captures the spirit and vision of the animal that the person has in their mind. Many artists refuse to do commissions for this very reason. There is always a chance that when you reveal the painting after all your hard work, they may not be happy with the results. It has to produce that instant recognition of what they remember as their cherished pet. For me as an artist, there is nothing like that first rush of emotion I see in their eyes when I show them the painting. It is such a feeling of accomplishment, and all the anxiety vanishes when I see the tears in their eyes.

Painting Dogs

I delivered a long awaited portrait commission yesterday of a Scottish Deerhound to a wonderful couple. When I knocked on the door, I knew they had lost not only "Ellie", but also another older Deerhound while waiting for the portrait. They had gotten a new puppy about 7 months ago and also had one other 12 year old dog. I was immediately greeted by what appeared to be an adult. It is unusual for a deerhound to be so exuberant with strangers, so I realized it was their new puppy "Penelope". The couple then told me they had to put their older dog to sleep last week. They had lost three of their beloved dogs in less than a year. The sadness of that was replaced by the new puppy who captured your heart right away. After lots of kisses she quickly retired to the couch in typical Deerhound style.

When I unwrapped the painting, I had my usual nervousness as to whether it would capture the essence of the dog they loved so much. They looked in silence then both expressed how much they loved it. I think they were holding back tears because of the flood of memories it brought back. The daily walks on the beach and how she would love sleeping on their bed. Anyone that has dogs in their lives knows the feeling well when we lose them. We lose a part of our own heart and vow never to go through it again. Yet, we shortly welcome another puppy or rescue into our lives to once again give us the unconditional love that only a dog can give. They decided to "hide" the painting from puppy Penelope so she would not decide it was an early Christmas gift to unwrap. She had once again filled their hearts with love and the joy of owning a dog.

A Simple Life

I recently completed this commission of a beautiful restored farmhouse in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was once the home of a wonderful woman I know who is now 91. She spent her childhood there, living a simple life. My husbands parents and his childhood were also spent on beautiful farm properties such as this one. His early childhood and teen years were spent working on a 90 acre dairy farm in Coopersburg, Pa. His father also owned a 60 acre farm where they farmed corn, hay, soybean, and wheat. Eventually, development took over the farms in the area and it made more sense to sell property to home builders. Most of the old stone farmhouses are now owned by people who have the means to maintain and restore them. I believe that is what an old stone farmhouse deserves, but it is still sad to see the area and the simple way of life changed so dramatically.