art
National Puppy Day was this past weekend and I want to take some time to appreciate all the Puppies and Dogs I have painted! Seriously animals are my inspiration and I wouldn’t have a career without them. So thank you to the pets out there!
Here are a few of the puppies that I have painted!
This past Friday and Saturday I participated in the Make.Sale put on by the local art space Make.Shift. This was my first experience with doing a fair of any sort and it was a new experience! This is a local and pretty small fair, I kind of knew what to expect having gone to the venue in the past, however I had never been to the make.sale before. It was the type of fair where it is a good idea to have some low priced items as most who wandered through were there for the monthly art walk.
Before the fair I was really worried about how much inventory I had. I kept fluctuating on if I had enough, and decided to bring less of the more expensive items. The best seller was The Dog Pack deck of cards, priced at $16.
Setting up a display was fun! I was not allotted a ton of space but I tried to use both floor and table space. I think having a slightly bigger table in the future would be beneficial, I did not have much room for flat items on the table. The other thing I would do is have more labels, such as “Take a business card!”, etc.
Overall I made back my fair fee, but in the future I would definitely want to market the Custom Portraits as they are what gets the most interest. Due to the closeness to Christmas I actually played this aspect down because I am already full up on commissions.
I decided to use all the art that I made for The Dog Pack and make it available on pillows!
Each breed of dog has five different color options, be sure to choose which you would like from the drop-down. These items are fulfilled and shipped by a 3rd party. They feature my artwork and are nice quality!
“Want to add a splash of color to your home? This premium feel moisture-wicking pillow with a shape-retaining insert is just what you're looking for! It'll make any room luxurious and provide the perfect excuse for a quick power nap.
100% pre-shrunk polyester case
Moisture-wicking fabric with a linen feel
Hidden zipper
Machine-washable case
Shape-retaining 100% polyester insert included (handwash only) “
I am working on making the same artwork available on Totes and more!
Here are all of the 6x6 pet portraits from September.
Here are all of the 6x6 pet portraits from August.
Here are all of the 6x6 pet portraits from July.
Here are all of the 6x6 pet portraits from June.
One thing that is always on my mind is reference photos. I know this probably is not on most people’s mind, but I am always thinking of the next “shot”. It could be for an Instagram photo or for the inspiration for a painting, either way I am always taking some sort of photograph. These days it is immensely easier with the availability of phone cameras, and the fact that everyone expects photos to be taken, to be snapping photos all the time. As my primary focus tends to be pets, there are many places that I can take these photos.
Friends pets are an option, pet stores, adoption centers, and dog parks are some of my favorite places to take photos. Part of the key to taking these photos is taking LOTS, sometimes to an obnoxious amount, you never know which will be the one that makes a great painting. Composition is in the back of my mind, but really having some time to observe what the animal is doing is important to me. So it is good to find a balance between taking the photos and observing.
This post was supposed to go up last monday, but apparently It didn't post! Here it is for this week!
Here is a look at a painting of my own dog Atlas! I worked from a photo I took so it was a little easier to get a composition I was satisfied with. Oil on canvas.
This month I am part of group show at Fourth Corner Frames called "A Member of the Family". This past Friday was the art opening, where all the artists were there to participate in Bellingham's Monthly Art Walk. The other artists, Haley Apollo, Linda Clark, Kay Davin, Emily Dieleman, and Karen Theusen, all had fabulous work and were a pleasure to talk to. Everyone's work was very different and it made for a very cohesive show. It was great to talk to local artists and local customers!
Show title with Karen Theusen's work below it.
All of my work that was on display was made within the past year, except the Basset Hound painting. Eight of my pieces were in oil and three were in acrylic. I think the large painting of Atlas was a favorite, probably due to it's size. Large paintings are my favorite!
Scout in the window.
My work on the wall.
The painting of Scout was up in the window, my only worry with this was people were not aware that it was my work unless they looked at the back of the painting.
My cousin and I.
Overall it was a great opening and it will be up all month! So be sure to take some time and head to Fourth Corner Frames & Gallery and take a look!