Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been a busy day - but for once, I am not the one cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I do have some homemade yeast rolls baking, cranberry sauce on the stove, and am trying to find an interesting recipe for a casserole from our garden's summer squash. As always, at this time of year, I reflect on all the reasons I have to be very thankful. First of all, I am glad that I was born in the greatest country on earth. Good health and talent wouldn't be worth much in some countries, where it is all you can do to survive. Right now, in 2008 - Albino people are being slaughtered in Tanzania and Barundi because it is believed their body parts are useful in "traditional medicine" Not all "traditions" are good ones.

I am thankful that God gave me talent to turn paint and cloth into portraits that keep loved ones close. I am thankful that after 50 years of looking, I found my soulmate. I am thankful that my kids are healthy, intelligent and self-supporting :) I am thankful that I do not have to wonder where my next meal is coming from or where I will sleep tonight. I am also thankful that I have a large and supportive group of people that write and encourage me and comment on my paintings! (That's you guys!) Thank you so much for being part of my world - and please feel free to write and comment on anything.

On a lesser note, I'm thankful that I have gotten a few Christmas commissions done, and am beginning to feel like there may be an end in sight :) and I got a good photo of the bulldog painting I posted yesterday. It still doesn't do justice to the actual painting.

NEW PHOTO - FINAL VERSION OF FINISHED PAINTING
(click on photo to see larger version)

CLICK HERE TO BID ON EBAY

Bulldog Charity Painting
11" x 14"
Oil on Canvas

Check back for link to auction - it should be starting this Sat/Sun

Close-ups of painting - click to see even larger!

NEW PHOTOS - FINAL VERSION OF FINISHED PAINTING
CLICK HERE TO BID ON EBAY


CLICK HERE TO BID ON EBAY

Congratulations to new collector Anne L. of Maine who is the happy owner of the Husky painting.
She wrote "The husky painting arrived today and it's even more beautiful than I anticipated! Thanks so much. It hasn't been out of my sight since it arrived!"
I'm glad you like it, Anne! And thanks so much for your emails.

Better go check those rolls . . .. .

Live Creatively!!! (and thankfully!)

Liz

Bulldog Charity Painting

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but most of the painting I've been doing are gifts, so I can't share them with you. Today I finished a painting for Bulldog Rescue - I need to get a better photo, but thought I'd post what I have for now. Please check back to get the link for the auction - remember this goes to help the dogs!

BULLDOG CHARITY PAINTING
(click to see larger)

12"x 16"
Oil on Canvas

(better photo to come soon)

This painting will be auctioned to raise money for The BCA Rescue Network, Inc - non-profit organization. There are many volunteers nationwide who love the Bulldog breed and are dedicated to its continued well-being. These volunteers find new homes for more than 1000 Bulldogs per year. Many thousands of dollars are spent to provide medical care, food, shelter, and training while the rescued Bulldogs are awaiting adoption.

Please check back to get the link to bid on this painting - remember 50% of the proceeds go to help support bulldog rescue!

If you have a charity to which you would like me to donate a painting, please let me know!

Scroll down to see the steps to this beautiful portrait!

Step #1 - Beginning the portrait - a very blurry photo. This actually isn't the VERY first step, but it's the first time that I took a break to take a photograph. I started by painting in the basic shape of the dog with burnt sienna paint.

Then I blocked in the darks and lights on his body. I like to use very colorful underpainting on animals, I think it gives more of a sense of the life and vibrancy of their being.

Close-up of Step 1 You can see his face starting to emerge from the shadows.

Step 2 - Now I'm adding the details and the actual coloring of the dog - this appears to bring him out of the shadows.

Step 3 - I now have just about all his body in basically the correct coloration. I will now refine areas and model the muscles and bones of his structure to make sure he is anatomically accurate.

Step 4 - Just about done! I will probably make a few adjustments - but basically he is finished. I have modeled his muscles, and adjusted the balance between light and dark. This is not a very good photo as it was 11:00 p.m when I stopped painting. I will try to get a better photo in the daylight.

Thank you again for your interest in my artwork, and for your patience :)

Live Creatively!!!

Liz

Olive the Sphynx Cat

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted, but I HAVE been painting. Here is one of the paintings I've done recently that is not a Christmas gift. Allow me to introduce Olive, the Sphynx cat. (I am pretty sure that is her breed, if not, I'll post a correction when I find out.) She is hairless and very striking. Unfortunately, this is a memorial painting, as she recently passed away.

in memory of
OLIVE
16" x 20"
Oil on Canvas

Here is a close-up of her face - be sure to click both the photos to see much larger views. Her owner in into 'retro' so I had fun with the background - and the reflections on the cat.

On a technical note, there were really no good photos of Olive, but I found a variety of reference pictures and pulled together all the elements that defined Olive, adding the coloring, changing the pose, etc. So if you don't have the 'perfect' photo, don't worry, I can still make a great portrait. Of course, if you have a great photo, that's nice too :)

I am working on quite a few commissions, but they are all for Christmas, so you won't see them until January. I have quite a few K-9 and Search & Rescue portrait donations lined up and should be posting some of them next week.

Thanks for looking, and please feel free to comment or email me - I would love to hear from you.

As always,

Live Creatively!!

Liz