Recent Portraits

I completed a couple of portraits lately and thought I'd share. I paint animals much easier than people but it is all about the process, applying the paint, choosing the right colors, letting the work grow and speak on its own.

The piece above was done for a girl turning 13, for her bat mitzvah. I've watched the girl grow up. Her mom is part of McRae Art Studios in Winter Park, FL. A co-op art studio that I belonged to for over 10 years. She has always been sweet, smart and goofy. Filled with grace, and sometimes aloof. A beauty and a tomboy.

The next piece was part of a donation the I agreed to do for my Montessori School PTA fundraiser. The winners of the donation were a very much-loved and hip teacher couple who work at the school. They are fans of the work of Sylvia Ji. They asked my to do a piece similar to her work. Enjoy!

Curious Cats

This is a commission I just completed and that I think really turned out well!

Here is the process;

1. I receive photos from the client and we agree to a size and price.

2. I create one or two pencil sketches for approval.

3. I begin the painting which can take a couple of weeks or a couple of months, depending on how crazy my life is.

4. I ship or deliver it to the client and they add it to their decor and awesome art collection!

For interior design help in the Washington D.C. area check out; www.thurstonscottinteriors.com

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Black Cats, Halloween & Healing

One of my wonderful art collectors lost her beloved black cat this week, Mr. Meeshka. He lived a long and happy life (15 I believe) and from what I know about him he was a pretty cool and laid back cat.

Superstitions. A Witches familiar.....

In Europe a black cat crossing your path is bad luck. In Japan it is good luck. In Scotland a strange black cat appearing on your porch is an omen as well but a good one. It means that prosperity is on the way. If you hear a cat sneeze in Italy then you are in for a streak of good luck.Cats are not allowed in the room if family is having a private talk in the Netherlands. The fear is that the cat will spread gossip all over town, and the family secrets will be out. Don’t be too hard on the cat in Ireland, however killing a cat there brings 17 years of bad luck.

I think there's something great about black cats! I've never met one that I didn't like. They look at you with a knowing of the depth of your soul. They are playful and mellow, alert and smart. Unfortunately, they are targets for strange pranks around Halloween.

The first cat I owned in my adult life was black and chose me and my husband as its owners. It used to follow us into our apartment at night and because it was black, we didn't notice it until about 15 minutes after we were in the apartment. The first meal we fed her was collard greens (the only thing we had in the fridge) and she ate every bite. We knew then that she was a stray. After about a week of following us around we decided to keep her and named her Mystic. She really lived up to her name! The first mysterious thing we found while giving her a flea bath was a tattoo on her stomach. It wasn't a number, or a name, it was a symbol. It was the female symbol with

a 6 pointed star in the circle part of the symbol. We were quite shocked by this and I went to the library to look for answers. I really didn't find anything except a reference that the symbol may be used as part of witchcraft ceremonies. A few year later, a psychic friend of mine put Mystic on her lap and intuitively saw that she had been part of a Halloween ceremony, perhaps a satanic ritual and had gotten the tattoo that way.  Mystic somehow had gotten away before the ritual was complete.

Mystic was pretty smart and would play hide n' seek with us. She would also, always eat and eat just about anything you sat in front of her.

When my mother was home with hospice, dying of breast cancer, Mystic would not leave her side, except to eat or go to the bathroom. It was only on the day of her death that Mystic left the room and then did not return until she has passed. She lived to the good age of 13, fat and happy. At that age she began to have seizures. Alarmed we took her to the vet who said she had an advanced stage of cancer and should be put down right away. It was a shock to us and my poor husband helped Mystic in the end, as I could not bear to see her go.

Scientists now believe that a cats purr may be healing or a self-healing mechanism. Cats purr during both inhalation and exhalation with a consistent pattern and frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz. investigations have shown that sound frequencies in this range can improve bone density and promote healing.

Is it a coincidence that Mystic had cancer, as did my mother? Does it just say that our environment is screwed up? Was her presence helpful to my mother and her illness? I was to me at least. Will there be rituals and ceremonies performed on black cats this Halloween? Will it be bad luck or good luck the next time  a black cat crosses your path?

15 Questions All Dogs Should Answer

Well this is the first time I've done a commissioned painting of a dog and the dog has his own Facebook Page. I thought in honor of that I would have to interview him for my newish blog, seeing that he is hooked up with social media. Dieter is a black German Shepherd, living in the San Fracisco Bay area, obviously much loved by his humans.

1.  How do you feel about having a portrait done of yourself?  I've always been fantastically handsome, so I love it.

2. What artists do you admire?  There is nothing like the lovely smell of flowers, so I'd have to say Georgia O'Keeffe.

3.  Not all dogs have a FB page. What inspired you to make one?  I'm very photogenic, and well loved, so it's a good place to share all of those things. Plus, I have some very impressive poops to share.

4.  What do you think about animals that text or have their own twitter account, i.e. Texts with Dog or Glen Bearian? I love Texts with Dog we're definitely on the same brain wave. Emily just won't get me my own cellphone.

5.  Can you tell us what your earliest memory is? My first memory is how sick I was on the car ride home for the first time, but then I barfed on the front porch and it was all good from there.

6.  What's your favorite activity? My favorite thing to do is working out at the Shutzhund Club. I get to do aggression exercises like attack a guy in a padded suit. It's supposed to make me more obedient. http://www.schutzhundcluboforlando.org/sco_008.htm 

7.  How do you feel about cats? I love cats they're delicious.

8.  What do you like to do while alone? Usually I nap when I'm alone. I'm a people person, for sure.

9.  Do you like to listen to music? If so, what's your favorite? Oh I love music, I especially like it when Emily puts on The Police or Fleetwood Mac.

10.  Did you make a New Year's Resolution?  I've been underwear chewing free since!

11.  If you weren't a dog what would you be? If I wasn't a dog I'd be batman.

12. What's you're favorite word and your least favorite word? My favorite word is 'dinner' and I'm not big on 'drop it'.

13. Do you speak German?  I know a little German but my accent is shameful.

14.  What is your favorite toy? I love the tug rope and it keeps my teeth nice and white.

15. Do you have an answer to the age-old question, what is the meaning of life?  Eat, sleep, play, love. That's about all I'm good for!

Bio: Dieter Von Poopenwolf is an AKC registered German Shepherd Dog. Emily got him on August 21, 2011. He enjoys moonlit walks on the beach, beef carpacio, and is a Cancer. There won't be kids in the future, he went under the knife a couple of months ago. The way to his heart is through cheese and affection.

Here is a link to Dieter's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/dieter.vonpoopenwolf

DOG is GOD spelled backwards

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY&feature=player_embedded] Many people have used this phrase over the years. Here's a video by Wendy Farncisco about their connection. I found it to be very sweet and true.

I've also started making these small paintings that work great as key, leash, jewelry holders. Here's a couple of them with the "DOG is God" phrase.

Happy 4th of July

It's hard to believe that almost 4 years have past since I made this painting. I created it for a contest for Barack Obama's election and used my daughter and her best friend (Jordan) as models. It now hangs in Jordan's moms office. I'd love it if some of the statements from Maya and Joradan's flag would come true. Time will only tell. Until then, my dog will ride inside. Have a great fourth of July!