Captivated

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

This was an experiment with color. It was a pretty boring (gray) reference, so I made up some colorful bits to make it more interesting. 

Mischevious

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I went around and around trying different ways to paint the fur on this guy. Fur and hair and ... whiskers - are quite the challenge to paint. #alwayslearning

Nice to See You Again

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

Did you know that llamas communicate by humming? And they set boundaries by spitting at each other. But I've always thought they looked really happy - I think it's the mouth shape. And anytime I've met one they seem especially curious and unafraid. Best of all, I've never been chased by any.

Go Goose

Click Here to Bid - 5x7in. - oil on panel

When I was a little kid my family had some geese for a while. I was terrified of them because they would chase me. My parents said - just turn around and chase them back. But they outnumbered me! To this day I'm still terrified if I see a pack of them. One I can handle.

Dog Love is Eternal

Click Here to Bid - 5x7in. - oil on panel

You can count on dogs to be wearing permanent heart-shaped glasses for you. Their tails will never not wag when you get home. Their love will never wane. Dogs are THE BEST!

Sweet Seeker

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

This one has a bit of palette knife work, so I took a second photo (with my phone, so the colors look a little different). If you click on either image you can see them larger.

Brave Bunny

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

When I was teaching in North Carolina last week, I got out early one morning and took a few photos around the Apex neighborhood where I was staying. I saw quite a few bunnies, but they were too far away and skitterish to get any good photos. Here's the best one I got. >

And that's why I have mostly relied on other photographers for the really good ones I can paint. : )

Love Attack

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

This is a yellow-collared lovebird, coming in for a surprise, love attack. I couldn't resist.

Lion in Wait

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Here's another big cat. I strangely remember painting quite a few of these, but apparently I've only painted three before this one. And only 48 cats in general.

Watch Dog

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

My son came up with the title for this one. He also pointed out that this is the first time I've painted a watch, which I think is true. I tried not to give it much detail or contrast though, since it's not the focus.

Observant

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Here's a slightly bigger cat than yesterday's cutie.

And regarding that, thanks to all who emailed me about the name of an orange cat. I changed the name/title to "Ginger." Your feedback is much appreciated. : )

Ginger

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I always thought it was funny that a person with orange hair is called a "redhead." It's orange. I mean... So if a cat is orange, what is it called? I would consider changing my title...

Keeping Warm

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

We've had a super mild winter here in Missoula, but right now it's having one last gasp with several inches of snow. Fortunately it's pretty to look at out the window as I nurse the last of my cold. This dog can relate.

Perched on Dots

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I've had a cold for a few days. The pressure in my head when I become horizontal makes it hard to sleep, so even though I feel crummy, I've mostly kept myself upright and busy, at least during the day. But I tried to paint yesterday, and what I found is that the crumminess was too distracting, and probably the exhaustion from not sleeping well, and nothing I painted turned out. Luckily I'm still ahead with my paintings, so here's a cute kitty from better days.

Simply Delightful

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

This was one of those times with painting where I went into a zone and when I came out there was this lovely dog. It required no thinking or fussing. It's what I call a "paint-gasm." And I live for them. : )

Don't Get Distracted

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel

My dog loves to go outside and sniff. She'll wander around happily sniffing every part of the yard, even when it's super cold and we have to just stand there and wait. I say "potty" every few minutes just to remind her of the task at hand. Otherwise she just stays distracted.

Paddling in Cobalt

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel

I found a reference image with too many ducks, so I cropped in on this little batch. Even then I had to omit a couple to make it work. Then I started to paint, keeping it very abstract. I put the eyes in at the very end, stepped back, and suddenly they were ducks. So cool when that happens.

Got Nuts?

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

This is from another borrowed photo reference by Dan Johnson (who painted these gorgeous swans recently). This squirrel became a lot more tediously painted than I normally do, but I really enjoyed it, and I like the result. I think I always shoot for simple and minimal, but sometimes an image just asks for more refinement. I guess this must be a very refined, super-posh, gentle-squirrel.

So Happy to SEE You

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

I'm getting to that age where I need glasses to see anything up close. I have yet to come up with a system whereby I carry them around with me, so I will screw up my face trying to see until my hub says, "Oh just use mine!" I suppose it doesn't really matter for dogs to see that clearly. We have domesticated them into (mostly) pure uselessness. Well, I shouldn't say that. They are providers of cuteness and love, which is a lot.

Did You Say Ball?

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I've discovered a new use for my ipad. After I've worked on a painting for a while, if it still doesn't seem quite right, I take a picture of it with my ipad, and put it in an art app side by side with the reference (preferably the same size). My goal is not to make them identical, but often I can see quickly where I might have gone awry with proportion* or value. I might make some adjustments to the image of the painting first, undo and redo until I like it, and then commit to the changes in paint.

*If you use Infinite Painter, you can drag the reference image over the painting image, make it the same size, and hold it with 2 fingers. This makes the top image translucent, and then you can really see any proportion issues.