bad dog

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. Gratitude

Original painting by Seattle dog artist.

Original painting by Seattle dog artist.

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

kitsch PK fb

Manny- Chocolate Lab who thinks he's doing the right thing.

Manny tries hard to be a good dog, but he's not real sure what that is.Manny was found wandering the streets of Wenatchee. The person who found him brought him to a shelter. Manny is 106 lbs and 8-10 years old and nobody wanted him, so his time was up. Somebody at the shelter (kill shelter) convinced PAWS to take him, which is where Nina and Dave found him. Nina says Manny is just a great dog. He is very loyal and follows them from room to room. He loves tennis balls and swimming in Lake Washington, after all, he is a Lab. He is looking forward to spending his senior years lounging by the fire and getting into any unattended food he can find.

iPad painting by Seattle dog artist.

 

Chicken love, intelligence, and whispering.

I was quite taken by some chickens recently, and I think they deserve space here even if it is a dog art blog.

I went to visit friends on Vashon Island this weekend and got a bit of a lesson in chickens. I am assured that they are very smart, something I never heard about chickens before. They know their names and come when called by name, they communicate when they are sick or want something, they like sitting on laps and being petted, and they come running with the news that there is a raccoon in the area. My friend must keep a child's gate at her open door or they will make themselves at home in the living room. Maybe my friend is a chicken whisperer. I came home with fresh eggs, each one identified by my friend as to who laid it- Amelia, Winnie, Buela, Bertie, Gladys, Maxine, Henrietta . . .

eggs from Kai

Kai and chickens

chicken on lap

chicken in living room

Oh yes, there was a Black Lab too, Rosie, who almost killed my dog three years ago. Really. But that's another story.

iPad painting by Seattle dog artist.

Bandit, food thief, just Out of Reach- Whidbey Island, WA

We were visiting friends on Whidbey Island last week, and brought a couple of bottles of Out of Reach Muttitage wine. We all enjoyed dinner and wine on the deck, and their pup Bandit, wanted to be part of the action (and steal some snap peas as well.) We saw Bandit going after a pea, or was it the salami?,  just "Out of Reach", and just HAD to capture these photos of him mimicking my painting on the bottle! (the wine label with my painting won "Best Wine Label" at the San Francisco Chronicle's 2012 Wine Competition of over 5000 wines)

(Thank you Anita Nowacka for the photos!)

And the Winner IS...

Thank you to all who opened my newsletter and clicked on the links to vote for my image! Thanks to you, I made it to the first level of finalists, then was chosen for the label. I am thrilled! Going to California! Here is the article from the wonderful blog, DOG ART TODAY:

Dog Art Wine Label Winner Nancy Schutt

 

mutt+lynch+logo

Dog Art Wine Label Contest

Yes indeed, this is an opportunity for your vote to count! Mutt Lynch Winery and Dog Art Today are sponsoring a wine label contest- all dog art! and I have submitted a painting to the competition. The theme for the label is "naughty", although I really have NO IDEA why they think that word relates to dogs. To see all entries and vote, click here.

You can see them all and vote for your choice, or just go directly to the voting page and choose the lucky number 13, pictured below.

Voting ends Saturday, May 21, at midnight PST.

Out of Reach

Wine label painting