Summer....almost finished

Chip...again

I think I am finished.  I've made some adjustments and added some "frosting on the cake" –– details like whiskers and highlights.  The photography is not accurate,  it looks so much better in real life!  I guess the camera has a hard time with the myriad of colors and the overhead lighting.

Works in progress: Summer and Beau

I've made some progress on Summer and Beau. Still.... way more to go!

Work in progress... Summer and Beau

This portrait of Summer is the 2nd one of three commissioned along with Chip (shown in the earlier post). I'm almost finished and will start on Beau, the third dog in this series. You can see here how I begin, starting on a red canvas, blocking in the background and applying a chalk grid to guide my drawing. I work from a photo reference in my computer.

Chip

I just finished teaching 7 weeks of art camps which has fully occupied my attention.
Here's the painting of Chip which is mostly done. Today, I'm reorganizing my studio and will block in the background for the third painting in this series of Chip's buddy Summer. I can then turn this painting of Chip over to the wonderful woman who commissioned it and had been patiently waiting for it!

Work in progress - Chip.....Chocolate Chip Angel

Here is a portrait of Chip I have been working on. He is one of 3 labs I've been commissioned to paint. He was 14 years old, a bit crickety but regal, with a gleaming, greying coat. You could tell he was well loved. I was trying to get this completed before he passed away since 14 is really old for a lab. Alas, he passed away a few days ago. I wish I could just whip these things out, but I just don't work that way.

I plan to lighten the background and keep building up layers on him. Comments? Suggestions?

Hanging the show

Tracy and Jim Potter hang Rabbit Hill by Helen Wilson, and detail

I am exhausted from a grueling day hanging the art show for my art group - 75 paintings, half of which had to be carried up a long flight of stairs. My helpers and I found it interesting how differently our tastes ran. This made it a bit difficult to agree on placement.

This show was first juried by digital submissions and then judged when the accepted works were brought into the gallery. The juror, Michael Steirnagle, noted how much different it was seeing the actual works. For instance, the painting above he initially considered rejecting during the jurying. When he saw the actual painting he was impressed and ended up giving it an award.

What I love about the Rabbit Hill (above) is the conversation it provokes. During the hanging, many people stopped to look at it (it's 12' wide - hard not to notice!) and seemed compelled to share with me their interpretation of it. What do you think? Leave your comments. Better yet, come see it and the rest during the artists' reception Sunday June 14 from 2-4 PM at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts at 15498 Espola Road in Poway, CA.

Best of Show: Never Promised You by Mollie Kellogg