My Funny Valentine - Dog Portrait

"My Funny Valentine"
10X8
Oil on Linen Panel

Click on image to enlarge the view.

Every time I paint a dog portrait, when I get it finished, I think it is my favorite. If you look closely you will see a marking in the shape of a heart on this fellow's nose. I didn't notice it when I first fell in love with him, but when I studied the photo closer I saw it. Hence, the title,"My Funny Valentine." I started him before Valentine's Day, but just managed to get back to him the end of this week.

The local Cancer Society Auction is coming up and, like last year, I am donating a dog portrait to the effort. I thought maybe another example of my work would be beneficial to them.

Adding a note here on March 5....My 92 year old father has taken another turn downward and has needed more care and help. Hospice was called in last week and we are doing all we can to help him through these hardest of times. Consequently my painting has taken a back seat to the necessary tasks at hand. I hope to get back to it as soon as possible.

Blond Lab Named Lucy - WIP

"Lucy the Blond Lab"
12X16
Acrylic
Commissioned

Lest ye think I am sitting on my thumbs, here is the current project. Though it is a Work in Progress, I stuck it into one of my frames just to assess direction and cues on how it is going...and took a photo of that for you.

This is a jump from my usual in that it is acrylic. You see, it's a commission for a Christmas present and this one came in too late to do it in oils. That's fine..but I have not been working with acrylics for the past three or four years, so I am struggling a bit with technique and getting the fur to blend how I would wish. And the client wants geraniums in the painting that are not in the photo, so I am having to fictionalize flowers that are not there. The other challenge here is that the working photo was taken with a flash......aaaarrrrgh. My tip to any and all out there who wish to have paintings done from photos...please do not ever use the flash. It just takes out all of the natural shadows, inuendos, subtle softness of reality and natural color. So that is the thing that is driving me most crazy here. As always, I am delighted to take commissions. This one came through a third party, so I could not give instructions on the photography before the project landed. Hope I can achieve the desired painting for the client...

Will post the finished painting when I get it done.
Stay tuned!! :-)

Dog Portrait, Poncho, the Miniature Doberman

"Poncho"
10X8
Oil on Canvas Panel
Commissioned

This guy has a story...so the owner tells me. He was brought here on a plane in a shoe, being a small fellow of under one pound, all the way from South America. The painting is commissioned for a birthday present for the lady of the house. Poncho is a well loved and apparently happy guy with quite a personality!! A challenge to paint and fun to get to know his cute face!!

After weeks and weeks of work, moving furniture, selling stuff, donating stuff, more Dr.s appts., filling out forms, working on financial arrangements, etc. etc., we finally have gotten my Dad settled into a very nice assisted living facility not too far at all from us. This isn't the end of my obligations for him, but it is going to save me from every day care, so hopefully I can get back to painting more frequently. I do still have a lot of his belongings to either dispose of or store for family, so I am still under it...so to speak. But we are getting there slowly.

On to the next one...stay tuned!

Sun Kissed Rocks by the Water

"Sun Kissed Rocks by the Water"
12X16
Oil on Linen
Available

Contact to Purchase

What seems like a hundred years ago I had the opportunity to visit La Jolla. Somewhere along the coastal highway there was a restaurant called Charlie's Steakhouse. They had an open kitchen where you picked out your steak and could watch them throw it on the grill. And they had the menu written on some type of clay wine bottle sitting in the middle of each dining table. Very quaint, intimate, and fun. Outside, across the street was a view of the Pacific slapping up against the rocks and seals playing, basking, enjoying the day. It was this scene, looking down at the rocks, I had in mind while painting this one. It was a beautiful place and I will always remember it, wishing to relive the view....I keep it in my mind.

Pansies and Periwinkle

"Pansies and Periwinkle"
9X12
Oil on Linen Panel
NFS

My pansies are having their last hurrah before the Peonies show up next month. I plant pansies in October and they sort of hang on in a lazy kind of way until March when they explode with glorious bounties of blossoms. This painting is of some antique variety of pansy that our local nursery has every year. And to be honest with you, since my Dad is still taking up nearly every day of my life lately, this is a painting I did a while ago. It sits in my studio, framed and on an easel, and it is one I especially like having around to remind that I can paint.

I did take a day excursion last week to Reynolda House in Winston Salem, the home of the R.J. Reynolds family, that is now a gorgeous museum home for tourists to enjoy. Attached to the house is an exhibit center. The reason for my visit was a current exhibit of American Impressionists' paintings. What a feast for the eyes! John Singer Sargent, John LaFarge, Childe Hassam, William Merritt Chase, Glackens, and more...it was truly a collection to savor. You can stand right up to the paintings and study the brush strokes. And then you can stand back from them and take them in for as long as you like. I hated to leave that exhibit hall...just wanted to look and look and look at them over and over. Very stunning. So that was my brief indulgence. If you get a chance to go see this collection, do it. You won't be sorry.

Tess, Finished

"Tess"
14X11
Oil on Board
Commission

Finally had time to finish painting Tess today. She is really a charming little lady and I enjoyed painting her very much. White on White or Black on Black are always challenging fur colors to paint. You have to just put more color in there than you think you see in order to get the textures and the shadows. I really loved the soft green background and the red pillow bed she rests on with the whites and blacks of the dog and the foreground. It made for a really nice painting and I have to thank the owners for such a good photo from which to work.

This painting was a donation I made to the Cancer Society Auction. Tess' owners were so kind to bid and win, so this painting has a lot of meaning for everyone involved! Fun for me to do...good for them, and hopefully, someone somewhere will benefit from Cancer research.

Now on to the next one...still pondering what it will be. Stay tuned...

Tess, Work in Progress III

"Tess" Work in Progress
14X11
Oil on Gessoed Board
Commission

I worked on her head mostly today...focusing on the details of her face, eyes, nose, etc. The blessing of great eyesight is that you see every hair....the curse of having great eyesight is that you see every hair. LOL Being a detail person, I have to force myself to not over do it on the tiniest details. But it is in the smallest details sometimes that you see the uniqueness in each special creation of God. So I have these conversations with God sometimes while I paint.....to paint this hair or that hair. Which hair makes the crucial statement of shape? Now that you know I am stark raving mad...I'll leave you to ponder this phase and tomorrow I'll get onto the next hairs.....
Stay Tuned...

Tess, Work in Progress

"Tess"
14X11
Oil on Gessoed Board
Commissioned

This is just the beginning after my first session with Tess over the weekend. I think she is really cute! This gives you an idea of how a great photograph can be of immense help when doing this type of portrait. Back to it....
Stay tuned!

Daffodil Reclining

"Daffodil Reclining"
5X7
Oil on Canvas Panel

I am surprised to see my daffodils blooming already....this being February 14th. Since it's Valentine's Day, I thought I would share one of them with you. I painted this one spring before last...but have enjoyed having it around. It sits in a very nice frame on a decorative easel in my studio. This way I get to enjoy a daffodil all year long...and that is one small bright spot in these dismal days.

Lambkin and Mum

"Lambkin and Mum"
12X16
Oil on Linen Panel
Available

Contact to Purchase

I could have called this "Wool Gathering." As I paint, I am also thinking....about what I am painting and what it means to me.
Socialist government policies have been in the business of ruining family farming in America for years. It is a precious thing to capture one small scene of this dying industry and I am praying for a reversal of the mindset of our government which takes from people and produces nothing. Greenways do not, in any way, help the production of food or goods for our country. The Land Conservancy Group, and its friends, are in the business of taking privately owned land and giving it over to the government using your tax dollars to do it. Shame on you if you are participating in this unconstitutional travesty.

I know you will recognize the lamb from a previous post a week or so ago. I did the lamb as a 8X8 study before I began painting this one. I now think that was helpful...as it made me think through the composition and the contrast between the two subjects.

This piece is designated for "A Natural View," our show at the Schiele Museum of Natural History...unless it is purchased prior to that. I am picturing it above the mantel on a stone fireplace in a family room or on the wall in someone's guest room or bedroom. It has a rustic feel about it and reminds me of the houses in Blowing Rock, NC or in Cashiers, NC, those lovely places in the mountains we go for peace away from the cities. A country pastoral scene. That was the intent...I hope I got there.

(the colors in the painting are more true in the picture without the frame)

'Magnolia Grande Flora'

"The Crown Jewel"
5X7
Oil on Panel
Available

Contact to Purchase

I am lucky enough to have acquired two of the large Southern Magnolia trees with my property. They sit in a very wooded area of the yard, though one of them is on the perimeter of the woods so it gets plenty of sun and air. They are the original kind, not the newer decorative versions. Each summer we have some of the fragrance wafting across the front yard and a few blossoms that we can reach to cut and bring into the house. It's one of those gifts for a girl who grew up in the North but appreciates the Southern climate more than I can say.

If you are interested in purchasing this one...click on the link above and let me know! :-)

'Two By Two'

"Two By Two"
12X9
Oil on Linen Panel
Available
Click on picture to enlarge the view.

Contact to Purchase

Since this is about water and a pair of ducks, it seemed the next progression (at least in my mind) was a Noah's Ark allegory. "And they came, two by two...." (This painting actually would be lovely placed in a child's wing of the house, but could work anywhere you have a collection of birds.) Mostly it is just about local wildlife which I love and enjoy so much. We are lucky to have some small lakes and a couple of big ones in our area, plus the Catawba River, so the birds are abundant. Occasionally I catch sight of some Great Blue Herons..so prehistoric and elegant.

But back to the ducks.....the water was a bit choppy and I didn't want the background to overwhelm the sillhouettes of their beautiful white feathers and charming, eager faces. It was a lot of fun to paint!! I was happy to have the time yesterday to paint most of the day. First time in over a week. Yippee!!

And the winner is....

"Pomegranate in White"
9X12
Oil on Board
$625.00

What a nice surprise! I entered the Mooresville Artist's Guild Show, The 26th Annual Octoberfest, for the first time this year. I'm going to say glowing things about the Mooresville Artist's Guild, not because I won the show, but because they are doing a terrific job of showcasing their members' art and maintaining a lovely facility / art gallery. The guild is housed in a former train depot smack in the middle of a small, but booming, downtown area. As you know, small towns all over America have taken a huge hit over the years from the outlying shopping centers. The town of Mooresville has not let this demoralize them, from the look of it. The buildings are renovated and business appears to be thriving. It is a charming townscape and on last Friday night of the Art Reception for the Show, the main streets were alive with interested shoppers and live musicians performing along the sidewalks. I have to say, I was very impressed with the enthusiasm I saw in Mooresville, for the arts, but also for the ongoing life of a small town. The Mooresville Artist's Guild is certainly doing their part and have a very dedicated core group of people who are putting in quite an effort to make their guild a success. The depot has 4 large rooms for gallery space, three of which are rotating galleries each month for member artists. This show filled up three rooms plus part of another room. Very nice, Mooresville and Guild!

The icing on the cake was the scene I saw when I entered the depot. There was my painting hanging in the very front room with a blue ribbon next to it! Now that doesn't happen every day to this artist who spends too much time in her studio, away from the world. I was quite surprised and delighted, and have to say I enjoyed the evening.

'Silver and Seashells'

"Silver and Seashells"
8X10
Oil on Canvas Panel


I must admit this is a re-post of a painting I did a year or so ago. It's hanging here in my house. It is one I particularly like and I don't think I can even say exactly why. It might be that painting that silver was something I dared myself to do. Reminds me I should try to do more silver/metallics.

There has been so much going on that I have had just a bare minimum of time painting. I do have one in process that I will post soon. My Dad's situation has escalated into more and more Dr.s appts. and more care-taking as time progresses.

So here is the news:
I am currently in two shows.
The first one is "The 26th Annual Octoberfest" sponsored by the Mooresville Artist's Guild, 103 Center St. Mooresville, NC. The opening reception is this Friday, October 10th, 6 to 8 pm and you are invited to come. I have three pieces in this show. I've been told I have won some award, but they keep it a secret until the reception, so at this moment I have no idea which piece or what award. Very suspenseful!

The second is "A Visual Harvest" sponsored by the Gaston County Art Guild, at the Jeanne Rauch Gallery, Gaston College, Dallas, NC. The opening for this show is October 16, 6 to 8 pm and you are also invited to attend this one. I have two pieces in this show. I spent most of Saturday assisting with the entries and the judge for this one.

Our local miniature show is coming up next month, too. That one is always fun and I love to participate in it. Stay tuned... :-)

'Preening Lady Duck'

"Preening Lady Duck"
6X6
Oil on Masonite
Available

Contact to Purchase

I don't know if this is a quirk or something typical of artistic temperment, but when I am painting certain subjects, I seek allegory as I paint them. Does she have a Saturday date for a swim with a handsome Drake? Or is she merely picking at a bug in her feathers? Whichever it is, I also ask myself, "Where would this painting fit into someone's life?" Would you place it in a dressing room where it would remind you of primping? Or do you love ducks and would put it out with a collection of them? Would you give it to a friend with a card that says, "I hope things are just ducky!"

Silly artist....just thinking up reasons for someone else to love a painting that I enjoyed creating. I hope you like her. And I hope things are "just ducky" for you today!!
Thanks for visiting!

'Riverside Cramerton Park'

"Riverside Cramerton Park" / Cropped Version
Oil on Canvas Panel


O.K. Trying to save face...I first posted the entire painting and absolutely hate the thing so much that I decided to just take the part of the painting I really like and ditch the rest...so what you are seeing here is just a part of a painting. The big version is just awful. Maybe just a bad composition on the whole...but this part works, so I am going to make an effort to start over and just do a painting with this view.
This was from a "plein air" outing that was organized by an art guild friend a few weeks ago. More than twenty artists arrived at the park to paint. I don't paint "plein air," so I came to take photographs and observe. The day was horribly hot and, after sweating for more than two hours, I decided to head home. My favorite part of the whole painting is the reflecting of trees in the water, so that is what I am showing here.
I am determined to get past this landscape block I have!!
Thanks for visiting!

'Bluebird Equals Happiness"

"Bluebird"
7X5
Oil on Gessoed Panel
Available
$250.00 framed

Contact to Purchase

I have the perfect frame for this one. (either wall or tabletop) And it is an opportunity to give 'the Bluebird of Happiness' to someone as a gift. (maybe that someone who has everything else, but makes you happy!) They will think of you every time they look at it.

We have families of these gorgeous North Carolina Bluebirds around our neighborhood. They love to visit us in the fall when our Pyracantha bush yields its reddish orange berries. We love to watch them, but they are shy and fly off easily if people are too close by.

My husband and I love having the birds flying in and out of our feeding areas. He is the one who keeps the feeders full and I swear they know him and look for him to come out there with the seeds.

I did get several photos for landscapes while I was away in the mountains, so my intentions are to try try again and see if I can master the genre to some degree of satisfaction. That's what I'm up to next....stay tuned! :-)

'On the Road'

"Nursery on Rte. 321" Oil on Canvas Paper
NFS

This is a painting from a trip we made up to Blowing Rock, NC. a little while ago. We are heading up there again this weekend and I am so looking forward to the cooler air and the scenery, camera and sketchbook in hand! :-) The nursery is obscured now by looming industries encroaching into the countryside, so I am very happy I captured the scene when I did. The field on the right now is nothing more than a big tan colored box of a building.

I've been struggling with myself over landscapes. I love landscape paintings and have been admiring several other artist's work, some plein air and some studio painters. So when I sit down to try to do one lately, I am filled with inadequacy and trepidation and can hardly pick up the brush. I am determined to get myself past this bug-a-boo I am having, so the intention of this trip is to get some photos and sketches from which to work. Not to mention getting away from the oppressive heat we have been suffering through this summer. Believe me, one small weekend is not enough! But I'll take it!!

Have a great weekend!!

'Jack Russell on a Red Rug'

"Jack Russell on a Red Rug"
5X7
Oil on Gessoed Masonite
Sold

I wanted to share with you this sample of what I can do regarding commissions of dog (or animal) portraits. The owner took this picture of his Jack Russell resting on their oriental rug and it just happened to be a terrific pose and photograph from which to do this painting. If you have really good photos, I can use them for painting. Believe me, the photo matters. I also work from my own photos by appointment and I like to do that locally, but the owner is in a unique position of capturing the dog (animal) in all kinds of circumstances that I would not necessarily see. If you are considering having a portrait made from your photos, get out that camera, keep it handy, and take lots and lots of photos to increase your odds of getting that perfect shot.

An oil painting of your pet is a keepsake to last for generations. It's really fun to have. Great for Christmas or Birthday presents, too! If you are thinking Christmas present, now is the time to schedule it. (please don't wait until a few weeks before Christmas) It's also fun to do a collection of favorite pets on the wall, as one of my clients has done with all of her white boxers that she has rescued. The collection is a treasure for her and for her family to enjoy from now on.

For pricing and more information, you can contact me at cpass@carolina.rr.com

'Ravishing Red'

"Ravishing Red Radish"
6.25X11
Oil on Gessoed Masonite
Available

Click to enlarge the view.
Contact to Purchase

Back but not too rested actually...the real R and R will have to come later. But I did have a nice time and it was great to get away for a little bit.

I do think radishes are ravishing...the color is such a splash in a salad! They bite just enough to make your tastebuds tingle. In the right frame, possibly antique gold, this will look ravishing. What is that saying about tickling the earth and it laughs (flowers)...?... but in this case it laughs radishes. This one was in my kitchen waiting to be painted for eternity.