I am selling matted archival Giclée print on Hahnemuehle William Turner watercolor paper at a shop in the South End. They make great gifts for the holidays!

Gifted
53 Dartmouth Street
Boston, MA 02116
603 . 494 . 8391

Thanks to all of you who took advantage of my weekend sales.  Would you believe it?  It’s only Dec. 2nd and I can no longer accept Pet Portrait commissions!  If I’ve just broken your heart, no worries!  I can still issue you a super cute gift certificate, good for one year, from Vayda’s Pet Shop.

I still have time to squeeze in a few custom Pen & Inks, but better book quick!

Of course, I have plenty of reasonably priced prints for the Foodie on your list…and a full line of Savannah Prints and Notes…(a good thing to have on hand for that unexpected neighbor that drops by with a surprise gift)

Hope y’all are having the best Holiday Season ever!  Oh and please remember to support your local artists and the hand-made movement.  xo

Everyone loves a Lab.  What’s not to love???  This Yellow Lab is a watercolor on paper.  It is matted and framed and available for $195.  This painting is currently on display at my show at Philip Carter Winery in Hume.  That show will be on display until January.

So…. just thought I would share the photos I just put up on Luna’s Blog here too, as I like the shot. (It’s my blog and I can do what I want to… )

Love this shot.. wish her head could be seen a little bit more, but oh well, goes with the feel of exploring..

same shot in sepia...

I don’t know which version I like more.. not totally happy with this “sepia” action that was already in Adobe CS2.. I could use a touch more warmth to it, less like a BW>. but that may  just be my preference. What do you think??

Feel free to check out my other blog too, about Luna..  http://akgvizslainspiration.wordpress.com

Thanks, now back to my parents to visit. whoot

All I can say is “O” my gosh!  What a cutie!  lol  I love how 3 month olds show expression, but are also still small enough to put in things that people just don’t normally go in!  Here are some images of one of my new favorite families. 

Could he be any cuter?!  I think not!

I had to include Gracie.  She was such a good girl (with a serious addiction to milkbones)!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Janet Dodrill – Paintings and Prints, Art Exhibit and Reception, December 2009

Cleveland, Ohio – November 24, 2009 – Artist Janet Dodrill will display paintings and prints at the Cuyahoga County Public Library, South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch, December 1rst – 30th during library hours.

A reception is scheduled for December 5th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. where you will have the opportunity to meet graphic artist Janet Dodrill and view the exhibit, while enjoying holiday music by a jazz duo. Her style and subject matter varies, but she especially enjoys using animals and nature as subjects.

Dodrill received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Printmaking from Washington University in St. Louis, and studied studio art and writing in Lacoste, France. She works as a print and web designer and has designed sites for The Cleveland Institute of Art and several local artists, and has exhibited work at Valley Art Center in Chagrin Falls.

The Cuyahoga County Public Library, South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch is located at 4645 Mayfield Road, South Euclid, Ohio 44121.

###

Contact: Janet Dodrill

General Contact: Cuyahoga County Public Library, South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch
Phone: (216) 382-4880
Web: www.cuyahogalibrary.org

Here’s Fred, a beautiful Great Dane! Fred’s mom says he is a smiley boy, but he always uses his “camera face” and looks serious in photos …. I think he knows he’s incredibly photogenic! He was an absolute pleasure to paint!

Fred’s painting is 20″x16″, and like all my dog paintings is acrylic on canvas. Here’s another Great Dane painting>

Tis the season for custom Pet Portraits and Pen & Inks! I love the hustle and bustle this time of year, the steady stream of work in the studio, the variety of subject matter, reuniting with old clients, and meeting new ones…it’s an exciting time…the only downside, is having to keep everything top-secret until after Christmas…so here’s a sneak peek of a mystery pup in progress…don’t you just love that patterned paper?   …and those giant ears!

P.S. I still have time for more Christmas commissions!  Email heather@FLYoungStudio.com for a quote and time estimate.

Madison

I began a portrait of Madison way back in the summer, but between the festival and a few foster cats moving in and out of my spare cat room/studio it’s been difficult to work consistently. But Madison is finally done, and his person came to pick up his portrait this weekend.

She lost Madison, her first cat, last year, to diabetes at only eight years old. She didn’t have too many photos, but this pose was definitely a winner! Not just because he’s cute in the sink, although he is, but also because it will make her laugh when she looks at it, and what better healing for the grief of loss than to remember with a smile. I’m so glad to know that another person, a special friend, has a portrait that shows their animal companion as they want to remember them.

Madison, detail of face

Animal fur is different from human skin, and because of texture and pattern it looks different in every photo you’ll see. In each of Madison’s photos, the details of his face were lighter or darker, the area on his chest had a collar and tag in one photo and not in another. These are common things to work around, and from both experience and real life I can fill in the details. It just so happens that I am fostering a big tabby cat who looks so much like Madison and has been a great model, and who came in just as I was finishing, that it must have been meant to be!

What I always do in building a subject, especially one I never met, is to work from the photos until I feel that I know my subject and the photos start to get in the way. Then I put them away and work with nothing but what I see with my creative eye. That’s when the essence of the personality is instilled in the portrait, and every time I’m amazed at what’s taken life on the paper. And I know by the reaction of the person who’s come to look at the work.

I never delude myself to think that a portrait can take the place of a real live animal, but it can certainly help with grief. Through the years, many customers have contacted me to let me know how much it means to have the portrait in their home, that they greet the portrait or talk to it, or visit it when they are feeling overwhelmed with loss, even that other cats have reacted to it.

The portraits work for me. I have several of my own to visit.

24″ x 30″
Acrylic on Canvas
Contact me or availability and price
 
This is another salvaged painting from the recycle bin. It was originally a landscape that I lost interest in and decided to paint over. I used a similar palette and technique as yesterday’s post.

This is the amazing Rosato family. They came to me wanting a “family portrait”. Yep, that’s 7 cats, 2 dogs and 2 humans in the household. This was so much fun to do, and it’s now their 2009 Christmas card!

24″ x 24″
Acrylic on Canvas
Contact me for availability and price
 
 
This piece was originally a seascape gone bad. Since I’ve been in horse mode for week, or so, I decided to convert this painting by leaving some of the original color and adding some intense yellows and oranges. Once that dried, I added some darks to the body of the horse being sure to go over the edges. Once that dried, I added the lighter tones which really brought the painting together. Until the last stage was complete, it looked like a mess of random strokes that made up nothing more than an abstract painting. I used a palette knife to scratch back some lines that really give this animal some energy and movement.
 
Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

This is Bo, an American Pit Bull Terrier. Bo’s painting is BIG, 30×24″, and is acrylic on canvas. I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with Bo many times, and he is a super sweet dog with soulful eyes and a big heart! Bo is CGC-certified, is a blood donor, and is frequently used to socialize new puppies, insecure dogs, and new owners. He is a wonderful breed ambassador and along with his owner is helping to give Pitties back the good reputation they so much deserve.

Here’s a couple close-up shots:

Here’s Bo’s photo:

Close-up:

These are the front 6 feet of 2 kitties and 1 Black Labrador. Their owner lovingly refers to them as her “12 Feet”. This painting is 20″ wide and 10″ tall.

I have had many people recently inquiring about whether I paint cats. This is the closest I’ve come so far! No kitty faces as of yet, but I have plans for adding more feline influence into my art in the near future.

Here are a few more of my “feet” paintings:
Takoda feet
Vegas feet

15″ x 22″
Watercolor on 140 lb. Archival Paper
Contact me for availability and price
 
I have always enjoyed how a herd of horses will travel together. Sometimes bunched together like race cars at the Daytona 500. Bumping and pushing for position. I’m not sure who’s in the lead here, but they certainly are battling for position.
 
Thanks for stopping by and have a great Tuesday.

the new flatmate, courtesy of atrva

EDIT: Along the Skyline Drive on Sunday, where she was a big hit with the Japanese tourists:

Photo Courtesy of Jesse

This week I have given a lot of thought to where my art is going and what I want to do with it. I decided that it was time to venture into the world of Zazzle and make available products featuring my artwork on them. It is something new for me but I like the idea of my art being on useful items, items that people can enjoy everyday not only in their homes and on their walls. I don’t know about you but my walls are full, I even have pictures framed that have no home on the walls. There just is not any more room. I am not shopping for artwork. But to have a useful item with artwork on it is the best of both worlds.

Store site is www.zazzle.com/cherilynnfineart

Whew!  The past month (or year really) has been quite the whirlwind.  In case you didn’t hear, Nick and I finally tied the knot on our 10 year anniversary this year!  It was a magical experience, and it still feels so surreal.  We had so many helping hands and creative minds that made this all come together, and I want to take a few blog entries to not only get you up to speed, but to thank all of those folks that contributed to our special day.

In studio news, things are starting to pick up for the Holidays.  Commissions are booking fast…so if you’d like a custom Pen & Ink or Pet Portrait this year, be sure to get your name on the list pronto!

I’m also working on some new Savannah Prints to debut in time for Christmas, so if you get bored with the wedding run-down, come back in a week or so, and I’m all business…promise!

Little Pug is a watercolor measuring 11×14 framed.  It is available for $165 by contacting me at kwalker@doubledogdesigns.com .

I have been working on pet portraits this weekend preparing for an upcoming show that I have in November.  I’ll provide more information as soon as I know when the opening reception will be.

The Dog House meets Dragon House (of Yuen)

A fortnight ago I purchased a birthday card for my Dad from Etsy shop Dragon House of Yuen. Usually I have to wait (impatiently!) for my Etsy purchases to arrive via the post, but this one arrived on my doorstep along with its creator! Meeting a fellow Etsy seller in person was a first for me, but it was so lovely to meet Annette & share a cup of tea & a chin-wag.

Annette & her lagomorphs

Annette lives in nearby Edinburgh with her fiance & 2 rescue rabbits, Arabella & Wesley. Her rabbits are the inspiration behind many of her creations, which include cards, watercolours, bags, soft sculptures & ACEOs. Everything is her own design & handmade with great love and attention to detail.

Arabella, Annette’s beautiful rescue doe – from Little Critterz Rescue Sanctuary in Perthshire, Scotland

Wesley, Annette’s very handsome rescue buck – from the Rabbit & Guinea Pig Welfare Rescue Centre in Rugby, England

An avid supporter of various charities including WSPA, the BUAV, Rabbit & Guinea Pig Welfare and the Buckeye House Rabbit Society, Annette donates a percentage of some of her sales to these charities, as well as donating some of her hand-crafted items to be raffled.

2 of Annette’s amazing handmade bags – the one on the left is modelled on Arabella & the one on the right on Wesley!

Some of Annette’s unique soft sculptures – baby hare, baby rabbit & baby feline

Annette paints beautiful watercolour pet portraits. She accepts commissions &, if your pet is a rescue animal,  will gladly donate 20% of the total cost of the painting to your animal rescue centre or charity.

A portrait Annette painted of her special rescue rabbit, Zai, who sadly is no longer with her

Annette is a fellow member of both the Etsy For Animals & McEtsy teams, which is how I came to ‘meet’ her online. Her sunny personality shines through in her active participation of these teams & she has a unique talent of pulling together the work of fellow artists to create beautiful treasuries, often with poignant messages relating to her love of nature & animals.

One of Annette’s many curations . This one’s entitled ‘Soul Shaker’ & is part of a trilogy of treasuries with fellow Etsyians Pey & Pat

So many grey hares

Like everything Annette sells, the custom birthday card I had ordered arrived beautifully packaged. Annette had also included a generous selection of samples of her other work, including a puffin image which I am particularly fond of!

The card featured decades of little grey hares, in fact one white cut-out baby hare with added fur detailing in pencil for every year of my Dad’s life (& that’s quite a lot of hares!). Annette had printed then cut-out each individual hare and adhered them onto the A6 card, which opened accordion-style.

The message, which is revealed line by line as you open the card, read:

“It’s that time again!!!

Happy Birthday

Uh – Oh!

So many

Grey Hares!!

Whew!!”

A creative & unique card, Annette can custom make this card for the ‘oldie’ (Sorry Dad!) in your life by tailoring the number of grey hares. I just love it, & so did my Dad!

Dining on kale

The kale which we sowed in our garden earlier this year – we now have a bumper crop & don’t know what to do with it all!

I sent Annette home with a bag full of kale from our garden, which she informs me is a favourite of Arabella & Wesleys’. Although Annette was very taken with both Max & Molly, we decided it was probably best if those two never got to meet her lagomorphs in person! Although, I hope that I may have the privilege of doing so some day soon…

Arabella & Wesley tuck into some kale

You can read Annette’s blog post about our meeting here.

When I shared my almost-floating shelves that I built for my office, I promised I’d share with you how I created a free decorative storage box for my incoming mail. 

When I first planned my shelf project I went on the hunt for a skinny and tall decorative storage box or basket that would fit on the skinny shelf.  I found some cute containers, but they were pricey.  And not perfect enough to warrant forking out the dough. 

Sidenote: Am I the only one who gasps at the thought of paying $15-$20 bucks for a storage box?

So I did what any good do-it-yourselfer would do – I made my own container. It couldn’t have worked more perfectly.

My original plan was to take an old cardboard box, cut it to size, then wrap it with some plain white wrapping paper.  To dress it up, I’d cut pieces of patterned scrapbook paper (in the color scheme of my room, of course) and affix them to each side of the box.  But when I got home and searched my closet for a box, I discovered a pretty cream and green printed box that had originally housed a set of bud vases.  The green leafy design matched my green shelves and accent wall perfectly!

The width and length of the box was slightly larger than a piece of paper.  Perfect.  But I wanted it to stand on its side, not on its bottom.  To make the box function as needed, I simply cut off one end and used a bit of tape on the inside to make sure the right bits and pieces stayed together for the long haul.

To dress it up more, I mounted a brown piece of cardstock to the box in order to create a photo display. 

I converted a photo of me and my honey to sepia tone, and affixed it to the brown mat.  Ta-dah!

So that’s how I created a storage box for incoming mail.  I think that in the future I’ll whip up some more custom storage boxes if the need arises.  I love to DIY what others would buy!

Did you notice the cute painted portrait of my first cat?  That painting was done several years ago by Tucker Adamson, a delightful artist in Richmond, VA.  Check out her gorgeous gold ink drawings and other creations at her website.  I’m looking forward to having some colorful paintings of my dogs and cats made in the new year. 

And on a final bookshelf note, I really enjoyed Rhoda’s post at Southern Hospitality about fall bookshelf displays today.

My latest portrait is complete! This is a portrait of two Weimaraners. Weims are beautiful dogs with a silvery/gray/brown coat that seems to change in the light. They are probably most known for being the inspiration of William Wegman’s work. That’s a whole different blog post for another day!

I had a choice to do this portrait in colored pencils or pastels. I chose to do the portrait in colored pencil on a grey/purplish paper. I wanted to accentuate the richness of their coat, and I thought this was the best way to do it. I let the color of the paper show through in some parts. Colored pencils are much more delicate than pastels. I can layer the color over itself and come up with an entirely new color that way. Whereas, pastels are the color you see and when you try to blend them, they can get kind of muddy. Also with pastels I try to pick a colored paper that will contrast well with the final drawing. I like using colored pencils on paper where I can incorporate the color of the paper (since it usually shows through the pencil strokes) and build it up from there.

“2 Weims”, Colored pencil on grey paper, 10″ x 8″ This was created from two different photographs which I then combined into a sketch and was approved by the client prior to completing the final drawing.

Contact me for details on how to get your own portrait done!

Harlequin Great Dane dog art! This painting is 20″x16″. I got to meet this woof in the fur and she was very sweet!

On the subject of Harlequin Great Danes, have you seen the world’s tallest dog Gibson? Gibson is one big dog – he holds the Guinness World Record  for tallest dog at 42.6 inches tall. Standing on his hind legs he measured 7 foot 1 inch tall! Sadly, Gibson passed away in August from bone cancer at 7 years old.