Rupert with his portrait

I've said it before
and I'll say it again:
I absolutely LOVE receiving photos like this from clients. Love. Thanks, Pam. Rupert is so cute; I just want to smooch him!

I had a baby four weeks ago. She is fantastic. We are very happy. I'm exhausted.

I'm thankful to receive this photo to post, because artmaking is on hold indefinitely. Right now, I'm all about the baby. And trying to sleep whenever possible.

New year, new card designs

Click the image above to see these beauties a little better. To read the awesome quotes, though, you'll have to visit ye olde Etsy shop. All ten new cards will be available in the Dog Wisdom cards section by the end of the day.
Happy New Year!

Reflecting

Me and The Bean: Chicago, April 2011
and
22 portraits in 12 months (not too shabby for a pregnant chick)

I'm less than three weeks away from my due date. Needless to say, I'm a wee bit overwhelmed. But I'm taking a moment to reflect on this last year. It was a doozy.

In 2011, I...
...visited New Orleans, LA for the first time
then, a week later, I...
...visited Chicago, IL for the third time (first with Kevin)
I also...
...got pregnant (also for the first time)
...had a painting published in a charity art book
...exhibited my dog portraiture in an art gallery (for the second time)
...created my first all-digital pet portrait
...branched out of just teaching Graphic Design, picking up two Fine Arts classes at the high school where I work
...visited Lake George, NY for the first time
...had my best-ever Etsy sales month (in December)
...discovered a new meaning to my 2011 word for the year (temple), through my pregnancy
...completed 22 dog portraits in 12 months

I hoped the final tally of portraits for 2011 would be 29 instead of 22, as I have seven outstanding portraits hanging over my head: three contest winners and the last four "30 Dogs" pieces. But, alas, another thing I did in 2011 was learn to let go. I had to put myself and the health of my baby first, which meant shelving some projects. I'm a little too Type-A to do this gracefully, but I did it. At least I have work lined up for 2012!

I've chosen a word for the new year, but I'm keeping it to myself. Perhaps this time next year I'll reveal it, along with all of the ways the word manifested itself in my life. I'm curious what I'll have posted, art-wise, a year from now. With the arrival of a baby, art production for me could go either way: I might be super-prolific or totally stagnant. Or anywhere in between. Time will tell.

No matter what, 2012 promises to be a great year for this girl! Hopefully for you, too!
Happy New Year!

Last Christmas portrait reveal: MAGGIE

Lab mixes abound! Yesterday I posted a purebred Lab and a Lab mixed with Bassett. This little cutie is Lab mixed with Chow (thus the partially black tongue). The photos I received of Maggie made me wish I could reach into the pictures and touch her thick, soft fur! I can tell she's a sweet, lovable dog.

Maggie's dad, Bob, commissioned me to paint Maggie as a Christmas gift for his wife. Bob was my first client to request my patterned-paper-background style. Up until now, I used that technique on my own whim, so I was excited to receive a request for it. And his request was specific enough (yellow/daisies/ecological/nature/autumn were my key words) to give me a fun challenge in terms of hunting down the perfect paper, but flexible enough for me to be confident in my choice. I found this paper and I knew it was the way to go. Between the fun paper and the adorable dog (it's no secret I love to paint black dogs), this one was a pleasure to paint.

Thank you, Bob! I hope your wife was surprised and happy on Christmas morning!

Some Christmas commissions revealed!

Here are three portraits I've been keeping under wraps so I wouldn't spoil any surprises. It was difficult, because I'm really pleased with how all three portraits turned out.
At long last, I present Mindy, Chase, and Schnitzel.

Mindy is a German Shepherd mix. This commission came from my friend Mike, who has now commissioned FOUR portraits from me: Maddie for his friends, Bonaparte and Trigger for his parents, and now Mindy for his sister. As always, thank you, Mike! You rock!

Chase is a Yellow Lab puppy. His full name is Chase Mutley, which is a riff on Chase Utley, #26 of the Philadelphia Phillies. Angela found out about me through Camp Bow Wow (SO glad I have a sample portrait hanging there!). All of Chase's photos were adorable, but this photo was Angela's hubby's favorite. I hope he was surprised and happy on Christmas morning, Angela. Thank you!

Schnitzel, the Basset-Lab mix, was also commissioned by a patron of Camp Bow Wow. Just when I thought I had closed my queue for holiday portraits, I heard from Laura—a photographer and fellow art teacher! I had to paint this regal-looking boy. Thank you, Laura; I hope your husband loves the portrait!


I did two other Christmas commissions this year: Maggy and Maggie. One was gifted prior to Christmas, so I posted it already, and one I'll post soon.

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday! I sure did!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from me and Rosie!

What's Christmas without a little GLITTER?

Silly me! I never posted the last six glitter dog silhouettes. Well, here they are. They look kinda festive, considering the season. Like ornaments, almost. At least they do to me, a person who is not decorating for Christmas at all, due to my 9-months-pregnant status.

Meet Disco Dalmatian, Beaming Beagle, Shimmering Schnauzer, Heck of a Husky, Not-so-Bashful Basset, and Cha-Cha Chihuahua. All but one are available in their very own section of my Etsy shop.

When I came up with the idea of these, I had 17 round wood plaques leftover from an old project. I made 17 glitter dog silhouettes—15 to sell, and 2 to gift to someone I admire from afar. I'm putting the glue and glitter away for a while (after I make one of my own dog for the baby's room, that is). But I might create a generic shop listing for a custom glitter silhouette. Two of these little gems have been purchased, and I hope the rest follow suit. They are so much cuter (and sparklier) in person. I think they'd make a great gift!

I am officially finished with holiday commissions! I can't wait to actually post them once Christmas is over! I'm quite proud of those paintings. I still have 7(!) portraits hanging over my head; but it's almost impossible for me to paint comfortably these days, and my maternity leave is looming. I've come to accept that some paintings will just have to wait until after the new year...and maybe even after the baby is born. There are two paintings for which the dog owners have paid money, both at silent auctions. In the spirit of fairness, those pieces are my priority. The rest have not been paid for in any way yet; so while they will definitely be completed, they will have to wait a bit.

This year's holiday card

It's designed. I just have to get it printed...fast.

Happy Holidays,

My 2012 calendars=great stocking stuffers!

The calendars are printed! Can you tell I'm excited? I decided on a black and white theme this year, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Twelve of my favorite dog portraits are featured in this year's calendar. And, as is now tradition, my dog Rosie is Miss November (her birthday month).

When the year is over,
I re-purpose the calendars by cutting out the doggie part, attaching a ribbon, and voila! Instant bookmark!

You can purchase a calendar for yourself and/or to stuff in a dog lover's stocking in the holiday section of my Etsy shop.


Enjoy the season,

No spoilers here!

I'd love to post my recently-finished paintings, but I don't want to spoil any surprises! Of the five holiday commissions I took on this year, four are complete. I was able to post Maggy, because my client decided she couldn't wait until Christmas to give her husband the portrait. The others must stay under wraps until after the holiday. I've got one more to do, and hope to complete it by this Saturday. Operation Get All Artwork Done Before Baby Arrives is going slowly, but surely (I suppose).

So what's a girl to post, when she can't post any recent work? How about the photos I took of George Rodrigue's studio in New Orleans? I walked by after it was closed, so I could only point my camera in through the glass windows. On my next trip to NOLA, I will certainly go in and show some love for the blue dog and a very prolific artist.

Maggy

This is the second of my completed holiday commissions this year. The first one has yet to be posted. I'm keeping it a secret until after Christmas, to ensure I don't ruin the surprise for the recipient.

This is Maggy, a beautiful Lhasa Apso that resides in Doggie Heaven. Her mom, Rose, is a co-worker of mine. Rose commissioned this portrait as a Christmas gift for her husband. But as I handed her the portrait today, she informed me that she won't be able to wait until Christmas to give it to her hubby! Thank you, Rose, for the commission. I'm honored to create this portrait of Maggy for you and Jim. Enjoy!

Art should be ENJOYED, not packed away in STORAGE...

...and right now, I have 24 23(!) original dog portraits wrapped up and stored in boxes under the bed in my spare bedroom. BOO! As Baby Throckmorton gets ready to make her grand entrance in the world, Daddy and I are getting the house ready. I could really use that space under the bed!

I have put all 24 23 original dog portraits in my possession on DRASTIC sale. To be honest, it actually pains me to price them so low, but I refer back to the title of this post, and digress. All original dog portraits are either $89 (unframed) or $99 (framed).

All 24 23 discounted dog paintings can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

In current dog art news, I am finishing up holiday commissions this weekend. Some I'll show, while some have to remain secret until after the holidays.

Holiday cards for sale

This year, for the Throckmorton family holiday card, I'm going to include a reference to the baby-on-the-way. My idea involves the nursery furniture. However, considering the nursery is still an office and we have a LOT of work to do in that room, I'm anticipating a last-minute holiday card design (and a rush charge at the printer!).

Speaking of holiday cards, for any Yorkie lovers, or fellow fans of The Velveteen Rabbit (my favorite children's book of all time), I have some packs of those holiday cards available in the holiday section of my shop.

A gift for a fellow blogger(who doesn't know I exist)

I just completed eight glitter dog silhouettes. Six will be for sale, and the two pictured here will soon be shipped to a person whom I admire. A sort of thank-you for her blog musings, which I find very inspiring. This person has two dogs, and celebrates them with lots and LOTS of photographs. Do you recognize these dogs by their profile? Can you guess the blogger to whom they belong?

{UPDATE (1/3/12): This blogger's stock just rose with me. Big time. Today I got a thank-you note in the mail for the portraits I sent. Little gestures like that mean so much. She's famous AND gracious.}

The other six glitter silhouettes will be posted soon. For now, I'll reveal the breeds: Basset Hound, Beagle, Chihuahua, Dalmatian, Schnauzer, and Siberian Husky. In pretty, sparkly colors. Stay tuned!

Haley

This is Haley, the Goldendoodle. She belongs to Michelle, one of the owners of Camp Bow Wow in Cherry Hill, NJ. My parents' dog, Abby, is a regular at Camp Bow Wow. Michelle graciously lets me put up a bit of advertising in the lobby. As a thank-you, I painted this portrait of Haley, which Michelle agreed to hang up at Bow Wow.

I'm a big fan of Goldendoodles. They are big and fluffy, yet lanky. And very sweet. I see a lot of them at the dog beach we frequent in the summertime.

Thank you, Michelle. I hope this portrait of Haley makes you smile....and makes your clients ask,"Who painted that?"

30 Dogs Week 26: Alfie

Lounging on a plush red couch, Alfie certainly has the life, doesn't she? This gorgeous dog belongs to Mike, whom I've known since first grade! Mike is an animal lover and advocate, so I was honored to have him contribute a fantastic photo of Alfie to my 30 Dogs project. Thank you, Mike!

This was the portrait I was going to do in mosaic tile. But I opted against it when I found out I was pregnant. Grout dust + pregnancy = not a smart move. I'm glad I went the oils route on this one, because it was fun to paint that couch. I want to sit on that couch!

I'm balancing my studio time between the last 30 Dogs pieces (only 4 left now!), holiday commissions, and portraits for ever-so-patient contest winners. In fact, it's time to fix a cup of tea and get to work at the easel.

INSPIRATION:Modern Dog Magazine's "Little Dreamers" article

A new client requested that I use a patterned paper background on the portrait he has commissioned. This is the first time I've been requested to do one of these backgrounds in a commissioned piece; up until now, I've just done them on my own whim for some 30 Dogs portraits. This style has been very well received, which makes me so happy because I'm really into it. In celebration of my growing acrylic + patterned paper repertoire, I thought I'd talk about what inspired me to do it in the first place.

One day in Spring 2010, I was flipping through Modern Dog magazine. When I came across the "Little Dreamers" article, I stopped in my tracks. It was a 6-page photo spread featuring puppies. Adorable puppies. The puppies alone would be enough to take someone's breath away, but I was drawn to the gorgeous patterns behind the puppies. Incredible fabrics served as the backdrops for the photo shoot. I loved the juxtaposition of the brown/gray/black/white dogs against the colorful, bright, busy, mostly floral patterns. Instantly, I was inspired to play with pattern!

The result? My new collection of pet portraits, done in acrylic with a patterned background. I don't use fabric; rather I use lovely papers that come from Japan, India, Nepal, or the good ol' USA. This style forced me to work with acrylic after years of exclusively using oil. That has been a challenge, as acrylics and I were never buds. But I pushed through and I now have a newfound respect for, and a comfort level with, the medium. Thank goodness because I have subsequently become pregnant and am using acrylics for the remainder of my pregnancy, for safety reasons.

The photographer for this article was Tanya King. I just took a gander at her work and she is pretty awesome. And she hails from my neck of the woods—let's hear it for NJ!

Neither Ms. King nor Modern Dog magazine know I exist, but I feel compelled to thank them. They inspired me to experiment with style and media, which resulted in a fresh collection of work that excites me. Every artist needs to branch out once in a while, so as to not become stagnant or feel bored.

What has inspired YOU lately?

STELLA!

I just can't say that name without yelling it, Brando style!

A few years ago, my friend Mark commissioned me to paint his Boxer, Stella, for his wife as a present. I haven't seen Mark in way too long; but I recently got in touch with him, regarding my 2012 calendar. Stella will be Miss March 2012! I like to inform the moms and dads about the inclusion of their pups in the calendar, and send them complimentary copies. Mark had lovely words to say about Stella's portrait. I mentioned my free notecard offer, and within a few days, he sent me the photo above. LOVE IT! Thanks, Mark!

What offer, you say? Here it is:
If I painted your dog and you are able to send me a photo of the dog with his/her portrait, I'll send you a complimentary pack of notecards featuring the portrait!

2012 calendars are at the printer. They will soon be available in the holiday section of my Etsy shop.

Sick as a, well, you know

I was truckin' along: five and a half months of pregnancy without even a sniffle. Then school started and I went back to the full-time teaching job. In a classroom with no windows that has around 220 kids in and out of it all day. And I get sick. Ugh....I don't get regular colds. Well, I do, but they don't leave gracefully. Oh, no sir! They start either in my throat or my nose, then within two days migrate to my chest, and then take residence there forEVER. Always, ALWAYS ending in bronchitis. So I'm waiting for the official diagnosis of what I already know is true.

Needless to say, I've been slow on the art production front. I hope to find just the right balance of rest and painting this weekend, so that I may finish two pieces. Stay tuned....and be well!

30 Dogs Week 25: Nola

What do you get when you mix a Weimaraner with a Chocolate Lab? A gorgeous dog, that's what! Look at that smile! This pretty lady was named after New Orleans, LouisianA. I visited New Orleans for the first time in April, and loved it! Can't wait to go back.

I wanted to use one of the three classic Mardi Gras colors for the background. Since I've always loved brown and purple together, it was an easy decision.

Thank you, Jennifer, for contributing to my project. I hope you like the portrait!