Catnap!

A few weeks ago, I happened to glance in my guest bedroom in between chores. My mellow kitty, Molly, was napping in the most peculiar position. It was one of those moments when you feel the need to grab your camera and just start snapping pictures. While I was snapping away, I was giggling at the fact that my kitty didn't even bother to move with a camera in plain site. She remained outstretched on her back, with her paws in the air. Apparently, this is THE most comfortable position. for morning naps.

The portrait is drawn in pastel pencils from my favorite reference photo taken that morning. A few areas were touched up with general pastels to create a smooth appearance. The drawing is 11 x 14" on smooth, vellum paper.

The small photograph above the portrait is the reference photo.

Illustration Friday - I Spy

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "I Spy". Many people spy on wildlife, the weather, or their neighbors through the windows of their homes. In this picture, I am spying on some squirrels in my yard. It was a particularly sunny day and I love playing with darkness and light in the composition.

The Niche

The dog drawn above is my own mixed breed, Lady Sasha. Sasha is not a snuggler per se, but she occasionally will place her head on you to show affection. The reference for this picture was taken while I was reclining in the sun and Sasha rested her head on my leg. She found a comfy niche and pouted. Her expression was priceless and it inspired the pastel pic above. Enjoy!

Pastel Demonstration

The video above demonstrates the steps involved in creating a pastel pencil portrait. I thought it would be interesting for artists and clients to see how I work. I'm still a novice at creating videos, but this is a start. I'm pretty proud of my portrait of Sunny and photographed the steps as I drew. It's always interesting in the beginning, when I am layering the colors. The piece looks flat and goes through the "ugly" stage. With a large piece, this stage can take time to work through. I have to remind myself that the piece will come together in the end. I guess that philosophy can work in life as well, when faced with a challenge.

Press Coverage

I've posted a clip above from the Syracuse City Eagle. The Eagle ran a story this week about my winning entries at The Art Show At The Dog Show. I am so thrilled to be in this week's paper!

Sunny Came Home

The picture above is my adorable senior golden, Sunny. This special guy is the subject of the two portraits below, that won awards at the Art Show At The Dog Show. Sunny is drawn in pastel pencils and his portrait dimensions are 11 x 14".

Sunny is recovering from a series of cluster seizures that occurred randomly two weeks ago. While he hasn't seizured since, he is quite sedate. He mostly rests and sleeps. I took the reference photo for this portrait while he was napping in the sunlight. He always looks like he belongs in a calendar, in front of a crackling fireplace when he naps. He just has the classic golden retriever look.

It's A Major Award!

Hee, hee. Any fans of the movie, A Christmas Story, will remember the classic line that is the title of this blog. I thought it would be a light-hearted introduction to some good news.... I won two awards at The Art Show At The Dog Show!

I received a list of winners in the mail on Saturday. My drawing "Golden Slumbers" received fourth place in the Drawing category. And... My drawing "Lazy Afternoon" won the "Best Entry Depicting A Golden Retriever" award. The second award is very special and difficult to achieve. My piece was selected as the best portrayal of the breed in any medium, including sculpture, photography, and painting. The second piece will be shown on the competition website once the 2007 winners are added.

What makes this story a little more tragic/inspiring are the events that surrounded the news. The subject of my golden retriever drawings, my own dog Sunny, was in the animal emergency hospital shortly before the competition judging occurred. Sunny began having violent seizures at night a few weeks ago. The seizure cluster did not subside, so he was admitted to the local Animal Emergency hospital. After 24 hours, they were able to control the seizures with medication and he was released home. Sunny has had a slow recovery. He has lost a lot of his vibrancy, but every day he gains a little more of his old self. These awards came at the perfect time to pay tribute to a remarkable rescue golden retriever.

I've posted pictures of the winning pieces above. The first piece is the "Best Entry Depicting A Golden Retriever" and the second piece received a 4th place award in the "Drawing" category. For more information about this prestigious art show, log on to www.artshowatthedogshow.com. The 2007 results should be posted over the next couple of months. You can also view past winners of the competition on this site. The art show hangs in Wichita, Kansas until the month of April.

Bear

The adorable puppy pictured above is named Bear. Bear's owner is wildlife and dog photographer, Lisa Husar. Photos of Bear have appeared in magazines, greeting cards, calendars, and catalogs, including the cover of the Fall 2006 Coldwater Creek catalog. I am proud to have drawn a golden retriever who I have seen in print. Bear is probably one of the most photographed golden retrievers around.

In this scene, Bear has stolen his owner's sneaker and happily chews on a few laces with the appearance of innocence in his sparkling eyes. The portrait of Bear is drawn in pastel pencil and is 12 x 16" in size.

Illustration Friday - Communication

There is something magical about animal communication. Sometimes, animals will get close and it appears as if they are whispering secrets to each other. Yet, the whole encounter is silent. They communicate with energy.

The reference to this photo was taken at a zoo, in the gorilla forest exhibit. I randomly was taking snapshots as the gorillas interacted and managed to capture this special moment. It seemed perfect for an illustration. It's 11 x 14" and drawn in pastel pencils. Enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Here is my latest portrait... The kitty pictured above is Molly, a rather luxurious girl. She spends her days sprawled out in the sun or curled up on a pile of clothing. She always seeks out the warmest, softest places to lounge. I chose to work in deep, warm hues to show a sense of sophistication and warmth. This cat does not have a mean bone in her body so she is best portrayed in a warm, loving light. She actually will allow humans to rub her belly, like a dog. Now that is a mellow cat!

Seal Of Approval

Yesterday, I found myself looking for something new to draw. I have attempted to draw my husband several times and feel that I never quite get it right. I love him so much that I want the drawing to be perfect and reflect what I see. With Valentine's Day a recent memory, I've been feeling kind of mushy. It was time for a sappy "dog kissing human" portrait.

This piece is titled "Seal Of Approval" because I wanted to be funny. It shows exactly how much my beloved dog, Sasha, approves of my hubby. She adores him and watches him leave for work every morning with her ears perked up in the window. She is a very affectionate girl who has softened the likes of an intelligent software engineer.

Apollo!

The dog above is Apollo, an adorable german shepard mix. Apollo's hobbies include enjoying treats and running in the snow. He is a very excitable and playful boy. I love how he tips his head in curiousity in this portrait. It's almost as if he is saying "What is that "camera thing" that you are holding in front of me? Is it edible?"

On the Road To Kansas

Well, I survived the "blizzard" that hit yesterday. We got a few feet of snow. Syracuse University actually was closed for the second time in the history of the school. That's a good indication of the storm's severity. My neighbors struggled to climb our hill and the car that was snow-covered in the previous post was buried in snow by evening.

I managed to ship my artwork to the Art Show At The Dog Show this morning. I am keeping my fingers crossed and faith strong that my work makes it to Kansas safely and on time. This is such an exciting opportunity!

On a side note, the springer spaniel won the Best In Show award at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show a few days ago. Check out the springer spaniel post below to view an equally beautiful pair of springers.

Snow!

The pics above were taken in my neighborhood this morning. We are supposed to be bombarded with snow, so this is the "calm before the real storm". Pretty bad prequel, if you ask me.

Art Show At The Dog Show/Blizzard

For the past few days, I have been preparing for The Art Show At The Dog Show, which is a huge show for my art career. My work must be in Kansas by February 23rd, at the absolute latest for judging purposes. At the time of my acceptance, my work was unframed and I needed to have my pieces framed and shipped within the next week. My husband decided to help me frame my work myself, since it was economical and we could probably work faster than the local frame shops.

Last night, we finally finished framing. We did a good job, in my opinion. I've posted the framed pieces above. The pictures aren't the greatest, but they give you a general idea.

After framing, I was faced with a new obstacle... shipping. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. In fact, the UPS Store is practically in my back yard. I can walk through a path in my yard and I am there. Except... I woke to a blizzard...

A blizzard! It's not that bad by CNY standards. In fact, we are supposed to get 1-2 more feet of snow today. The snow is so deep in my yard that I can't walk through it with my artwork. My husband offered to drive me around the corner to the UPS before he left for work (we share a car). So, we bundled up and drove around the corner. The store was closed. Apparently, the employees thought there is too much snow and decided not to come to work.

So, I am going to head back to UPS via car this evening. Hopefully, the roads will be clear enough for travel. My brave husband actually went to work today, even though blizzard conditions are being forcasted. He actually likes the snow. I, on the other hand, will be shaking with worry in our home, hoping that my work will make it to Kansas for the show. I'm sure I will be fine, but I am one of those people who does everything early. I hate being late and am a bit of a control freak. Perhaps, my lesson on this earth is patience. This situation is a fine test.

Springer Spaniels

The piece above is my latest commission. These gorgeous springer spaniels are named Leah and Cashmere. Both dogs were bred by Corrado English Springer Spaniels. I love how the composition shows the loving connection between mother and pup.

I'm In The Art Show At The Dog Show!

I just received a letter from the AKC's Art Show At The Dog Show and all four of my entries into the show were accepted. The Art Show At The Dog Show is the organization's national dog art competition. Each year, the show features the country's top dog artists. This is my first year entering and I am overjoyed that all of my entries were accepted! Now, I have to scramble to frame my work and ship it within the next week. Once hanging, all accepted works are judged in a number of categories for prizes. The Best In Show piece is purchased by the AKC and hung in the AKC's Museum of the Dog.

By the way, the piece above is not hanging in the show. It's my latest pastel drawing of my very special mixed breed dog, Sasha. She loves to gaze out the window, looking for my husband to return from work. This piece is documented proof of her daily window-gazing ritual. Once I finish typing, I will join her at the window. I can't wait to give my husband a hug in celebration!

Husband and Wife

The portrait above was taken on my own wedding day. This was the exact moment when we were pronounced husband and wife and shared our first kiss. I created this piece to lift my husband's day while he was at work. Now, I just need to come up with an even greater surprise for Valentine's Day!

I'm in the Alumni Newpaper!

I was flipping through my college's alumni newspaper yesterday and found my own name in the alumni updates section! For those of you who do not know me outside of this blog, I attended Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts and graduated with a BFA in Illustration in 2001. I had submitted news of my portrait business and exhibitions to display on my online profile and it ended up being published! The paper is viewed by students, faculty, and alumni. What a wonderful way to spread the word about my work!

Illustration Friday - Red

This week's Illustration Friday topic is "Red". Immediately, I thought of drawing a cat with a bold, red background. The cat pictured is Molly, a calm, sweet girl. On most afternoons, she prefers to curl up among the red blankets on my bed. The walls happen to be a muted red as well. I love the contrast between her black and white coat and the bold walls in the background. Comments and critiques are welcome!