Stretching my skills.

[Debra Jones]

I have been doing a lot of non-humans lately. I seem to be on the verge of a career as the portrait artist I want to be, but when they get the choice of a person or a pet they chose the model with four legs.

The charity event I donated a $200 piece to is netting me a $600 profit with an animal portrait. I needed a break while my sketch was resting before I laid in paint and ran over to the school with a scrap of canvas, about 15x12 or so and my basket of paint.

This was the result. I am pretty happy as I have been working so much from photos, I was afraid my eye would have been less sharp. It seems to have been the opposite, as I just went in for the rest and NEVER once measured anything. Just painted! (Sorry Chris. Just sometimes we have to rebel!) 2.5 hours oil:

[Allan Rahbek]

So fresh and full of life - nothing beats real inspiration - when the brush dances and the colors sing.

Allan

[Heidi Maiers]

This is stunning Debra,

So loose and fresh - I just love it! One of these days I'm bound to run into you at SAS and I'll get a glimpse of your work in person.

I just started offering to do dog portraits this year and was very surprised to find that there are so many people who are willing to spend more on a pet than on their children, spouses, etc. I concluded that it must have to do with the fact that pets can be a very special part of the family albeit they have a much shorter life span and people want to have something tangible to remember them by.

[Mike McCarty]

When I was working in public I found that the number of people interested in portraits of their pets was much greater than those interested in people.

My response was always - lets put the pooch in your lap and do the both of you, and I would show them the cover of Sanden's book. I never got any takers. I'm sure you could create a living doing nothing but dogs.

There's always a dog show somewhere. There should be more people shows.

And by the way, great work as usual Debra

[Debra Jones]

Mike, you got me giggling. The subject in question is a German wirehair pointer. About Dobie size. He would happily sit in his owners, or anyone else for that matter, lap.
Since this is a post about my open studio, I will post the finish as a footnote, not a progress piece.
I am really finding there is nothing different, but a bit more hair, doing people or animals. When you get them right, you can look into their souls. If you don't do your homework they are just nice pictures.

Heidi, when are you in class these days? I have dropped out of addictive open studio and am trying to produce more works with a potential profit, not strangers on the wall watching you. If summer is slow, it will definately change. Let me know when you are in on Saturday.
dj*

[Heidi Maiers]

Debra,
I've been fortunate so far not to have gotten any pet commissions for dogs that were too overly hairy (so far a Great Dane, a Boxer, and now have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks at the foundry). Had a Pommeranian scheduled, but that one never came through (whew). A wirehair just sounds like a painful paint project.

I plan on being at the school the next three Saturdays from 9-12 in the sculpture room, but haven't made any plans past then. Poke your head in if you are around then.

[Debra Jones]

I am going to skip morning but will try to make the afternoon nude so I will come early and poke my head in. Is the model you posted the one you are working on this week?
dj*

[Heidi Maiers]

No, that one is done. I'm starting a new one Saturday of a different model. Plan on doing a nude from the hips up in ceramic 1/3 life size. The gal is petite and pretty and should make a nice sculpture.
Hope to see you there.

[Geri Comicz]

DJ,

Lovely as always!!!

geri

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

dj, I love that painting. It's so vital and full of energy, yet you've obviously caught the person. Two and a half hours, huh? Wow!

Leslie