Kathy Weller writes about art, business, and embracing change at Art Dog Blog. Highly recommend.
Tag: artist
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Micheal Dickinson Faces Jail for His Dog Art
Good Boy by Micheal Dickinson
I first reported on British ex-pat in Istanbul, Michael Dickinson, in September of 2008. At that time he had just been acquitted for violating Article 301 of the Turkish constitution, which makes it a
crime to insult the "Turkish identity" or state institutions, including
the armed forces, through his collages of the Turkish Prime Minister as a dog (above). I had no idea that the Turkish legal system then quashed that ruling and brought Dickinson to trial again. Now, he has been convicted of this charge and is refusing to pay the fine in protest of the attack on his freedom of speech. The judge has given him one month to reconsider his decision or face up to two years in a Turkish prison. Unbelievable. Read more at BBC News and Dickinson's website.Art matters.
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More Dog Art From A-young Lee
I featured A-young Lee’s dog paintings over a year ago. I discovered two pieces of her work on a Korean language dog art site called Merry & Happy, but I never managed to find more of her paintings. But I always remembered them. So I was thrilled when I recently received a note with a link to her website. Again, it’s all in Korean, so I don’t have much information, but her paintings speak for themselves.
I have never seen a dog artist work outside the canvas so successfully. Her pieces are clever and original without being gimmicky. Adorable but not cutesy. And they wonderfully capture the exuberance of dogs as subjects: impossible to contain. I normally have no trouble selecting a few of my favorites from a portfolio page, but I wanted to share every single one of Lee’s paintings with you. So this post has more images than usual. Visit her gallery page to see more extraordinary works with other creatures too. I especially like the hippo and the butterflies.
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Stephen Huneck Dies
Stepehn Huneck’s Dog Chapel
Very sad news to report. Beloved Vermont dog artist, Stephen Huneck, who inspired so many by turning his passion for dogs and art into his life’s work, died yesterday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 60 years old. Apparently, he was despondent over having to lay off employees from his famous Dog Mountain Studio. My deepest condolences to his wife and family.
Brief article about his death.
Architectural Digest featured his Dog Chapel online last July, 209.
Slideshow of his Dog Chapel.
Stephen Huneck’s website.
Here is an early post I wrote about Huneck when I first began blogging. I was in awe of his dog art empire, and this article doesn’t do him justice. I will be featuring a longer tribute to him in the next few days. Many people are coming here looking for more information about him. I will try to keep you up to date. My heart is heavy.
1:08 pm Update: Eva Sollberger sent me this video she made earlier this year of Stephen Huneck talking about his art and waking up from a coma that lead to his devotion to dogs and woodcarving…
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Dick Sebastian: Dog Run Artist
Dick Sebastian with his dog run group portrait
Read how one man turned a NYC dog run into a community. Powerful and bittersweet. Via The New York Times courtesy of my mom.
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Kait Matthews: Kool Dog Art
*sponsored feature*
Sir
Twenty-five years ago, Kait Matthews decided to become an actress instead of an artist. Stage productions, TV guest spots, and film roles followed. Then, a move from her hometown of Toronto to the big leagues of Los Angeles paid off with a three-year role on a soap opera. It appeared Kait had made the right choice; she had become a working actress. But by definition "working" means waiting. And eventually, Kait began to fill her hours of down time on the set by filling her sketchbook with her own work. And that work provided her a path back to her other love when her journey as an actress began to wind down (for a female in Hollywood that usually means circling thirty). Now, after graduating summa cum laude from The Laguna College of Art and Design, Kait is an artist and feels like she has come full circle. And along the way, she discovered that picking one dream over another sometimes allows you to live both.
As a painter, Kait initially focused on people, not dogs. She was drawn to the emotion of her subjects, or more specifically their eyes. An actress would know all about that, and it shows that oftentimes late-blooming artists often bring an arsenal of expertise to their work that could never have been learned in a studio.
It was the death of her friends' dog named Skye that brought Kait to pet portraits. The painting she created of her friends' beloved Westie brought them so much joy that she realized being an artist means more than a having a new career. It is a gift, one she could share with other dog lovers, and so her company Kool Dog Art was born. In truth, though, going from people to pets was not much of a stretch, because Kait believes that all animals have souls. One of the artist who inspires her work, 19th century French animal painter Rosa Bonheur, felt the same way, and Kait features this quote from Bonheur on her website:
I was only happy in the company of animals. I really got into studying their ways, especially the expression in their eyes. Isn't the eye the mirror of the soul for each and every living creature? Nature didn't give them any other way to express their thoughts, so that's where their feelings and desires get reflected.
Or as Kait likes to put it more succinctly, "Dog are people too." Indeed.
Where Are You?
Night Hound
Jack
Somewhere Out There
Sophie
To commission a portrait of your pet, visit Kait Matthews's website KoolDogArt.com. A percentage of all sales go to your choice of Kait's favorite animal rescues. Also, Kait has compiled her favorite dog portraits in her book Kait's Cainines. Click here to get your copy. It's a great gift idea for the dog art lover in your life.
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Carole Bayer Sager: Late Blooming (dog) Artist
"Me" by Carole Bayer Sager, Oil on Canvas
Singer and songwriter Carole Bayer Sager has a fascinating article in the Huffington Post about how she became a late blooming artist. My sister Sheila Cameron forwarded me the piece and then we had a conversation that went something like this:
Sheila Cameron: No fair. Doesn't she have enough fame, fortune and talent in music?!
Moira McLaughlin: I just looked at her work. She is REALLY good.
SC: Yeah.
MM: No, I mean she is REALLY good.
SC: I KNOW.
MM: But I didn't read the article yet. Do other people realize she is that good?
SC: Oh yeah.
MM: No, I mean, she's not just a singer who decides one day to paint a bouquet of pretty flowers, and then call herself an artist. These are really great.
SC: I know.
MM: Does SHE know she is that good?
SC: Yes, everybody knows! She is collected and she has shows and she has studied with mentors and done the hard work of making herself better when she didn't start out that great, but she is really super talented too. That is what I am saying!!!
MM: She reminds me of Lucian Freud, one of my favorites, and one of the greatest portrait artists living today.
SC: Yep.
MM: And I love the dogs.
SC: Thought you would.
"Steven Spielberg – Work in progress," Oil on Canvas
"Vegas," Oil on Canvas
"The Clicker (Bob Daly, my husband)," Charcoal on Paper
In her HP article, Carole asks readers to share their own stories about their second careers blooming late. Or you can send her a note at her website where you can see more of her work, including her abstracts, which are equally as accomplished as her portraits.
P.S. Her journey into painting also reminded me of late blooming artist, Kimberly Merrill, another of my favorites.
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Artist Vasily Fedorouk Dies Saving His Dog
Bridge
Last Sunday at Horsetail Lake in Cook County, IL, renowned sculptor Vasily Fedorouk and his wife, Dilbara Arapova, were playing ball with their dog, Era. The 2 1/2 -year-old German hunting terrier chased the ball into the lake and became entangled in the weeds. Fedorouk, 59, jumped into the
lake and rescued him, but became entangled himself. His wife and a bystander, both of whom cannot swim, called the police. They arrived 8 minutes later, but it was too late. Fedorouk had drowned in 6 to 8 feet of water.I know this is a tragic story. But, it is also one of tremendous heroism. And when I read that his wife said, "He would want to be remembered for his art. He
[once] told me that after he dies, his art will still live on forever." I thought it would be fitting to share his work with other dog and art lovers. I think his sculptures are awesome — in the fullest sense of the word. I am in awe.To his family, I am so sorry for your loss. There are no words to help you grieve, but know that his works and his selflessness are an inspiration to me as an artist and pet companion.
Legs
Stork
Creation of Life
Abduction of Europa
Torso
Requiem
View more of Vasily Fedorouk's work at his website.
Read full Chicago Tribune article by Joseph Ruzich.
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Tamandra + Borias: Forever in My Heart Series
Tamandra + Borias
When Tamandra Michaels's 8 year-old German Shepherd, Borias, was diagnosed with bulging discs, she was devastated. Borias is Tamandra's helper dog, her partner, guardian, and constant companion, and now he needs her help. As an artist, Tamandra has a creative approach to life, so she turned to her paints and created the Forever in my Heart Series, a collaboration of her iconic heart designs and Borias's paw dipped in blue.
Forever in my Heart
She brought some samples to Borias's doctors office and orders for more started coming in. Now sales of her series go right on Borias's tab for his treatments. And as more come in, she hopes to be able to contribute to more animals in need through various charities, an excellent pay it forward approach to a crisis.
Here are the details: paintings come in sizes from 12"x12", to 3'X3', and are done with acrylics, finished with a glossy varnish. The colors vary, but are done in shades of green, yellow and red. The paw print is bright true blue. Prices start at $75. Orders are usually finished within a week.
To order yours and learn more about Tamandra, visit her blog, My Heart Dog.
She was also featured in my first Studio Spotlight. -
Satre Stuelke’s Scanned Art
Artist-turned-medical-student Satre Stuelke uses a CT scanner to penetrate the metal, plastic or organic interiors of pop objects and foods. He aims to ask people to “think about how things are constructed.”Above, a scan of his son’s mechanical toy dog. See more including a Barbie, an iPhone and a Big Mac at the New York Times.
Visit Stuelk’s website RadiologyArt.com. So cool!
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