Two new paintings

Love in a Cold Climate  .  14 x 11  .  oil on linen on panel

I recently completed this portrait - I just needed to paint a face after painting animals and landscapes,  That's how it goes. . .do portraits and the urge to paint a landscape happens, back and forth. In truth, I think it's part of my own emotional landscape - there's a real need for variety and the testing of my skills that goes on constantly in my head and heart. 

This painting is based upon a dark (literally and figuratively) photo of my Scottish cousin, and I loved the mood of it as many of my friends know, melancholy speaks to me.  Also it's fun to paint on the "darker" side and I can say I enjoyed it tremendously. . .

I cannot tell you how hard it was to NOT paint "light" in the eyes - there's a tiny bit in there when viewed in person, but that white highlight you see in most portraits was left out and, of course, not appropriate.  We often feel a portrait isn't complete, or doesn't come alive until you put that light in the eyes. .  .painting darker was a challenge that I loved and hope to do more in the future.

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Warning: cuteness ahead!  Often a commission happens out of the blue, like the most recent pet painting.  A dear friend turned out to be absolutely serious about me painting his Louise after a casual mention at a gathering one evening. Louise is the lucky dog taken under his wing when she was offered for sale by her previous owners.  She has been living the good life ever since!  Louise is personality galore, an elegant bulldog - so elegant we kind of think she is a bit of a mix.  I've witnessed the attention she garners when taken out to eat with her human friends - she has that something special we would all like to have in spades. 

But oh she loves to tease and she definitely lets you know what she wants.  The reason I know is because I have sat for her when her owner is out of town - she is a great companion and I can attest she hogs the bed!  What's not to love?  I used a photo of her I took on one of our dog sitting adventures to riff off of - she knew I was talking to her, attempting to take her picture, but she wasn't going to look at me!  Maybe just one eye sort of . . .well, you know how they do.  I caught that expression AND the light in HER eyes!

  So dang cute I had to laugh. . .

Louise  .  14x11  .  oil on linen on panel

Here she was, yesterday, all varnished and framed, waiting patiently to be delivered to her papa - I used a floater frame that seemed to perfectly compliment her coloring. 

I see no shortage of love in this world from my humble vantage point - I see it between family, friends and pets all the time. This makes me thoroughly happy and perhaps we don't linger on those good feelings enough these days.  
Love does conquer all. . .I truly believe that.