Dog Art Today

Tag: dog artist

  • Andrew Wyeth Studio Tour

     

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    Andrew Wyeth’s studio, recreated by curators based on memories of family and friends, arranged as though he were in the process of painting Raccoon, a portrait of a hunting dog.  Emma Lee/NewsWorks

    The studio of one of my favorite dog artists, and one of the greatest American artists, Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), is now open to the public at the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, PA.

    Peter Crimmins writes about his studio visit with photos by Emma Lee of NewsWorks that will make you feel good about your own messy studio.  According to Crimmins, “There are broken egg shells (Wyeth mostly worked in egg tempera), photographs are haphazardly hung on the walls, and sketches are scattered on the floor…Wyeth enjoyed seeing his preliminary sketches scuffed with footprints and paw prints.”

    My kind of artist.

    Full article.

    P.S. Did you know the Helga sensation was phony art-and-sex scandle ginned up by the collector who bought the paintings *and* the copyright?!  I didn’t.

  • Another Hartmann Sells at Strathmore Unleashed

     

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    Dane on de Kooning by Clair Hartmann

    Congratulations, Clair Hartmann, for the $1200 sale of Dane on de Kooning during the final weekend of Strathmore Unleashed! in Bethesda, Maryland.

    As I reported at the beginning of June, Hartmann's Shore Leave, also at Strathmore Unleashed!, sold for $1800.

    Visit Clair Hartmann's website. 

    Speaking of de Kooning, did you know he was a dog artist?

  • Anna Wilson-Patterson’s Huts and Hounds Open Studio Tour

     

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    Untitled

     

    I've had my eye on UK artist Anna Wilson-Patterson for a while.  Her art speaks to me for many reasons; the blues, the hounds, the small-town life she celebrates.   But what I think is most profound, and what I study when consider her art or visit her blog, is the sense of place she creates.

    She lives in the village of Herstmonceux on the southeast coast of England.   Many of her pieces depict the beaches of Sussex, but they also evoke the beaches in my mind's eye, the ones of childhood vacations and future adventures.  Like the concept of terroir, that specificity of soil can distinguish a wine, I believe a sense of place can make a good painting great.  I see it in the works of the most accomplished artists of Nevada County, where I live, and I see it in Anna Wilson-Patterson's work.

    Often, when I am doing my own art or writing about others, it's all about the dogs.   But,  I know of several dog artists who have given up painting pet portraits because it has become to rote and too painful to disappoint clients.   What I want to share through Anna Wilson-Patterson's work is to think about coming at dogs from a different perspective.  She comes at dogs through village life, through the mist rolling in, through an abandoned shanty at low tide, and light coming from a certain window, and that, along with her sizeable talent elevates her work.  And that is why I've had my eye on her since I first discovered her over a year ago.  

    As I said in Friday's post, try going outside.   I am experimenting with such a crazy idea myself and finding it difficult to break away from my computer screen and my arty paraphernalia.   But, I am doing it, and I want to offer that experiment to you.  As always, let me know how it goes.

    If you live in Sussex you have a rare opportunity to visit Anna Wilson-Patterson's studio (she lives in a former candy factory – how cool is that?) during her Huts and Hounds Studio Tour, June 1 – June 16, 2012. 

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    Greyhound at Beach

    Anna_wilson_patterson_Dangly_Dog

     

    Lurcher with Dangly Legs

    Anna_wilson_patterson_rye_harbor_railway_carriage

     

    Rye Harbor Railway Carriage

    Speaking of a sense of place, Anna has a terrific video of her studio featuring her dogs Bea and Finn…

    Huts and Hounds Open Studio Tour June 1 – June 16, 2012

    Anna Wilson-Patterson's website and blog.

  • New Dog Paintings by Dana Hawk

     

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    Bird Dogs

    Colorado artist Dana Hawk continues to delight with her love of patterns, humor, and, of course, dogs.   Here are some of her new works recently featured in Artist's Magazine's "Dog Daze" article. 

    Hawk was originally featured on Dog Art Today in May 2010.  I highly recommend you click through and see her sensational paintings.

     

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    The Insomniac's Dog

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    Neala with Houndstooth

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    The Dog's Bed

    Visit Dana Hawk's website to see more.

     

  • Lauri Luck’s Indoor Outdoor Dogs

     

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    Aren't Lauri Luck's dog paintings perfect for the first day of Spring? They capture that feeling of wanting to take an extra-long walk, but being happy to get back to a home with lots of blankets.

    I especially love her painting of the dogs under the table filled with paints. Every dog artist knows that point of view.  Luck got it just right.

     

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    Lauri Luck lives in Sonoma County, California.  See more of her work at James Snidle Fine Arts and on her Facebook Page.

  • Longhaired Dachshund Calendar: July

     

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    Darby:July by Moira McLaughlin

     

    The July collage of Darby for my Longhaired Dachshund Calendar didn't start out this way.  The original concept was a nod to Magritte. This was the sketch I made last year…

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    original sketch

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    Son of a Man by René Magritte, 1964

    I was going to make the apple a tomato.  The leaves in the corner were going to be basil.  The stripes in the background were going to be red and white, and Darby's tag was going to be blue with a white star.   Get it? July 4th.  I was inspired by this Georgia O'Keeffe painting…

     

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    Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue by Georgia O'Keeffe, 1931

    But, I wasn't thrilled with this idea. It's kind of kitschy.  And Darby wasn't kitschy or overly patriotic.  He didn't really like tomatoes that much either.

    Then, I saw this painting by Helen Frankenthaler…

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    Untitled, 1995 by Helen Frankenthaler

    "That's July," I thought.  I see those colors in my garden and windowsill in the summer…

     

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    July Flowers

    Then, last month I had this book on Tantra on my table…

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    Tantra: The Indian Cult of Ecstacy by Philip Rawson

    I kept thinking it looked familiar…

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    Darby: Hope by Moira McLaughlin, 2008

    Would that be weird to make a collage of my dog inspired by an Indian sex cult? 

    I did a little research and found out that Tantra is not a religion or a "way of thought."  In fact, according to Philip Rawson, "Tantra sees thought as one of the chief causes for people gradually becoming disillusioned and miserable in what they believe to be their world."

    Well, that spoke to me in my misery, still grieving Darby's death, and worried that the tears weren't stopping.  Also, the word tantra means "to weave" or "web" and that "all is one and interconnected."  Tantra is all about action and intrinsic goodness, not just sex.  So, I thought, it wouldn't be so creepy to make a Tantric Darby.

    I gathered some ideas…

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    my studio

    I'm not going to lie. Tantirc Darby was creepy at first…

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    Tantric Darby

    I didn't know what to do with it.  So I shut the door to my studio and didn't look at it for about three weeks. Then, this Monday I woke up, went into the studio, and reworked it.  I did it all, except for a few green leaves. 

    Here it is again…

     

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    I think Darby looks a little bit like Frida Kahlo, too…

     

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    Frida Kahlo

    Next up, August.  I'm thinking sunflowers…

    I started my Longhaired Dachshund Calendar in January 2011.  I am hoping to publish it by September 2012.  Prints of each month will be available too.    It is inspired by my muse, Darby, who passed away at age 17 on December 3, 2011.  See the Darby collages I have already finished here.

  • Jackson Pollock + His Dog Gyp

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    Jackson Pollock and Gyp, “Years Ago,” 1922, photographer unknown

    From the Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner papers circa 1905-1984 via the Smithsonian Archives of American Art.

  • A Note from Kit Cutting

     

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    Buddy

    In response to yesterday's post about my visit to the shelter,  I received so many notes of encouragement.  I am very grateful.  Here is one from Ontario dog artist, Kit Cutting…

    Hi Moira,

    I just read your article about volunteering at the shelter and was very touched.  You might remember that I am a foster parent for dogs.  We have had many dogs come and go from our home.  When I first started it was hard to see them go, but I knew each dog was not for me.  One day a big black Newfoundland Lab cross came in.  For me it was love at first sight.  Buddy pined for his owner for 3 months (the usual time is a week).  My husband and I tried to find Buddy a home.  "He is too big, he's too old,  he smells,"  (Newfys have an odor) the adopters said.  No one wanted him.  Every day I would lay down and cuddle this unwanted dog.  Every day he would get up and move away.  Then one day he came over to me and put his big shovel head in my lap.  I slowly rubbed his head all over as he pressed it into my lap.  That was it!  I loved him first but he picked me, and stayed

    You will know…

    Kit Cutting

    P.S. we lost Buddy last spring at age 12.  I still miss him.

    To see Kit Cutting's dog paintings visit her website.

  • Very Fine Dogs by Georgia Fiennes

     

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    Westie on a Mission

    London-based artist Georgia Fiennes’s website is called Very Fine Animals.  How typically understated — British — for such spectacular  work.  Click through to see her cows hanging from chandeliers, giraffes in tea cups, and bejeweled pelicans.  You can commission a Georgia Fiennes original of your very fine animal here.

     

     

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    Spud II

    Georgia_fiennes_pug_in_heels

     

    Pug in Heels

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    Blue Stripes

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    Baubled Jack

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    Daisy

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    Margot

    See more at Georgia Fiennes Very Fine Animals.

    Via Miles to Style.

  • George Stubbs at the Neue Pinokothek

     

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    Five Hounds in a Landscape by George Stubbs, 1762

    The Neue Pinokothek in Munich, Germany is having the first exhibition of 18th century English painter George Stubbs ever to be held on the Continent.  A selection of thirty paintings, mostly from collections in England, will be complemented by drawings and prints that highlight the artist's far-reaching influence in the field of animal painting in France and Germany.

    The show starts today, January 26, 2012, and runs until May 6, 2012.

    Visit the Neue Pinokothek's website for more information.

    Hat tip to Barbara Grossman for sending me this information.