Just Ducky

Here is my latest pastel, titled "Just Ducky". I'm not sure what I think of the piece just yet. The thought of creating a pastel painting with baby ducks was irresistible to me. It seems like there are baby geese and ducks everywhere in the countryside currently. Yesterday, I had to stop the car to allow baby turkeys to cross the road. They sort of hobbled and attempted to fly, although they were quite bad at it.

The drawing is 8 x 10" in size. It is drawn on smooth, white vellum with soft pastels.

Dziadzio's Friends

Here is my latest commission, a special landscape/wildlife portrait called "Dziadzio's Friends". The commission was for a Maine landscape scene, so I chose a section of the Nubble Light lighthouse site in Maine. This particular spot is very special to me, as I used to travel here with my family when I was little.

My grandfather was especially fond of Maine and Nubble Light. I can remember feeding the gulls french fries with him. He thought that seagulls were magnificent and I am reminded of him whenever I see them. This piece recreates a scene that I would've experienced with my grandfather when I was young.

The title comes from his nickname, Dziadzio, which is the Polish word for grandfather. Whenever we go to Maine and watch the gulls, we say, "There are Dziadzio's friends!"

The portrait itself is drawn with Dziadzio's pastel set that he used while he was alive. It's drawn on sabretooth pastel paper to create texture and is 8x10" in size.

Norman

This adorable pup is Norman. He is my latest commission and was a pleasure to capture. I wanted this portrait to be reminiscent of the classic dog portraits of the 19th century. During this time, outdoor dog portraits often featured a simple foreground with a tree-line background and a blue sky. I brightened up the colors a bit and gave this theme a try.

Norman's portrait is 8x10" and drawn with pastels on smooth, white vellum.

Waiting For The Rain

The piece above is part of a series of pastels that I am working on for Fireside Gardens. The gardens are owned by my friend, Nancy, and I sell my artistic wares in her gift shop. I thought it would be a neat idea to start a series of animal portraits set in Nancy's gardens. The location is so colorful and lively. I couldn't think of a better background for my work.

Last week, I visited the gardens and snapped several pictures. I also took several pictures of Nancy's schnauzers, Whitney and Ida. For fun, I super-imposed one of the girls on a work bench area of Nancy's garden on my computer and printed out the reference. Then, I drew the scene in pastels. The piece above is the result!

I plan on creating more Fireside drawings in the near future. The pastels will feature Nancy's dogs, as well as a few cats, relaxing around her gardens. If you are in New England, I recommend making a trip to visit Nancy's gardens and gift shop. It is the perfect place to find just the right plants, flowers, and country gifts.

Clawing Her Way To The Top

Here is my latest portrait, called "Clawing Her Way To The Top." While I've never been the type to viciously climb my way to the top, I thought that this title puts a funny spin on a kitten portrait. I'm more of the type to work like a mule while being fed morsels of success here and there.

This kitten, however, operates differently. She is a show kitten that I photographed at a Cat Fancier's Association confirmation show. I believe that she is a Maine Coon kitten, but it is hard for me to tell with the low lighting. I snapped the reference photo just as she was climbing a raffia scratching post to impress the judges.

The portrait above is drawn in pastels on textured pastel paper. It is 8 x 10" in size. I hope that you enjoy this depiction of ruthless competition. Meow!

New Look

You may have noticed that this blog looks a little different, along with the Golden Illustrations website. I decided that it's time for a new look. The black background of the old blog and web page was kind of depressing. Now that I'm living in NH and am happy with my surroundings, it's time to have a web page and blog that reflect that.

I hope that you enjoy the new look. There is even a new gallery on my web page to browse through. We used a new gallery program that presents my artwork simply, without a lot of text clutter. To me, simplicity is best.

Dreams of Mice and Everything Nice

My new studio is a bit unconventional. I work on an antique table with a wrought iron base and a set of chairs with mustard/golden colored cushions. The chairs have seen better days, but it's good to work on worn furniture since my pastels tend to cling to the wood.

My cat could care less about the distress of my chairs. To her, the fluffy golden cushions provide the perfect napping place in the sun. Rays of warm sunlight filter through my studio windows every afternoon. Any toasty spot entices my kitty. I snapped the reference photo for this piece while she was napping on a studio chair and tried to imagine the images floating through her head. She looked so content, she must have finally caught a mouse or her bird toy.

This piece is 11x14" in size and drawn in soft pastels on smooth, white vellum paper. With luck, I will manage to cover the piece with tracing paper for protection before my cat decides to nap on the drawing. She has been known to nap on drawings of herself. The drawings of other animals don't intrigue her as much as her own portraits. I'm not sure if all of this artistic attention is going to her head. Or... Maybe I just have an active imagination. It's probably both.

Creature Comforts

There are times when nothing is more soothing than a pile of pillows and a stuffed animal. The portrait above shows how my beloved furball, Sasha, finds comfort. If Sasha is looking to blow off some steam, she'll jump on our futon and chew on her stuffed goose. I think she enjoys the stacks of cushions on the futon and the furry texture of her goose toy. Furry toys are pretty much the only toys, besides rodents, that she enjoys playing with.

I thought it would be cute to take a picture of Sash with a stuffed toy in her mouth. This portrait is a bit different then many of my portraits, since I set up the scene. I lured Sash onto the futon with her goose toy and snapped away as she chewed on the faux fur. Yum.

The background was created in my imagination. I didn't like the cushions that were in the reference photo, so I drew some sari-like cushions in the background. I thought that a little color would spice the portrait up.

The portrait is 11x14" in size and is drawn with soft pastels on smooth, white vellum. I used a kneaded eraser for blending and texture. The kneaded eraser is excellent for creating stuffed animal fur texture. Hope that you enjoy this new piece.

: )

Mia

The Fabric Softener

Yeay! I'm finally managing to keep up with my blog. In between making prints, cards, and magnets, I've found time to work on some new artwork for my portfolio. Since I enjoyed drawing the previous long-haired cat so much in charcoal, I decided to create another black and white cat drawing.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one, but I gave it a clever name. It may be a bit corny, but it makes me giggle. The "Fabric Softener" is my own kitty, Molly. Do your cats like to nap on laundry? Mine does. If I have a pile of clean laundry spread on my bed, ready to fold, she will curl up in a nest of clothes that smell like Morning Fresh scent. I don't enjoy little black cat hairs on my fresh light clothes, but it happens. And, it's cute.

I snapped a pic of my kitty caught in the act of filling my clothes with cat hair. Then, I drew a piece based on the photographic image. The drawing is 11x14" landscape in size. It's drawn in pressed charcoal sticks on smooth, white vellum.

Suncatcher

Here is my latest pastel drawing, "Suncatcher". I've been in the mood to draw wildlife lately. It's not a surprise, considering that I am surrounded by beautiful trees and nature in my studio. I'm tired of snow, though, and drawing summer animals helps me look forward to warmer weather.

The reference photos for this piece were taken at the Beaver Lake Nature Center in NY. There is a group of turtles that likes to sun themselves on a log on the "Bog Trail". On a sunny afternoon, I felt inspired to photograph these fellows. They were posed in such unique positions.

The drawing itself is 11x14" on smooth, white vellum. It is drawn with soft pastels. I've been using different brands of pastels lately, but most of the piece is completed using my grandfather's set of pastels.

Enjoy!

Kermit

I've been steadily working and am in the process of opening Golden Illustrations in NH. While I am waiting for my registration to be accepted, I've had some downtime to draw. The piece above is my latest pastel drawing.

The piece is titled "Kermit", because Kermit The Frog holds a special place in my heart. I thought that this lovely guy deserved a name fitting of his easy-going personality. I took the reference photo for this piece at the Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville, NY. Beaver Lake is a park that I loved to frequent for some quiet time in nature.

I visited Beaver Lake on this particular day, because I wanted to release some sadness over the passing of my godfather. There's nothing like nature and cute critters to pull a person out of a difficult time in their lives. As my husband and I walked on the wooden pathway on the "Bog Trail", we came upon this fellow. He was basking in the sun and allowed me to walk right up to his webbed feet to take close pictures with my new digital camera.

I was so amazed that he didn't hop away. It was as if he didn't even sense me. Either that, or he wanted to show off for the camera : ) I took several photos and decided to create a drawing based on this photo shoot.

"Kermit" is 11 x 14" landscape. He is drawn in pastels on smooth, white vellum paper. I'm sure that he finds it not easy being green.... with brown spots.

Art Show At The Dog Show Results

Best Entry Depicting A Golden Retriever

Fourth Place, Drawing Category

Last night, I received news that I won two awards in the 2008 Art Show At The Dog Show. I received a Fourth Place award in the Drawing category. Also, I received the "Best Entry Depicting A Golden Retriever" award for the second year in a row! The portrait that won in the Golden Retriever category featured my beloved Sunny and the award is a wonderful tribute in his memory. I couldn't be happier!

The winning pieces are featured above. For more information on the Art Show At The Dog Show, click on the link on the right side of my blog. The Art Show At The Dog Show is a national juried competition of dog art held every year in Kansas.

In Memory of Sunny

Sunny, my beautiful golden friend, died on Friday. He was the first golden retriever that I have owned myself. I grew up with goldens and as each passed in my family, they were just gone one day. I wasn't with them as they passed. Sunny was in my arms as he passed from a long bout of illness.

I think he was the oldest golden retriever that I have ever seen, let alone owned. The vet in NH estimated his age at between 15-17 years old. In golden years, that is an astronomical age.

He was a happy gentleman, always willing to flirt with the ladies. I think he was the only dog that I have come across that actually liked going to the vet. He would nuzzle against the female techs and give them gentle kisses. They would fuss over him and cuddle him with every visit. He would just lay on the floor of the exam room and never complained. What a ladies man.

He was a happy gent that liked to chew on toys and let them hang out of his mouth like a cigar. It was as if he was saying, "Hey Toots, would you like to snuggle?". He was the kind of guy who would call a woman "Toots". And he would crawl right into your lap if you were sitting on the floor.

He was Sasha's best friend and that's saying a lot. Sash doesn't care much for other dogs. She's perfectly obedient and likes to play with little, spunky dogs. Big dogs make her nervous. At first, she and Sunny had some minor territorial tiffs. In time, they shared their space well. They sort of resembled Kermit and Miss Piggy, with Sasha being the flamboyant diva.

Sunny is very missed. The house feels empty and it's hard to imagine life without him. The last year was quite a struggle and you can probably tell through my portraits that he was not feeling well. I cared for him like a child and documented the peaceful moments in pastel. Two pastel drawings of Sunny are hanging in this year's Art Show At The Dog Show. The show opens this week, a perfect memorial to my favorite gentleman. I love you, Sunny.

When Are You Coming Home?

It's been ages since I've posted a new drawing on my blog. My art supplies had been sitting in boxes for about a month or so, making drawing impossible. Regardless, I have unpacked most of my studio and already finished a new piece! Voila!

I thought it would be fun to name this piece, "When Are You Coming Home?", since the kitty looks like it's anxiously awaiting it's owner from behind a window. The reference photo was taken on one of my trips to NH, before we moved here. I happened to catch this cat in a window, thinking it was perfectly unique for a portrait.

The drawing is 11 x 14" landscape and drawn in charcoal on smooth, white vellum paper.

P.S. You may have noticed that the title of the blog and description have changed. This is the beginning of some layout changes. I wanted to update the blog to reflect my new surroundings. My website will also have a new look and updates soon!

: )

Mia

Art Show at the Dog Show

Hello, bloggers! Yes, I have decided to ambitiously write two blogs in one day. It helps me feel like I am actually accomplishing work while things are still in boxes.

I have exciting news... Three of my drawings were accepted into the 2008 Art Show At The Dog Show. The Art Show At The Dog Show is a national exhibition of canine art held in Kansas every spring. It is a juried show and I feel very fortunate to be selected to participate for a second year in a row!

Two of my accepted drawings are pastels, "Would You Like To Snuggle?" and "Blanket Buddy". The third accepted piece is the charcoal drawing, "Boris Reclines". I finished framing all three pieces last week with the help of a frame shop. Each piece looks fantastic and I am hoping to have them shipped to Kansas this week.

Wish me luck with the show! My pieces are eligible for awards and I should find out results by the month of April. I've posted pics of the accepted pieces above.

: )

Mia

New Beginnings

Hello, bloggers! In a month's time, I have packed up my life belongings and moved to the beautiful state of New Hampshire. My husband and I just moved into our new home in Jaffrey this past weekend.

I've already started setting up my new art studio! It's painted a golden yellow and my golden retriever has already decided that my studio carpet is his favorite place to nap. He's actually at my feet right now, curled up in an adorable ball.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do any new artwork, because my supplies are currently in boxes. I now have internet, but no printer, scanner, or camera hook-ups. My mantra has been to remember that great things do not happen instantly. So... I will be patient and slowly set my studio up to be a happy, comfortable place.

I will write soon with more updates and progress. My goal is to set my studio up for classes and portrait creation. In the meantime, have a happy Valentine's Day!

: )

Mia

Golden Illustrations Is Moving!

With the new year comes new beginnings... My husband and I will be moving to NH this weekend. We've had an offer accepted on a house in Jaffrey, NH and are scheduled to move in at the end of January.

This means that Golden Illustrations will be moving to NH and is temporarily closed until we are settled in Jaffrey. I will be open for business in February, just in time for Valentine's Day! It's the perfect time to order a portrait for your sweetheart : )

Our new house will have a studio where I have plenty of space to create! I also plan on offering art classes to NH residents from my home studio. I've always wanted to teach art and am looking forward to sharing the healing energy of creating with my students.

To all of my friends and family... Happy New Year! I wish you a healthy new year full of possibilities! I will catch up with you in February!

: )

Mia

Golden Illustrations at the Santa's Workshop Event

I hope that everyone had a happy holiday season! I certainly was a busy bee over the holidays! Before Christmas, I took part in the Syracuse Research Corporation's Santa's Workshop event. Local businesses related to employees could sell their wares at a holiday arts & crafts event.

I set up a table with cards & framed prints for sale. Business cards, brochures, and gift certificates were available for those interested in custom portraits. All in all, it was a busy day and I met many kind people.

Here is a picture of my booth:

Cat In A Box

Happy New Year! Here is my latest portrait, a Christmas present for my in-laws! This is their cute kitty, Kiwi. When I was visiting them in Pennsylvania this summer, Kiwi crawled into an empty box and gazed up at me. Her eyes were just so vibrant and she looked so playful, I had to snap a picture. I took the reference picture and later drew a pastel portrait from the reference.

This drawing is 11 x 14" in size. It is drawn in pastels on smooth, white vellum paper.

Sasha Claus!

Happy holidays, bloggers! The piece above is titled "Sasha Claus" and is the image for our holiday cards this year. My beloved mix, Sasha, is the dog featured in the portrait. I have been drawing my cat and golden retriever so much that I felt it was time for Sasha to be a part of a portrait.

The portrait is drawn in pastels on white smooth vellum paper and is 8x10" in size. I printed digital scans of the piece on my home printer and placed them into frame cards. AC Moore carries a set of frame cards and envelopes, where the image can slide right into a fine paper frame on the front of the card. The frame cards can also be placed into a permanent frame and the card works as an excellent mat with the printed image inside.