2013 was a great year. I got to create some new pieces for my own nursery decor and visited some awesome galleries in Seattle. I wrapped up 2013 with two new portraits and some paintings of four-legged friends.
Both of these portraits are graphite on paper. When using graphite, I prefer to use woodless graphite in 6B. It’s really soft and comes out with very dark lines. I do most of my blending with tortillons but usually end up with grey fingers anyway. I like to think that my hands are putting the “life” into the work.
These two doggie silhouettes are a new venture for me. These were both done using acrylic paint on a piece of wood. They were given as Christmas gifts to family. I didn’t want to just “paint a picture of the pet”. I wanted to capture the thought of the animal. When you look a the silhouette, you are reminded of the object rather than it just being presented to you. This way, the viewer can picture the pet in their mind and remember the eccentricities and manners that were personal to the pet/owner relationship. I also did one of my own dog – but I haven’t had a chance to touch it up and take a photograph… more to come.
If you are interested in having a portrait drawn please email me. Also, if you want a custom painting of your favorite pet – let me know! Cheers to a wonderful 2014!
“An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” – James Whistler
