Allie, lucky rescue dog, at home with her family portrait.
Pasado Safe Haven, an animal sanctuary
I visited Pasado Safe Haven yesterday as I have become a community sponsor of this wonderful animal refuge that harbors a wide variety of animals- chickens, pigs, horses, cows, donkeys, geese, sheep, goats, and of course, dogs and cats. Pasado rehabilitates the animals, provides vet care and training, and places rescued animals in new homes. They adopted out hundreds of animals this past year to homes that were thoroughly checked out to ensure good placement. Pasado also does anti-cruelty work by investigating cruelty reports and working with law enforcement to remove the animals, and by promoting harsher cruelty penalties; and they've been successful in prosecuting cruelty cases. Pasado is doing remarkable work for animal welfare, and I am so happy to team up with them and support the work they do. "Love Bash", a fundraiser for Pasado, is coming up mid August, so go have a nice dinner and bid on some of the many items that have been donated to help keep Pasado going! Visit www.pasadosafehaven.org
Story told from the viewpoint of a Jack Russell Terrier- Seattle, WA
Jack of Hearts by Robin F. Gainey is out in paperback (Shimoni, the Jack Russell terrier on the cover is a cropped version of one of my paintings). Robin says "My novel, Jack of Hearts, is #5 on my publisher's Best Selling Paperback List after just one month!!!" (It's about the observations of a JRT in Italy who shares life with some not so valiant humans). Get it!
Two Golden Retrievers, digital sketch created on the iPad
Meet Jodi and Moose, sisters for brothers. The family got Jodi and Moose as pups so each son could have their own dog. They would like a studio painting of the, now quite large, sister dogs. I start a studio painting with an iPad sketch of the proposed painting. It's not meant to be a finished painting for printing on canvas, but rather a mock up for a studio painting created with brushes and paint on canvas. I do create digital paintings for printing on canvas, but they have more detail and a more finished look to them. With this painting, that will happen in the studio.
Back home in Seattle
Good to be back home in Seattle!This is Audrey contemplating the classic Seattle scene.
Seeger on the Hudson- New York dog goes digital
Seeger, New York dog, goes from digital painting to T shirt.
Dog Rescue News article about dog art paintings by . . . me!
Thank you Dog Rescue News! What a nice surprise. "Only a genuine dog lover could portray dogs the way Nancy Schutt does. Colorful, playful and humorous, her paintings convey so much of the uniqueness and personality of each dog featured. I love color and I love expressionist style paintings that are not exact replicas. Nancy’s work makes me smile and connect with each dog . . . (more)
Scans of dog art, the way to go to document a portfolio- Bellevue, WA
I have been taking my paintings to Bellevue Fine Art Reproduction for the past few years so that I can document my work in the highest quality possible on earth. Thank you BFAR! The images are awesome! I just had to offer to the world my appreciation for the fine work done by Scott, Tomoko, Redd, Syd, Amanda & JJ the dog.
Come to think of it, I think JJ needs a portrait. She asks every time I come by. But this is William, lover of kongs and all things fun, and a fine scan indeed.
German Shepherd with bluebirds and butterflies- Zeus in Puyallup, WA
This is Zeus, who posed for me for a painting of another German Shepherd. I didn't have adequate photos of the original dog from which to create a portrait and the dog had died, so I had to recruit a local "look-alike" as a model. The client rejected this painting so I started another one and continued working on her portrait until I achieved something she liked. But I kept this painting of Zeus, since I liked the portrayal. I wasn't sure what to do with it. It is years later now from when I first painted this Shepherd, but I recently felt inspired to finish it. I changed the background and placed this large and rather fearsome-looking animal in a girly lavender background of butterflies and bluebirds. I like the contrast and the implications. Zeus is a sweetheart of a dog.
Dog Dreams of Summer- Doxie, bunnies, and squirrels
A painting that's been revised a zillion times, I think it finally found it's home.
Tribute to Phil
I painted this portrait of Phil, Celia, Izzy, and Justus the cat, in 2010. Phil passed last Saturday. I like to use the present tense when someone passes, as I think they are still with us even though they are no longer in physical form. Phil is one of those people who brings to mind words that describe the best qualities of humans- he spills over with compassion, kindness, gentleness, generosity. He spent most of his life advocating for the most vulnerable in our society, in our world. He came to dog-love late in life, with Izzy being his first. He was smitten! and continues to have dogs as a central part of his life.
Izzy and Justus crossed the bridge ahead of Phil, and I'm pretty sure, they were there on Saturday greeting him as he joined them. Celia is doing ok.
A funny little story about this painting: Phil and Celia brought the painting back to my studio a few weeks after taking it home. They noticed a problem which they wanted corrected, and which I remedied. However, I had already had the painting photographed so Celia is still missing her sock in this version.
Steps in the development of a painting- dog art, Seattle, WA
There are many steps in the creation of a painting, beginning with the initial on-site interview with the dogs and people (if at all possible, it's the best first step! to actually meet the dogs on their home turf and have a face to face with all parties). I sketch and photograph the dogs in their environment, and take notes during the interview about the particular personalities of the animals in order to better know how to portray them being most themselves. Then I create a digital painting in order to determine the basic composition. I email images of the digital painting to the client, who then makes suggestions and requests for changes. This process repeats itself until both the client and I are satisfied with the digital painting, which then becomes the model for the actual physical painting.
Then I start painting in the studio. It usually takes several email reviews of the work in progress by the client before we arrive at a final piece. Here are the many versions of Sucia and Ivy.
Evolution of a Painting- Dog Art, Seattle, WA
In the effort to make a painting "more better", sometimes I look back on what I was trying to improve and think maybe I should have let it be. But unless I reach the knowing place with it, where nothing is prodding me for change, I have to keep going. This is a painting about the giddiness of a dog that knows it is loved, and the serenity that comes from loving. Painting 1 got concept, painting 2 got the sky, but it's painting 3 that captured the emotion of both subjects. Now, the sky is beckoning. I like the contrast of the churning, threatening clouds in painting 2 but the soft embracing sky of painting 3 fits the mood.
No bad dogs, only bad garbage can lids.
Deliberating whether to go with simple line drawings, monochromatic drawings, or full color for the T shirt designs. Opinions are extremely welcome. This is one of the bad dogs. We all have it in us.
Jack Russell Terrier T shirt- Dog Lover Art!
Back to the blog after a few weeks absence- with some T shirt designs. I've created about 20 images for T shirts, starting with a Jack, of course, always first in line!
Laid back weekend at home of dog artist- Seattle, WA
Rainy lazy days with my niece, Taylor, who spent Saturday lovin' up with the Chihuahua.
Goodbye Florida! Sunny, a golden retriever in a tropical paradise
Saying goodbye to Florida today after a good long stay here with my Dad. Sunny, actually a Hawaii dog, lives in the Pacific version of Florida, so she is representing the tropics today.
If there's a dog in it, is it still art? Presentation on "kitsch", Seattle, WA
I finally edited the video of a presentation I did last year as a "Pecha Kucha", a style of presentation where each presenter is given 6 minutes to show 20 slides for 20 seconds each. The presenter has no control of the slideshow. It was tricky! The topic was "Kitsch- Bad Art Gone Good", link below to youtube vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=557plP37R24
Looking forward to the New Year- from a dog point of view
Contemplating the coming year.May your horizon be calm, expansive, and warm, with your dreams on their way to you.
Merry Christmas! a day late, but joyful nonetheless! Just ask a Jack.
