Karen McClelland

My big girls

2010-12-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

I don't often paint really large, -- but these girls are. The canvas size is 36" x 48" with a dark espresso color wood frame. I had forgotten how much time such large paintings take, whew!

I'm currently working on some 20" x 10" pieces now with my new model and a stunning dress. I'll post them in the next day or so. I suppose I should pull myself away from painting and get the house decorated, and some shopping done, but my easel keeps calling me back. LOL.

Desperately seeking names

2010-11-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

Ack! Today I'm sending off info on three new paintings to a gallery in California, and I've been so busy painting -- I've totally forgotten about the titles. And they want the titles! So I thought I'd throw a quick plea out there to all you Katie MacAlister fans who came through so great for me before. If you have any quick thoughts for these poor nameless paintings -- I'm really open to suggestions. LOL.

You can send me a suggestion at karen at karenmcclelland.com These three are all smaller than I normally paint either 9" x 12" or 12" x 6" done specifically for a December "small works" show.

Thanks so much for your quick help!

By the way sis, congratulations on the two new books released yesterday!

New Model

2010-10-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

My daughter's settled at college, and I've been shooting a new model for reference photos. Above is the first painting I've done with her. It's 24" x 20", unnamed, and needs a couple of final tweaks (I often see things that bug me when I make the jpg for online -- it's just the viewing the art in a different way).

I've been asked several times over the past couple of years to teach. And I've decided to finally start. Probably a combination of workshops and some local weekly classes, starting in January in Everett. I will also be doing a demo this Saturday from 4pm - 7pm at Everett Artist Supply (9304 Evergreen Way, Everett, WA) during their artwalk. I'm looking forward to using one of those new reference shots!

I've got work in four shows starting this month, and need to talk off to deliver to the first now. . .

Time to get going

2010-08-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

"Ready to Go" is the title of this painting. The "time to get going" comment was for me. I took a good portion of the summer off, spending time with my daughter before she went off to college. We took her there (Washington State University), last week, and she started her classes this week. My future vet is doing her undergrad in Biochemistry, with a minor in genetics.

But now it's time for me to bring my productivity back up. I'm anxious to get painting. The paint painting above is one of my newest paintings. Don't know which gallery it's going to yet, have to get busy on the business end of my career again also. Everything took a holiday while I was spending some extra time with my daughter.

"Ready to Go" is 30" x 15" oil on canvas.

First and Second

2010-07-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

1st -- Riuder Up 20" x 20" oil on canvas

2nd -- A Forest Ride 20" x 30" oil on canvas

I'm doing a happy dance as I just received a call that I won first AND second place in oil painting at a national equine art show! The pieces are above. Tonight is the preview party, and they have the best spread of any art opening -- it's a huge catered event, plus free beer and wine.

The show is held annually at the Emerald Downs racetrack in Auburn, Washington, and receives entries from across the country and occasionally as far away as England.

While I'm typing I'll mention a couple of recent sales, -- a collector from Park City, Utah found my website and loved "Riding the Herd" -- I directed them to Parklane Gallery where they made the sale. Also selling at Parklane a couple of weeks ago was "Classic Red" to a local Washington couple. Needless to say that news called for happy dances of their own LOL.

Cheers,

Karen

Quick Draw!

2010-06-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

May and June are super busy months for me, so I'm playing catch up on blog entries.

In the middle of last month I participated in the 38th National Art Show and Auction in Ellensburg, Washington. I went specifically because I was interested in participating in the quick draw competition. It was a blast!

To explain the quick draw event -- it start in a large room with a circle of chairs on the outside, a bar serving beer and wine at one end and a stage with mike and announcer. About twenty artists brought their easels in and there were some tables in the center for those artists who wanted to use them.

The object is for the artist to create a painting (or wood carving, etc.) in one hour. The painting cannot be started, but you can have a light, simple pencil sketch for placement. There is a large audience filling the seats and more folks moving around talking to the different artists. Everyone is poised, with the announcer kicking it off the event at the top of the hour. He continues to talk about the artists, what they're doing, and call out the time, i.e. 40 minutes left, etc.

The event is all media, not just oils, so the watercolorists have hair dryers plugged into power to dry their work, so they can move onto the next stage. I should mention that at the end of the hour, not only does the painting need to be done, it needs to be framed! So I had my frame all ready, with the holes drilled, offsets loosely in place and wired. My electric drill was at hand, and when there were only a couple of minutes to go I popped the ooey gooey oil painting into the frame, and screwed it down.

As I mentioned I had a blast. I had gone to the event last year and watched, which is why I joined the western art association, so that I could participate this year. The one aspect of it I didn't think about last year was about the noise level when painting. It's so loud. There were hundreds of folks talking, hairdryers running, and the announcer's running commentary over the loudspeakers -- whew! To help my focus I had my mp3 player plugged into one ear, but left the other open to hear the time countdown, and answer an occasional question from viewers.

At this point the hour is up, the paintings are done. Next, the artists quickly gather their easels and stuff, rush them out of the building, the workers quickly come in, breakdown the tables and set up the chairs for the audience. This is all done fast! After hauling my easel and paints out, and dump them in my area, I rush back in a get assigned a number, (tying not to bump my very wet painting), we all line up in order of assigned number. The audience is getting seated, and the auctioneer is warming up his voice.

Because the last phase of the quick draw is that all the just produced artwork is immediately auctioned off. And then the piece is gone, taken buy it's purchaser. I'll say it again, -- what a blast!

The photo at the top of this entry is the quick draw painting I produced in one hour. I had someone shoot me holding the painting so I'd have a record of what I did, then ran into take my place in line. It was 16 x 12 oil on canvas. Needless to say the painting was not as complete as I would have liked, and the pressure was huge, but I had so much fun, that I will certainly participate in a quick draw event any chance I get.

They're off!

2010-05-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

The jockeys are off again!

Yesterday (shortly before the Kentucky Derby was run), I was delivering eight of these jaunty fellows to the Women Painters of Washington show titled "Wonder" at the Columbia Tower Gallery in Seattle, WA.

Some of the paintings from the show are above. The canvas size for each of the paintings is 16" x 8". All are original oils on canvas, and naturally all of them are framed in the same lovely dark espresso colored frame.

Colorado Bound

2010-04-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

I have a new gallery carrying my work -- the Philinda Gallery, located in Edwards, Colorado, which is in the Vail valley. Yesterday I finally got three new paintings shipped off to them.

Here is one of the paintings I sent. It's titled "Big Step", oil on canvas, 24" x 18".

working western

2010-04-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

I'm still painting western! Getting ready for the event next month in Ellensburg, WA. Here's one of my most recent fellows checking things out. The size is 24" x 24" oil on canvas (framed of course). If you're interested drop me a line --I have no problem selling it before the show LOL!

Grit and Glamor

2010-03-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

Untitled 20" x 20" oil on canvas

Recently I've been painting cowboys, but I've also been doing several more glamorous, elegant subjects. Such as this woman above -- and I have a confession to make -- I am a formal junkie.

I purchase these formal dresses at garage sales or thrift stores, to dress models in them for painting reference. After a couple of years of collecting (and vintage dresses also), I'm finally getting a chance to start using them. We had some bright sunny days a few weeks ago (I love the strong shadows) and I was able to get some reference pictures outside without freezing the model to death. So the recent work on my easel has been flipping back and forth between the glamor of these women with the luscious dresses, and my rugged, gorgeous cowboys.

I have hit one unexpected stumbling block. My brain seems dead when it comes to thinking up titles for these gals. So if any reader has suggestions, I'd be delighted to hear them. I am not looking for a melancholy or sad angle, that's not what these women are about.

Drop me a line if you wish to know which art gallery these paintings are going to, but I won't be making that decision for a few weeks yet.

Artist in Action

2010-03-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Heading Back 30" x 24" oil on canvas

Come see an oil painting demo. I'll be doing it at the Fountainhead Gallery (625 W. McGraw St., Seattle, WA) this Saturday, March 20th starting at 3:00 pm. I plan on painting a cowboy from a photo reference I took last year.

Now that spring is here I look forward to getting out to the shows and taking more shots of cowboys for reference. I had planned on doing so this weekend, but had the wrong dates for the reining show. But there will be plenty of more opportunities coming up this summer. The same actual cowboy, just different shots, can be used many times. I just change the color of clothing and horse.

Above is my most recent cowboy titled "Heading Back". This fellow will be framed in the next week or so and then shipped to one of my new galleries -- the Philinda Gallery in Edwards, Colorado (in the Vail valley). I have several new paintings going there, so if you live in that neck of the woods drop me a line and I'll keep you informed about when they'll be available.

The Day After

2010-03-08T17:03:00.000-08:00

Last night was the opening reception of my solo show, Figures & Friends, at the Fountainhead Gallery in Seattle. It was great. I saw folks I hadn't seen in decades -- and sold art -- it doesn't get any better than that! The gallery is open Thursday - Sunday, and the show runs through March 28th. So anyone who missed it can still stop by and see the artwork. Give me a jingle, and I'll meet you down there if I can.

Above is a shot of the Fountainhead Gallery at night as we were leaving.

A Forest Ride

2010-03-03T12:56:00.000-08:00

This is the last painting getting framed, (and just in the nick of time) for my upcoming solo show at the Fountainhead Gallery. It is for sale through them, an original oil on canvas, the size is 24" x 30", framed. For more information contact Sue at 206-285-4467 or fountainheadgallery.com.

I'll try to remember and have someone take some shots at the reception an share them with you folks who.

Cheers

Almost Showtime!

2010-02-28T09:55:00.000-08:00

Next Saturday is the opening reception for my solo show at the Fountainhead Gallery in Seattle, WA. Above is the front and the back of the postcard. Since it's too small to read the details they are:

Karen McClelland
Figures & Friends
March 5th - March 28th 2010
Opening Reception Saturday March 6th, 5 - 7 pm

Fountainhead Gallery
625 W. McGraw St.
Seattle, WA 98119
206-285-4467
www.fountainhead.com

If you would like your own postcard as a reminder, send me your snail mail address and we'll get one dropped in the mail to you.

Three New Works

2010-02-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

I was taking three new paintings outside in preparation to shoot them for my website. Before setting them up I went back for my camera and when I came out decided to take a quick group show to show you folks. This is taken from my porch looking down at them.

All three are for sale. Going to different galleries. If you are interested in one drop me a line and I can give you the particulars.

It's a beautiful sunny day, but I'm off to my studio to paint. --- Cheers!

Southwest Art magazine ad

2010-02-14T00:10:00.000-08:00

Here's something I'm really excited about. I've had ads before in different magazines, but never in Southwest Art. And next month I have a 1/3 page ad coming out about my solo show. I'm just thrilled. I'm hoping on more to follow. You folks get to see it here first!

I'm pretty much done painting for the show. I'm hoping to get the rest of the pieces shot and onto my website before I get them framed. And belive me, framing is what I'm working on now. The show will have about 25 - 30 paintings, and with so many of them being new work, framing becomes a big job. I've already delivered a bunch of the paintings to the gallery. And need to have the rest of them there by the 28th -- just about two weeks.

Figures and Friends

2010-02-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Curious & George 20" x 24" oil on canvas

Okay so there were other things I forgot on my fall recap, like a solo show called "Western Life" in the Ballard area of Seattle. But I'm anxious to post newer things. So here are a couple of posts to catch bring things up to date. I'll break them up so they are not as lengthy as that one.

Naturally my big focus is on my one woman show coming up in March at the Fountainhead Gallery. Here is some of the press release info.

Award winning artist Karen McClelland will have a solo show of her original oil paintings titled "Figures and Friends", featuring people, cats, dogs and horses, at the Fountainhead Gallery, March 4th through the 28th, 2010. There will be an opening reception and a chance to meet the artist on Saturday, March 6th from 5-7p.m. The fountainhead Gallery is located in the Queen Anne area of Seattle, at 625 W. McGraw St., Seattle, WA 98119. For more information contact the fountainhead gallery at 206-285-4467.

The painting above will be featured on the front of the postcard. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come to the reception and say "hi" to me. If you want your very own invitation, send me your snail mail address and we'll mail you a postcard.

New website

2010-02-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

I new there would be something I would forget! Sure enough as soon as I hit the publish button on the last lengthy catchup entry, I remembered that I didn't tell folks about finally getting my website up and running last year. It actually debuted in about May, but didn't really have much artwork on it until late fall.

It is functional, but it doesn't have all my new work on it yet -- or even some older work for that matter. But it's getting there. Above is a screen shot of one of the pages. You can go to check it out at:

www.karenmcclelland.com

Cheers.

Whew! Six months have gone by

2010-02-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

Who ever coined the phrase "time flies" was certainly right. I keep meaning to post on this blog, but never get it done. Despite hoping to change that trend in 2010, here it is February before I make a post. Let's see if I can turn it around now.

First I'll recap what happened in 2009 since my last post:

-- I won first place at a national equine art show

-- I joined Oil Painters of America

-- I chaired an all animal art show for Parklane Gallery, in Kirkland, WA, which was titled "Fur, Feathers & Fins". This was a huge, huge, (and yet again, huge) job. I have deep respect for folks who do this sort of thing all the time. The October show was great with a lot of funds going to various Pacific Northwest animal rescue groups. I also got to talk to some wonderful animal artists from across the country.

All in all it was a great experience that I wouldn't have missed, but it did have a downside. During those several months I hardly got any painting done! I was so busy working on the show, that I rarely got into my studio. But, one big perk, since there was not prior years winner for the postcard to advertise the show, the gallery said I could use one of my pieces. It was a wonderful extra for my volunteering all that time to do the show. The rescue groups involved sent out thousands of that postcard. And needless to say that painting sold! LOL. The postcard is above.

-- I did get into the Western Art Association, which means I will participate in their regular auction in Ellensburg, Washington in May 2010. Plus, the part I'm really excited about will be participating in the quick draw competition.

A quick draw is where a room full of artists (in all different mediums) create a work of art from scratch in one hour. There is beer and wine for the spectators, who wander around or just sit and watch. An announcer counts down the time. Not only at the end of the hour do you need to have the painting done, it needs to be in the frame ready to sell. So that means watercolorists, have hairdryers going, as their works are under glass. They have the mat and frame ready, dry it and frame it. As an oil painter, that means that yes, I am putting a frame on a very wet painting.

With a short break for the artists, and rearranging of chairs, the pieces created are auctioned off to the audience. I went over there and watched last year and thought it was a blast. I really look forward to doing it this year, since I am a fairly fast painter.

-- I've also been picked up by a new art gallery. It is the Fountainhead Gallery in the Queen Anne area of Seattle, (located at 625 W. McGraw St., Seattle, WA). Sue and Ron the owners are great, and they scheduled me for my first solo show in March (which is now just around the corner). Needless to say that's extremely exciting, and with the FFF show I was chairing over in October I got busy in my studio producing new artwork for the show. You'll hear more about the show when I get to my 2010 news.

I did start a facebook page, like folks have suggested. What am I doing with it so far -- nothing. I need lessons I think, and there seems to be never enough time. That should bring everyone up to speed on what I was doing in 2009. I'm sure there are things I missed, but oh well . . . .

I'll try to post again very soon with January and early February news.

Going Western

2009-07-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've been very negligent in posting my recent work -- painting like mad, but just not getting it posted. So I'll try a bit of catch up here.

I am currently working on 10 - 15 western themed paintings that I plan to have done by September. Being a figurative painter it is not the western landscapes that appeal to me, but the animals and people of the west -- both modern and of times past.

My camera and I have been at western horse shows in the past couple of months (and a wonderful pow wow last weekend, but more about that later). So I'll share some of the cowboys I've been painting recently.

This fellow was at a show in his black shirt, black jeans, black chaps, everything crisp and pristine. I wanted him to look more like he stepped out of a western rather than out of a horse show. So I livened (and dirtied) him up a bit.

As you've often seen in my work, I'm drawn to where people are going, with the body language as the focal point rather than the face. So here is my first cowboy for your viewing pleasure. I realized after taking the photo, I've yet to sign him, so I'll get that done later today. This still untitled cowboy is for sale. It is an original oil painting 20" x 16" on canvas. Until at least September when the collection is complete this painting is available through me directly. Please email me if you are interested. klm (at) kmdogart.com

Katherine at the Faire

2009-04-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Time for me to varnish and then frame "Katherine at the Faire" so I thought I would take a moment and share it with folks. It has be juried into an art show and I'll be delivering it the end of next month.

This young woman volunteers every year at the Washington Renaissance Faire in August. She works at the gate greeting visitors. Last year (2008) the faire was unfortunately cancelled, so I'm really looking forward to it this year. I'll be spending the day there getting reference shots for future paintings.

If you wish to see the above painting in person the show will be May 31 - July 9 at the

Cascade Club ~ Trilogy Golf Club
23225 NE Greens Crossing Road
Redmond WA 98053-6247

Open to the Public
Daily 9 am - 7 pm

There will be an artist's reception on Sat. June 6th from noon until 3:00. I will be there painting as an artist in action along with several other artists.

The original oil painting "Katherine at the Faire" is 36" x 18" before framing and will be for sale at the show for $1,300.00.

Magazine Cover

2009-03-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago the Washington Thoroughbred magazine came with my painting "Working Out" on the cover. That's the result of my having won the Washington Thoroughbred Publication award at the 2008 Equine Art show.

Just thought I'd show it off.

A Jockey a Day

2009-02-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here's another of these fellows that I have painted for Parklane Gallery in May. Again he's very close to completion, but still needs a couple of more strokes, and of course the signature.

All the reference photos for the jockey series I took last summer at Emerald Downs racecourse. I look forward to racing starting in April so that I can go back and get some more photos. They've been a blast to paint.

As before this jockey is for sale, and won't screw anything up if he goes to a new home before May when he's due at the gallery, because I have several of these paintings I'm working on, and probably more than I need for the gallery show in May. The price (before he gets to the gallery) is $250.00, and includes a custom wood frame, but not shipping.

If your a new viewer to my blog, this is an original oil painting on canvas. All the jockeys are the same size 16" x 8" (this is the unframed canvas size).

The Jockeys

2009-02-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

Come up to the lab and see what's on the slab . . . er easel. I have to confess I was playing that soundtrack the other day when working on my new series. While the jockeys may be tan there is no blonde hair ;-).

This is the first in a new series I'm working on. They'll be shown at Parklane gallery in May. I have been enjoying painting the bright colorful silks immensely. I've chosen to do almost all of the jockeys from the back with the exception of a couple of side views. I made this decision on purpose because if I were doing them from the front, their faces would automatically be the focal point, which is not what I was going for. To me it's all about the posture, and the beautiful silks. What are they doing? What are they thinking? I find I am really drawn the to mystery of figures from the back. They capture my interest. B.C. Nolan, a fine artist who also paints many figures from the back expresses it much more eloquently -- but naturally I can't find that article when I want to. So I'll just have to leave it by saying it was a conscience decision.

This painting is done except for the signature, which I'll get done this week. So in the meantime I've got the copyright mark across the bottom.

They are for sale, each painting in the series is 16" x 8" and they are framed. The price for each one is $250.00 (plus shipping). Plus they do not need to be purchased as a set. I will probably have prints made of them, but do not have a final decision on that yet.

If you wish to purchase one of these fellows you can contact me directly until they are at the gallery (in May). After that they maybe purchased by contacting Parklane via their website at www.parklanegallery.com.

Salute painting

2009-02-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

To finish up my "Salute" painting story. These are the deep gallery wrapped canvas, because obviously I didn't want a frame on them. When Salute is hung the canvases are spaced 1 1/2 inches apart. So I made block thing (from tapping several house paint type stir sticks together) that was 1 1/2 inches.

Then I could work on a couple of the paintings at a time. I'd have them stacked on my large floor easel. Naturally I couldn't work on the entire painting at the same time, although on occasion I did try. The painting was hung in my gallery from the very start, then I would take down the sections I wanted to work on to my easel. Then put them back up on the wall. Well naturally I kept seeing something I wanted to work on when standing back looking at the over all painting. So I'd forget and go up to make the stroke. Of course that didn't work. They paintings where hung, so they would tip and move all over.

I'm the kind of a artist who works a painting all at once. I also like to work alla prima (wet into wet) and with such a large piece I couldn't do that as much as I would have liked. Areas would dry before I could get back to them. Anyway I had those canvases up and down off the wall so many times. LOL

The one downside I did find to doing such a large piece was when I went to take a photo at the Parklane Gallery (in Kirkland, WA) so that folks could see it. Obviously to fit the entire thing in the frame I had to stand quite a ways back. And therefore the viewer doesn't get to see the brushwork that went into the piece. This always happens when trying to share small jpgs, but certainly I'd never encountered it to this extent.

So for your viewing pleasure (and to show that brushwork). This blog entry starts off with a portion of one of the panels - the nose.

Hope you enjoyed my "Salute" story. I'm on to jockeys next . . . . .

The start of "Salute"

2009-01-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

Finally getting a chance to start blogging again. I've been exceedingly busy the last couple of months. Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, (www.parklanegallery.com) where I hang my work announced that in January they would be hanging "salon" style. Which means artwork floor to ceiling. I thought instead of hanging a lot of different pieces, would it be fun to hang floor to ceiling, one image made up of many different canvases.

What a project it turned out to be. I had never tackled anything like that before. I knew in my mind what I wanted to do. I had a eight foot high by four foot wide area to work with and I wanted to do a horse and rider. My first thought was a jumping image, but the width made me think of a horse and rider more from the front doing a dressage halt and salute. My next problem was I was really short on time to try to get out and take a reference photo. I really prefer to take my own, and of course I'm very careful about copyright. I saw a photo I was interested in taken by a wonderful equine photographer named Karen Lietz (karenlietz.com). We came to an arrangement and the photograph was mine to use as a reference for my Salute painting.

Next was to divide up the image into the different canvas sizes. I started figuring it out using different standard gallery wrapped canvas sizes, with 1 1/2 inches between the canvases. Having done that (it was either 10 or ll canvaes, I made my trip to the art supply store. Well they didn't have all the sizes I wanted in stock. And because I was working up against the clock I didn't have time to special order the canvases. So I started redesigning my layout in the store, pulling canvases off the shelf. I ended up working it out and it turned out to be 14 canvases.

Back to the computer to lay out the image some more. Making it very accurate with the canvas size and the 1 1/2 spacing. After that the next stage was drawing the image onto the canvas. Now I had planned to do some photographing for my blog as this project went along. Since I'd never tackled anything like this before. That went down the road of "best laid plans". When I'm working I just never think to stop and take photos. Plus the fact that I would forget to take my camera to my studio.

My next step was to gesso the fourteen canvases to get them ready for painting. Obviously the finished paintings were to be hung without frames, as they would ruin the image, which is why I chose the deep gallery wrapped canvas.

Then I made a step that is not normally done until after the painting is complete. I wired the backs of the canvas for hanging. And actually hung them unpaintined, getting that 1 1/2 spacing correct on the wall in my gallery.

Next was to start the painting, but I'm going to save that for my next blog entry. At the top of this entry you will see the finish "Salute" as it is currently hanging in Parklane Gallery (size 3 1/2 ft wide, 7 ft. high, price $3,900), and I'll post how it got to that stage in my next entry. Bye for now, Karen

The latest Malamute

2008-10-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

As the title says, here is the most recent of my Alaskan Malamute paintings. It is an oil on canvas and will be for sale. The painting is either 16" x 16" or 18" x 18" (I need to double check). I just recently sent a query out to Malamute folks with my question regarding the curve of the tail, which is why I'm quickly getting the image up on my blog -- so they can give me some feedback. I look forward to your comments.

This painting is currently untitled, so if anyone has any name suggestions I'd love to hear those suggestions also.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help out.

Karen

English Square

2008-10-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

16" x 16" framed original oil on canvas $650.00

Close cropping -- I love it -- the feeling of intimacy. Just capturing the moment with movement and color. This still untitled oil painting (suggestions welcome) is 16" x 16". It is not a commission piece and is therefore available for an investment of $650.00, which as usual includes a beautiful custom wood frame, so all you need to do is hang it on your wall. I took the photo reference for this painting at the 2008 Evergreen Classic hunter/jumper show.

This is the last of my "Equine Lifestyles" for a short bit. I'm back to painting snow and Alaskan Malamutes for their national in November.

Cowgirl X

2008-09-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Cowgirl X oil on board 20" x 16"

Another of the western equine lifestyle paintings. While not having all the bling of a western pleasure shirt, this more casual working shirt still shows the fun western gals can have with their wardrobe. If you wish to invest in this oil painting (or any other painting, if still available) the size is 20" x 16" and the price is $800.00. The price includes a beautiful custom wood frame. My studio contact number is 425-330-8879.

Buckskin Bend

2008-09-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

I've been working on several of my "Equine lifestyles" paintings recently. This is a framed oil on canvas, 24" x 12" and it is for sale. Drop me a line if you are interested. klm@kmdogart.com. I'll try to get the other two (one western, one english) onto my blog in the next couple of days.

I had planned on painting on Wednesday, and bought a yummy little dessert to do a still life of (as I've mentioned since I do a lot of paintings from photo reference I like to do some small still lifes to keep myself loose). I ended up running around and not making it to the studio. Poor little dessert, I had to eat it to keep it from going bad. LOL. I hope to get to my studio today, but instead of a perishable dessert, I think I'll just grab one of my grandmothers cups out of the china cabinet to paint. But I'll get to on of those desserts sometime.

Cheers,

Karen

Neil's Team

2008-09-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

Untitled 20" x 16" oil on canvas For Sale $900.00

The Lhasas are finally all finished, and I can move onto other things. Here's an Alaskan Malamute painting I'm very pleased with. Until I get a title I'm just calling them Neil's team. As I painted to a new Neil Diamond CD this time around.

As some of you know when I'm painting I play music, and it is almost always the same CD over and over during a painting. Therefore the paintings kind of get there own theme music. I stand when I paint, which if the painting is going well usually evolves into dancing while I'm painting. This time to America and Brother Love's Traveling Salvation show among the other Neil Diamond hits.

I will be doing a couple of other Malamute paintings in the next month or so,

Out for a Walk

2008-08-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

11" x 14" oil on board NFS Lhasa Apso Walking

At 11" x 14" this is the third of the three larger Lhasa paintings I'm doing. I find I'm losing my oriental momentum. And actually reaching a "Lhasaed out" point, but luckily only have a couple of the smaller ones do go.

That being said . . . I love this painting! It is so me in color, drama, movement, subject, light, etc. I like it so much I have contemplated not letting the Lhasa folks have it by painting another 11 x 14 for it's place. Then the piece can go a more traditional gallery route. Or my most recent thought as I gazed at it last night (I brought it home from my studio to my living room), is that maybe it can go to the Lhasa folks, and I'll paint another . . . similar, but not the same, and larger at 16 x 20 . . . hmm that maybe the way to go.

Either way, this will probably be the last of the Lhasa series that I post on my blog, since I want to keep some variety going for the non-Lhasa readers. But it probably won't be the last time my daughters feet make an appearance. I purchased the gold shoes a couple of weeks ago, and haven't worn them yet, but feeling they were a look I wanted had my daughter wear them and walk back and forth on the porch, as I stood below taking the shots. So I do feel walking feet will make another appearance in my work.

As I've mentioned before I listen to music in my studio when I paint, (actually it's about the only time I listen to music) it helps me to disengage part of my brain from painting. As I play the same CD over, and over, and over, my pieces often end up having theme music, -- especially these smaller paintings -- that I associate with them. I can say when I painted that I was listening to . . .

This Lhasa walking painting broke in a new CD, by Bobby Darin. So I went beyond the sea with mack the knife and then up a lazy river with my dream lover LOL. Dancing around my studio in between strokes at the end of the painting. Although I love painting in the public eye as an artist in action, that's something I have to be careful of -- painting with my mp3 on and not getting carried away and waving my tush around!

Odds are good that I will have prints made of this painting. Cheers.

Another Green Ball

2008-08-01T08:42:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd posted this image already, but after directing someone to the site for viewing, I see it was the square one in an earlier post. So here is the second "green ball" painting of this fellow pushing his ball around in the sand. Again I experimented with the linen canvas with the clear gesso, so that I could let the color of the natural linen canvas show through.

I've enjoyed the results of working this way, and may do a few more in the future. While this was not a commission piece, working this way and in
this style, (which for me has

The Green Ball 2" Oil on canvas
24" x 12" for sale $650.00

a different approach and thought process to it), I feel lends itself really well for commission work.

This painting is for sale, the canvas is a deep gallery wrap, and although it could have a floater frame on it and look nice, I am offering it for sale unframed. The size is 24" x 12" $650.00.

Western Horse

2008-07-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Currently untitled, original oil on canvas. Framed size about 26" x 26" For Sale $1,000.00

I though I finished this painting this weekend. But I just spotted a faux pas. I forgot the right hand rein. Sheesh, now there would be some tricky riding. I'll have to take care of that little error. Maybe an artist shouldn't be so in love with their own work. But man I'm happy with this painting. Of course the ones that don't turn out the way I want you'll never see here LOL. And while I like the equine still life in the entry before, this is the looser style that I'm painting in now. This painting is for sale, if your interested in adding it to your home contact me at klm at kmdogart.com

As a small brag "Working Out" which is somewhere earlier in my blog, just won the Washington Thoroughbred Publication Award at the prestigious Emerald Downs Equine Art show. It will be on a magazine cover in September I believe. Yipee!

Equine Still Life

2008-07-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Untitled equine still life framed size 18" x 24" original oil on board $650.00

Life got in the way last week, and not much painting got done. So here's a painting I did awhile ago.

This equine still life features a older Crosby jump saddle with a glorious pantina to the leather. I coupled it with a velvet show helmet and some horse appropriate snacks. This painting positively glows. It is not as loose and brushy as I'm currently working, but oooh it's lovely just the same.

I varnished and framed it this week, and it looks wonderful, maybe I should hang it on my walls. LOL But it is for sale. The size is of this original oil painting is 14" x 18" (18" x 24" framed) and the price is $650.00. Contact me if you love all things equestrian and would like this painting to come from my home to yours. klm at kmdogart.com

First Lhasa

2008-06-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

The first Lhasa painting I did several months ago was a puppy. It will be the only Lhasa puppy painting I'll be doing. Not that they aren't adorable beyond words, but I needed just one.

I'll be back in my studio tomorrow -- I've got so many directions I'm going I'm not sure which painting I'll work on. Last week (before the radishes intervened on the weekend) I started working on a western equine painting, that I'm just itching to get to.

Unfortunately I won't get any painting done on Friday, have to pick up work from one show, and take a bunch of dog paintings to Paddywack (Paddywack.net) where my canine work will be hanging on their art walls for July and August. So if anyone happens to be in Mill Creek, Washington stop by and see them in person. I'll be painting as an artist in action on July 12 at the Mill Creek Festival.

Radishes

2008-06-23T08:51:00.001-07:00

"Radishes" oil on canvas 4" x 12" For sale $175.00 framed

A quick break from four legs.

I've had the good advice that if you work from photos a lot, it's good to still get in some live drawing every few paintings. It helps you maintain you looseness and spontaneity

So along that note, here is a small (4" x 12") still life I did with some radishes this weekend. As you can see it does help keep a fresh looseness (impressionism) with ones work. The lighting is beautiful, the colors luscious, and the edges are lost and found. I'm very, very pleased with the way it turned out, and can hardly wait for it to dry so I can put it into a nice wide gallery wood frame.

This piece is for sale, and will be framed as soon as it's dry enough. The price for the "Radishes" framed original oil on canvas is $175.00 -- first come, first served -- please send inquiries to me at klm at kmdogart.com (you all know how to make the email address work), or give me a call at 425-330-8879.

Lhasa Again

2008-06-19T08:11:00.001-07:00

Here we go with another in the Lhasa Apso series that I'm doing. The coats on this breed are a great deal of fun to paint. And the color red, what can I say. It always gives me a visceral response. I knew it would play off well in the reflections of the gong. I had purchased the gong about a year ago at a garage sale -- knew I'd get around to painting it sometime. My husband tends to just roll his eyes when he sees the assorted things I bring home from garage sales to incorporate into my artwork.

If you've been following my other entries, yesterday I heard a great update from NOAH, both Bogey and Babs have found wonderful new homes.

11" x 14" oil on board NFS

Morning Workout

2008-06-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Recently my daughter's pony club made a field trip to the race track. We had a blast watching everything, including the morning workouts, and I took pictures like mad. As you folks have seen before I like to crop my images close. I really like the visual interest and tension it gives to a piece. Much less static than having horse and rider centered in the middle of the canvas, with a lot of space around.

This painting is all about the rider, not the horse. Earlier in this blog when I did "Andalusian Dressage" it was the opposite, about the horse not the rider. "Working Out" is entered in an art show next month, therefore it is not available for purchase right now. But I can always do something similar if you're interested, or contact me in the end of July, and I can tell you if this piece is available.

This painting really shows the size of the horse, versus the size of the jockey. Later I'll post another of the pieces headed for the show next month. It's that green ball and the young stallion again, he was just too much fun to paint.

Working Out 18" x 36" oil on canvas

Babs

2008-06-12T15:12:00.001-07:00

Babs 9" x 12" oil on board For Sale

Babs is so sweet. She loves to just sit on laps and be pet. I enjoyed painting her, she's another of the NOAH rescue animals, the third of four. I've got one more cat to post, whom I'm just calling "Tall Cat" while my mother is scouring NOAH, to see if she's still a resident, and get her real name. If she's already off to a new forever home, the she'll just remain Tall Cat. Which is fine.

Like Bogey, Babs' painting is for sale. Custom framing, shipping, and a donation to NOAH is included for the price of $250.00. If you're interested drop me a line at klm at kmdogart.com

Lhasa, Lhasa, Lha-sa!

2008-06-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

11" x 14" not for sale

Or Lhasa, Lhasa, Ap-so! I've been singing that to the conga dance tune, and breaking out in the dance occasionally as I've been in Lhasa mode in my studio. The reason being is that I accepted a commission to paint several small (small for me 8 x 10 to 11 x 14) Lhasa paintings to be the trophies for the next Lhasa Apso National specialty show. So I've been in Lhasa land.

While I admit that I'm a short haired dog, kind of a person, painting long hair is great fun! And they come in a wide variety of colors to boot. I've been trying to incorporate certain amounts of Tibetan/Oriental items in the paintings, which had been interesting to research.

This 11" x 14" Lhasa painting is not named, and will not be for sale. If I get interest I may have a limited number of prints made. So if you are interested in one please contact me at klm at kmdogart.com

More Lhasas and the NOAH cats will make their appearance over the next few blogs.

My name is Bogey

2008-06-10T08:55:00.001-07:00

Bogey 8" x 10" For Sale

There's not much I enjoy more than painting white animals. I love all the reflected color. As with Blue in the entry before, I realized I hadn't signed the paintings yet, hence the digital signature -- next time in my studio I'll get that little detail taken care of.

This is another of the dogs at NOAH, a sweet fellow who may not have been adopted because he's twelve years old, just my guess as he's a nice fellow. I really hate to part with this painting also, but sheesh the point of doing the rescue dogs was to help benefit them, so I'll bite the bullet and have him for sale. The price is $250.00, that includes a custom frame, shipping, and a large portion of those funds going to NOAH.

Ol' Blue Eyes

2008-06-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm going to kick start my blog and get it going again. I've been painting, but just not getting snaps of the results and getting them posted. I need to get better habits in setting time aside to get my blogging done. So here is the first of several posts.

As a brief catch up, I've finished a commission, had several pieces accepted into juried art shows, sold "Andalusian Dressage" which was featured in an earlier blog entry. I've also been doing my artist in action thing, most recently at the posh opening to our annual members show.

When trying to decide what to work on at the opening, I decided to paint for a worthy cause. Which started me on a kick of four paintings of rescue animals. The group I was painting for is N.O.A.H http://www.thenoahcenter.org/Noah_Adoption.asp which stands for Northwest Organization for Animal Help. They are a no kill rescue center for dogs and cats. I've visited their facility with my mother who volunteers there, and they are wonderful folks. They have a great turnover rate, they take animals from regular kill shelters, and place them in new homes. They even have a vet clinic at their facility where they do the spay and neutering among other things. It is the cleanest nicest place you can imagine, not what you would expect.

But I'm digressing from my art. Although they have a high turnover in placing a lot of animals, they have a couple that have been there a bit longer than others, and are actually still there (at the time of my posting this).

I would like to share with you today a dog named Blue, a lovely older gent, with really light blue eyes, and sweet disposition.

Ol' Blue Eyes 9" x 12" NFS -- yet

I have to confess that I really like this painting. So much so that I'm not willing to part with it yet. I love the way the color and the light came out, so I'm just not willing for it to go to a new home, it needs to reside with me for awhile LOL. But I still wanted to share it with you.

I will post the other three paintings of the NOAH animals (two dogs and two cats). They will most likely be for sale, and when they do sell I will donate a large portion of the purchase price to NOAH to help them continue with the good work they do. The NOAH animals will be intermixed with other projects I'm working on, but I'll save that for another blog entry.

peppermints and pewter

2008-04-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Peppermints & Pewter oil on canvas 6" x 12" for sale

I've photographed this piece three times, and I'm still having a terrible time trying to get it correctly represented. The whites keep showing up to washed out without detail in the peppermints, and now, the reds are to bright especially in the peppermint reflections. I really like this little painting, but I'm sure having a tough time getting a good representation of it for this blog.

I've got to move on LOL so here it is. I found this funky little pewter horse on ebay, and paired it with some peppermints on green wooden stool. I loved the reflection on the polished wood.

the green ball

2008-03-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

10" x 10" oil on canvas NFS

I've been playing around trying something new. This is a linen canvas, but with a clear gesso on it so that the linen shows clearly through. I did a minimal painting on it. Kind of as I assume watercolor artists have to work, with every stroke counting as important, and being the last stroke put down.

This is very different from how oil painters usually work (myself included), when you can go over things until you like them. I normally work in a traditional way of blocking in areas, and moving from large shapes to small details. So this is about as foreign to my usual way of working as I can get. I had put in the large green wash first, let it dry, and then worked in just the young horse, as I said making every stroke count, and be the last one.

My model is a young two year old stallion at the eventing barn where my daughter takes her lessons. He is hilarious playing with his green ball. He would bite it and throw it up in the air, pounce on it with his front hooves, shove it around with his nose -- not what you think of as typical horse behavior, he acted like a dog or cat with his ball.

I enjoyed the exercise and process of doing this painting so much I am working on another (again with Dino and his green ball), this pose is tall and on a 24" x 12" canvas. This new painting will be for sale. If you are interested in the painting in progress email me and I can email you a photo.

Bull Terrier

2008-02-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

For Sale -- Currently unnamed -- oil on canvas 30" x 15"

I was away for the last several days at a painting workshop. It was wonderful. I have been wanting to take with Pam Ingalls (http://www.pamingalls.com/) for the last several years, but she had quit teaching. I am delighted that she was willing to do this, and hope she had a good time also and will consider other workshops in the future. She is truly a wonderful, fabulous painter.

So I had fully planned on posting for the blog one of the paintings I did in class (we had live models, clothed -- yeah!). But when I just took a look at the photo I took at the workshop I had to much glare from the very wet paint. The work was done (as much of mine usually is) alla prima, which means all in one sitting, wet into wet.

So instead I'm posting this fellow that I started quite awhile ago (before the horses started), but have never taken a photo of yet, or shared with others.

While I really enjoy painting animals I find more and more of my work is showing the intimate relationship with have with our animals. I find this fascinating, and interesting to paint. Those quite moments together.

I'll try to remember to post another example of what I'm talking about. This Bull Terrier piece is as of yet untitled. But is for sale. The size is 30" x 15" and is oil on canvas.

Just a note, "Old Shoes" earlier in my blog has been sold, and will be winging it's way from Washington state to Florida as soon as I get it framed.

Andalusian Dressage

2008-02-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

For Sale -- no title yet -- 18" x 36" oil on canvas

Again I see small things to tinker with. But basically done. This is 18" x 36" oil on canvas. This breed of horse is an Andalusian, and they truly have this incredible amount of neck. It's not an exaggeration for the painting. For the dressage purists, I will be adjusting the riders body,

Partners

2008-02-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a painting I finished and signed yesterday. It is oil on canvas, 30" x 15". Cropping a jpg in photoshop gives me a different perspective on the work, I see a couple of small things to alter. I find it helpful to see your work in a fresh way.

Walking Out

2008-02-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Here's one of the paintings I've been working on recently. It is 15" x 30" oil on canvas. I do not have a title for it yet. It is closed to being finished, only a couple of little touches to go. This is another of the many equine pieces I'm completing for a gallery in March.

My work will vary more in a few weeks, but for right now it will be horses, horses, horses. In my work for this gallery I enjoy exploring the relationships between people and horses. Taking a more intimate view on the relationship between horse and rider. Painting that chemistry is what interests me. That's where I'm at for the next couple of weeks.

This painting is for sale, and if your interested in it (before it goes to the gallery in March) feel free to email me for the details at klm at kmdogart.com -- you know how to put the address together.

As an aside we have only one horse here now. I lost my 30 y.o. Morgan mare (I had her for twenty years) a couple of months ago. Naturally that was really tough -- she was my girl. In residence now is my daughters eventing horse, he is an almost 16 y.o. German Warmblood -- and a great guy.

Karen

Old Shoes

2008-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

Old Shoes oil on board 11" x 14" for sale
I can't believe it took me a week to get back to my computer to make this post. I did finish "Old shoes" a couple of days ago. These smaller paintings don't take as long as some of the larger ones. And I'll usually have a smaller painting in the works while I'm working on other larger pieces.

These old horse shoes have been hanging around for a year or so (don't ask why LOL) and have acquired a wonderful patina of rust with just a little glimmer of the bright original color. I loved the few old nails that remained with the shoes. Lighitng, color, drama, all elements I like in my work. In this case it was pushing the color on the shadows. To me it adds a lot of life and vitality to such a simple subject. Also the play of the warm and cool colors against each other. You'll see more of this as Russian Impressionism is a great influence in my work.

This painting is for sale. If you are interested you can contact me at klm at kmdogart.com

The large dressage painting I mentioned a week ago is still not finished. My daughter loves those extreme looks, and the Andalusian I'm working on has it in spades. I can't believe the neck! I have another painting I've done this week which should be dry enough, I'll see when I get to my studio today, and take some pictures if it is.

Karen

Entry accepted

2008-02-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

This painting titled "Gotcha!" was just juried into a national art show. I am always so extremely pleased when this happens. This weekend I need to get my husband to build me another plywood box specifically for "Gotcha" to safely ship it to Kansas.

"Gotcha" is actually one of a pair that I painted. The other original "Sliding Home" has already sold. I do have lush giclee reroductions on canvas available of both, if your interested the links are http://www.kmdogart.com/goldengotcha.htm and http://www.kmdogart.com/goldenhome.htm

I entered one other piece into the LSU juried "Animals in Art" show. I'm still waiting to hear if that one was accepted or not. I'll be sure to post the image here if it makes it.

I was painting in the studio today, but didn't get any snaps of what I'm working on yet. One of the pieces is smaller, and I hope to finish it this weekend (if my kid's schedules will allow me some time). I've already got a name for the painting "Old Shoes" Although not the kind of shoes most folks think of. I just love it when I have a name come to me ahead of time. It's so much better than when the painting needs to go off, and I'm racking my brain for a title.

Cheers,

Karen

New Studio

2008-01-30T08:03:00.000-08:00

I've been busy moving into my new studio, and the majority of the move is done. Only a few more things to bring (or acquire -- like wastebaskets). And I definitely need to hang a few paintings on the walls. But here are a few shots of how it currently looks.

Yesterday was the first time I had a chance to paint in my new studio. It was wonderful!

Unfortunately I don't get to head back there today. Two days a week I work at a custom frame shop. But Friday I'll be back in my new digs.

I am currently working on a 18" x 36" canvas. It is one of several pieces I'm doing for a gallery in Seattle. On Friday (if I remember my camera) I'll take a photo of it to share.

Until then,

Karen

New Year's Resolution

2008-01-28T15:55:00.001-08:00

Hurray! This was one of my New Year's resolutions. I wish the pounds would come off this easily. ;-)

I titled my blog as an oil painting journey. Well a journey is what it is. I hope you enjoy the trip as I move along my career path.

I will give a disclaimer right up front that I write horribly. I'm absolutely an artist, not a writer. My sister who is a writer (www.katiemacalister.com) laughs uproariously at my writing attempts. She says I write colloquially (which means I write as I speak -- just in case you didn't know off the top of your head). So I may butcher language, with incomplete sentences, fragments, etc., but if I waited to start a blog until after I brushed up on my grammar I don't think it would ever get done. So with the aid of the spell checker I'm pushing on . . .

One of the things I have wanted to do for many years is have studio space separate from my home. My paintings do tend to take over the house, -- so much to my families delight I have finally made that move. I'm leasing an upstairs space in beautiful downtown Snohomish, Washington. The room is roughly 11' x 15' feet, which is not enough room to move everything out of the house, but will give me my own space to do some painting. Here are a couple of photos of the empty room I took last week before moving in.

It doesn't' have the greatest natural light that an artist would wish for in a studio, so I'll have to adjust that with some special temperature lights. But for right now it gets me out of the house. I'm only doing a short lease of six months to start with. I want to see if having a studio separate from my house does help my productivity. Like most artists I lament not painting as much as I would like to -- a common complaint. ;-)

Tomorrow I'll post how the room looks now.

Best,

Karen