Mr. Tut Tut

He looks pretty comfortable there, doesn't he.  He doesn't seem to mind having only one eye. My friend showed me several photos, and I immediately knew that this was the one.  He not only looks comfortable, he looks like he owns the place and simply allows his humans to live there too. I didn't know him, but think I would have liked him. 

I'll share my friend's words:

"Thank you, Helen, for honoring Mr. Tut Tut with a beautiful pet portrait. He was adopted many years ago by a cat-loving mountaineer, park ranger who would eventually become my son-in-law. Tut was accompanied by another Maine Coon who Mike named Little Girl. They resided with him in Yosemite National Park and 3 more parks beyond. He was beloved by Mike and Barrie and all who knew him. In Mike’s words, 'He was a singular cat, and everybody loved the big, big guy.' Helen, you captured his spirit."

Original Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Canvas Board
[SOLD]

Riley & Steve

Good dog, Riley.

Good dog, Steve.

I wonder if these guys will recognize themselves when their dad gets this painting as a 40th birthday present.

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas 

[SOLD]

Meow!

The longer I look at this funny little kitty, the more I like it.  Her attitude makes me smile. It was my first mixed media collage to do all by myself. 

What a (delightful) mess!
I think it's a requirement to get out every single artsy thing I own to make my Gelli papers... Artsy things as well as some almost-trash things... a piece of bubble wrap, straw, piece of pipe, sponge, toothpick, texture stamp, bottle lid, plastic cup... 

I knew I was going to do a Siamese cat on a blue background, so I kept that in mind as I chose my color palette for making the papers. 
They were all so pretty just like they were, it was kind of hard to know I was just going to cut them into little pieces.

Using acrylic is so different from using oils. I seem to make a different mess at every stage.

You see!  I knew shouldn't toss that little wire photo holder from the table of my son's rehearsal dinner five years ago.  It makes just the swirly stamper that I needed!

My art challenge this week was "Something Borrowed, Something Blue."  I wanted to try a second collage and wanted to do something similar to the bunny I learned on.  There aren't a lot of blue animals; however, my friend Sandra at mmmquilts has a cat with gorgeous blue eyes. She would be the star.  (Bella seems to be a cat who has refined artistic tastes. I told Sandra that she might not want to show this portrait to her unless she has a flare for some funky-feeling modern art as well.)  The only "something borrowed" I could think of was library books, so Bella got to perch on books instead of her usual quilts. 

Original Mixed Media Collage on 8"x 10: Canvas Board

Click "Meow!" if you'd like to purchase this fun little piece of art.

Carley

She looks like she's big and fierce and in charge, doesn't she.  I think she might be one of those three things.  You can guess which?

Here's a peek into the process. Enjoy!

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Mae

This pretty little pup painting will be someone's Christmas surprise.

Sometimes it's fun to watch how a painting comes together. 

Enjoy this little video of the process.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

 

Harper, a Black & White Kitty

My blog friend, Sandra, asked me to paint Harper (named for the author of To Kill a Mockingbird) as a birthday present for her daughter.  Actually I'd painted Harper before. Look very closely at the painting "Harmony"... at the base of the third tree... Surprise!  There she is!! 
Not only do I like to tell the story behind my paintings, I want to know their stories while I'm painting them!
Sandra told me this:

"Harper and Dayna bonded immediately in a playroom in the Windsor Humane Society. Dayna needed a feline friend: she’d recently lost her previous rescue to feline leukaemia, and she was in college far away from her family. This fluffy, gentle, black and white ‘skunk’ brought a calm presence to Dayna’s home. Harper is her heart, her daemon."

Knowing this kitty's story makes me love her even more.  
Well, that and the fact that I think she may be a long lost relative of my Pounce!

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

Bear the Chihuahua

I have so many memories of time with my cousins at my grandma and grandpa's house.  They lived far down a dirt road with only my uncle and aunt as neighbors.  Their son (the first grandchild) was grown by the time  the cousins near my age came along, but Aunt Muriel (which we all pronounced Mearl) had two little chihuahua dogs that she carried everywhere.  Oh, how we wanted to play with those little dogs!  But Sandy and Cocoa would have none of it!  They loved their Muriel the best.  No amount of coaxing could convince them that playing with kids could be better than being held. Although none of us ever actually lost a finger while trying to pet one of them, it wasn't for their lack of trying!

Painting this little guy brought up lots of Sandy and Cocoa memories. Although this little blonde chihuahua looks just like my memory of Sandy, I trust that Bear is much better behaved!

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas.
[SOLD]

Oliver

Say hello to Oliver... Oliver T. Kitty.(The T. stands for The.)  Oliver lives with my son and daughter-in-law as well as with Copper and Chewy.

Living with these two happy, happy dogs can get a little much for this kitty, so he needed his own little private get away.  My daughter-in-law got creative with a piece of furniture and built him condo.  Only he can fit in the door she cut on the side. His food is in there, and no one else can get in to eat it.  She says sometimes he goes in and just hangs out.  The dogs can only look in the door and wish they could pester him. 
She cut another door leading to his bathroom.  He can go on into his litter box, and the dogs can't get into that either.   On the shelf above his living/dining space is his pantry where she stores his cat supplies.

This is what you'd see if you walked into their den.

This is what you'd see if you looked at the side of it.

This is what it looks like when she opens the doors.

I think it's genius!

Copper

Copper is my grand-dog.
His portrait will go beside his sister-dog, Chewy.  
Next up... their cat.

Good dog.

Bad dog..

Sweet dog.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas.

Mozart the Chihuahua

Meet Mozart. How cute is this little guy!

He belongs to my intern... my intern whom I love and who is going to be a fabulous teacher next year. :)

I asked her if there was anything she wanted to tell me about Mozart.

Mozart was a rescue. He was initially owned by an old woman who passed away, and her husband was going to put him down. Hearing this story, a coworker offered him to me; I got him on New Year's Day six years ago. 😊

He isn't a typical Chihuahua. He's very loving to all people, doesn't yip or bite anyone or anything. He's patient, loves playing hide and seek, and loves to lie in warm towels.
He's my very affectionate fur-baby. 😊

Original Oil Painting - 12" x 12"

[SOLD]

Chewy

"Mom, I have an idea. Will you paint something? 
I want you to paint Whitney's dog as a Christmas present for her."


***


"Oh, it's perfect... she's going to love it... We don't have to wait.  I can get her something else for Christmas...  Let's give it to her now."










Ha ha ha

It is hard to wait when you have something that will make someone special happy.