Puppy

Painted a puppy portrait today.  I realized I haven't painted that many dogs, so I thought I'd rectify that.  I'm going to do a series of small 6x6" paintings of a variety of animals, starting with a few different breeds of dog.  Makes me miss having a dog of my own, but with four kitties, the idea of introducing a puppy to the family is a little daunting!

Labrador Puppy - 6x6"

More Bunnies

Painted two more bunny paintings.  I'm going to move on to painting other critters for a while.  Love the bunnies, though, so they won't be the last.

Bunny 7 - 6x6"

Bunny 8 - 6x6"

Bunnies

I painted some bunny portraits a year or two ago to donate to the Potter League Animal Shelter for their annual silent auction and fundraiser, and decided to paint some more this week to sell on my Etsy site.  I think I enjoy painting bunnies almost as much as I enjoy painting cats.  I love their big liquid eyes, and their soft coats.  Actually, their fur is quite tricky to paint in any kind of detail.  It has such depth of color.  I have to do several layers of paint to achieve the right affect, building up their coats bit by bit, so a small 6x6" painting, which these are, takes several hours.  I plan to do several more.

Bunny 5 - 6x6"

Bunny 6 - 6x6"

Back to Horseneck Beach

Painted another scene from Horseneck Beach in Westport today.  Just a little 6x6" painting of the dunes.  Now that it's warmed up, I'm in the mood again for summery beach scenes, so I may do a few more.  Hopefully I'll go back to Cape Cod this summer, too, and get even more images to paint.

Horseneck Beach III - 6x6"

Kitty Portraits

Finally dropped off the kitty portraits commissioned by my local veterinary office today, which they were pretty happy with.  They certainly add a pop of color to the room!  They'd also asked me to hang them, so I did that, too.  I just eyeballed it, but I had the exam table to help as a guide, which I used to center the middle paintings.  They look pretty good in a group, if I do say so myself.  Their resident kitties, Higgins and Guiness, were hung separately, but in the same room.

If you're interested in a pet portrait of your own four-legged friend, you can email me, or check out my new Etsy shop at PJRenwickFineArt.

Kitties

A little black and white montage of the kitties I painted for my local veterinary practice.  Will probably be hanging them on Friday.  The last kitty painted was 19 year old Guiness, a black kitty who lives at the vet's office.  He was looking a bit frail, as kitties tend to do at that age, so I gave him a face lift, so to speak - unclouded his eyes, smoothed his fur, gave his face a bit more padding.  I'm looking forward to the reaction of the staff when I take them down there.  To be honest, though, I'll actually miss the paintings when they're gone.  I like seeing their faces every day in my studio.

From the top, left to right: Tigger, Wylee, Penny, Guiness, Theo, Whitey, Tony and Higgins

Tickets

Tickets - 20x20"

Started a new painting today, a scene from the little carnival that visits Newport every spring.  I've gone almost every year to wander around and take photos.  I like to people watch, see the teenagers checking each other out, listen to them scream as they get spun upside down and around and around on the hair-raising rides that I would never dare get on.  (The ferris wheel is enough of a thrill for me, especially when they stop the ride while you're sitting at the top, and leave you swinging in the breeze!)

I painted a few scenes from the carnival back in 2010, mostly a few close-ups of the food stalls.  This time around I spotted the ticket booth with the flags flapping in the breeze, and immediately saw a painting in the making.  I loved the sharp shadows, the feeling of bright sunshine and heat.  I still have a lot of work to do, especially on Zipper ride, which is rather complex.  I'm itching to finish it.  Until I do, I won't be happy.

Interior Spaces

I've also been working on a series of interiors for a show I'm having later in the year at Gallery Ellipsis in Newport.  One of these paintings is of the People's Cafe on Thames Street in Newport, which I've shown here.  I decided to keep to interiors from Aquidneck Island, which has also included, so far, Jane Pickens Theatre and even Shaws supermarket.  (I'm not a snob when it comes to subject matter!)  I have to admit, though, I do prefer to paint more architecturally interesting subjects, such as Jane Pickens, especially as I'm a bit of a movie fanatic and I love old theatres, but sometimes painting ordinary subjects can make them more interesting, or at least I hope so.

"People's Cafe" - 24x24"

Kittypalooza

Have been working on a few projects over the winter, but my latest involves a lot of kitties.  My local veterinary practice commissioned me to do a small grouping of kitty paintings for their cat exam room.  I love animals, so it's been fantastic to paint what I love most.  Unlike dogs, cats generally have the same shape, but each one is unique, and I've learnt so much about their faces.  If possible, I've come to appreciate their beauty and individuality even more.  Here are three of the portraits.  All but two of the cats, who are resident kitties at the vet's office, are rescue cats from the Potter League, our fantastic local no-kill animal shelter, who I hope have long since been adopted into good homes.  The three shown here are Potter cats.

"Penny" - 8x8"

"Tigger" - 8x8"

"Wylee" - 8x8"

An apple a day...

I decided to do a small still life this afternoon, spur of the moment, taking the apples from my fruit bowl and arranging them in the new red bowl I bought to use for Thanksgiving.  I haven't been able to paint for a week, so this was the perfect subject to cut loose on and splash a bit of color around.  I love the warm color palette, and the chance to loosen up my brushstrokes and just have some fun.

After this, I have two commissions to do before Christmas, which should keep me out of trouble for a while.  It's good to keep busy!

"Apples" - 8x8"

Faux Phooey

Backtracking just a little, in August of this year I entered the Portsmouth Arts Guild's It's Your Masterpiece exhibition, which challenged artists to interpret a masterpiece of their choosing - not to merely copy, but to paint it in their own style and/or add a little something extra.

I chose Edward Hopper, being that he's one of my favorite artists, and his painting "Chop Suey", which I've always admired.  I love Hopper's rich color palette and the mysterious, somewhat solemn atmosphere that pervades a lot of his work.  I attempted to capture that with my interpretation, albeit with a twist - I wanted to modernize it and....well, I also added my cat Bob, just for a bit of fun.

I guess I did something right, as I won the Peoples Choice Award with my attempt, which was rather awesome.  But judge for yourself...

 

"Faux Phooey" - 16x20"

"Chop Suey" by Edward Hopper

Holiday Shows

For more info on the holiday shows I'm exhibiting at, which includes the Portsmouth Arts Guild, Spring Bull Gallery and Gallerie Ellipsis, I've attached contact information and show details for each gallery, or you can click on the links in this post for further info.

 

Horseneck Beach

In early October this year, on a trip to Westport (as chauffeur for hubs who was having sedation dentistry), I found myself at Horseneck Beach, early in the morning, and on a weekday.  I thought perhaps I would take a few pics, enjoy the sunshine, kill some time, but I ended up hanging out there for quite a while, digging my toes in the sand, watching the seagulls and the funny little birds who ran back and forth with the tide, and taking photos until the battery in my camera ran out.  It was such a gorgeous day, and there was hardly anyone around, so I had the beach practically to myself, apart from a few early morning risers catching the last rays of summer or getting some exercise.  I ended up with a tonne of photos, mostly of the waves, the dunes, the long stretch of beach, then over the proceeding weeks I did a series of small 8x8" paintings.  I also took a few pics of the wetlands across the road from Horseneck, so I painted one of those too.  Loved the golden colors of the marshland, as opposed to the cool blues of the ocean.

So now that Christmas is nearly upon us, I've entered my mini-paintings in various holiday shows around Aquidneck Island.  Four are at the Portsmouth Arts Guild, and three each at Spring Bull Gallery and Gallerie Ellipsis, both in Newport.  Here are some of the paintings being exhibited.

"Horseneck Beach" - 8x8"

"Horseneck Clouds" - 8x8"

"Horseneck Dunes" - 8x8"

"Waves" - 8x8"

"Waves II" - 8x8"

"Westport Wetlands" - 8x8"

"Seagull" - 8x8"

I don't think I've had this many paintings exhibited all at once before, in different galleries.  It's kind of exciting.

The Portsmouth Arts Guild show runs until December 22, and the Gallerie Ellipsis and Spring Bull shows open Thursday, December 5 and Saturday, December 7 respectively.

From Newport Polo to New York City

I finished my last polo pony a few weeks ago.  I had one more to get out of my system, and now I'm done!  Maybe I'll paint more if I go to another polo match in the summer (if it ever gets here), but for now I think I've exhausted my subject matter.

If there's one thing I've learnt from these paintings, it's not to be afraid of getting close to your subject, or of trying something different.  Getting rid of the background was the best thing I did, and it's a little surprising that I didn't think of it myself.  It seems so obvious now.  But that's one of the benefits of having some great artist buddies.  A little suggestion like not having to paint the background exactly as it was in the photo, or just leaving it out altogether and sticking with the red, made all the difference.

I'm now working on a few pieces of New York, a subject I haven't tackled since 2009.  Wow, how time flies!  My current piece is a sunlit New York building.  I love the old architecture of New York.  The detail and skill involved in creating these works of art in their own right is amazing.  Unfortunately, I have no idea what building this is.  Could be any where in New York city.  I walked around so much I got blisters.  Ouch!  But wherever it was, aside from its obvious beauty, it was probably the light and shadow (my favorite subject) that first captured my attention.

The painting's obviously in its rough stages at the moment.  I'll make corrections along the way.  Getting the dimensions and perspective right, and everything lined up, is pretty important when you're painting any kind of structure.  Otherwise it just doesn't work.  Buildings need to have solidity and balance, or when you start simplifying and taking artistic license the painting won't work.

This piece has been somewhat slow going, but I'm making steady progress.  I'm chomping at the bit to get more painting done this afternoon.

 Polo Pony V - 16x20"

NYC Shadows (work in progress) - 14x18"

Buster

 

Buster - 11x14"

Finished the portrait of Buster last week, the kitty of a friend of mine, and gave it to his bereaving Mum on Friday, who thankfully loved it.  She also, unfortunately, burst into tears upon receiving it, not something I want to make anyone do, but that's one of the hazards of painting portraits of our furry babies that have passed away.  This is the third portrait I've done of this kind, and while sad, it's also extremely gratifying to help with the grieving process.  As an animal lover myself I know how hard it is to lose a furry child.  They're your kids.  Not "like", they "are" your kids. They're also your best friends, so it's always hard to lose them.

Buster, as I understand it, was a pretty cool cat.  I only met him twice, but I did get that impression.  He was pretty smart, which I think you can tell from his face.  He was one of those cats who looked you in the eye and you could swear was human.  I have one of those.  Well, actually, to be fair, all four of mine are pretty human, but Bob, my youngest (see, I talk about him like a person), looks at me sometimes and I'm sure if he could speak English he'd be telling me to get my lazy butt off the couch and feed him.  He's quite the character, and I love him to pieces.  I hope he lives as long as Buster did.

Not sure what I'm going to paint next.  I might just do one more polo pony, or get onto that painting of a coffee shop, but my brother has asked for a painting for his birthday - of Paris of all places - so that may be on the agenda this week.  I asked my husband if we could go to Paris for a holiday so I could take some snaps, but somehow I don't think that's going to happen.  I'd much rather work off photos I've taken personally, but if my brother can find something decent, then we'll just have to work with that.

Three more bunnies

 Bunny #2 (top), Bunny #3 (middle), Bunny #4 (bottom) - 6x6"

I finished my bunny paintings this week.  They were surprisingly tricky, partly because their fur is made up of so many different colors, but I think I managed it in the end.  Whether they're sold separately or all together, I just hope the bunnies appeal.  I think they'd be great for a kids bedroom.  The main objective is to raise money for the Potter League.

As for my next project, it's back to the polo ponies.  I plan to do one more, probably 16x20", then I'm thinking about switching to interiors, something I haven't done in a while.  I've been inspired by a song by Landon Pigg called "Coffee Shop", which I absolutely love, and is obviously about a coffee shop, so now I'm trying to find a great little coffee shop or cafe to paint.  I'm thinking I might visit a little place in Bristol that I found a few weeks ago which, if I recall rightly, has the sort of ambiance and charm I'm after, just as long as they don't mind me taking photos.  Guess I'll just have to ask.  Some people are downright antsy about their properties being photographed, though I can't fathom why.

Bunnies

So, as I mentioned in my blog yesterday, I'm doing some paintings for the Potter League for Animals Have a Heart Cocktail Party & Auction, which is basically what it says it is, a cocktail party with a silent auction, all the proceeds of which benefit the animals at the Potter League in Middletown, RI.  There are usually lots of great items to bid on - weekend getaways, tickets to the theater, gift baskets, and of course art.  I've only been once, but I've donated a few pieces over the years, although this is the first time I've ever done paintings specifically for this event.

I decided to do four small 6x6" pieces, and sticking with the animal theme, I've chosen to paint bunnies.  I've never painted rabbits before, and they're actually much more of a challenge than I anticipated, but that's good.  I need to challenge myself.  The tricky part is in trying to simplify the form while depicting the softness of the rabbit's fur without getting too cutesy.  They're adorable little animals, but I don't want it looking "pretty" or too detailed.  This is my first piece.  I think the small scale doesn't help, but it's fun to do small pieces that I can finish in a few hours.  That means if all goes well I can get all four paintings finished this week, then start on my last polo pony painting.  My only problem now is coming up with a name for the little guy.  Thumper, perhaps?

Cayce

I wanted to blog about this separately, as this painting was a little more special to me than my other pieces.  Cayce belonged to some good friends of mine, and sadly died just before Thanksgiving 2012.  Sadder still, he was a young dog in his prime, and he was such a sweetie.  He had a big personality to match his big heart, and of course, being a Weimaraner, he was a very big dog.  It broke my heart to hear he was gone, especially as I knew my friends loved him so much, so I decided to give them a surprise and do a painting of their beloved puppy.  I've done a few paintings like this now, and it's incredibly rewarding, and even a little therapeutic.  I'm not a particularly religious or spiritual person, but it often feels like I can sense them when I'm painting their portrait, but then maybe that's because I knew them in life, and it's my way of grieving.  I also did a painting of my husband's cat Corrina after she passed away, and he told me it helps him to see her picture every day, so hopefully my friends feel the same way.  RIP Cayce.

Cayce - 18x24"

Polo Ponies

I need to do a bit of catching up.  I've been painting continuously, but I haven't been blogging as much.  I finished my third polo pony, and my fourth, which are below.  I'm feeling a lot better about how they're turning out.  I really like the red background, which I think makes the horses pop.  Plus, I'm getting closer to the looser brushstrokes I like.  It's hard not to be so controlling, but the more I loosen up, the easier it gets, especially with the larger paintings.

I'm now contemplating my next project.  I have one more polo pony to paint, but before I do, I want to do some smaller pieces for the upcoming Potter League Have a Heart Cocktail Party and Auction on Friday, February 8.  I'm thinking some small bunny paintings.  I've never painted bunnies before!  And it's for a great cause.  This awesome shelter does so much for the animals, and this event is always a bit of fun.  Check it out.

 

Polo Pony III - 18x24"

 

Polo Pony IV - 16x20"

Third Polo Pony!

Began a new painting yesterday, though I didn't go with the square format as originally planned.  I really like these tight crops, and this one is even tighter, and larger.  At 18x24 it's the biggest piece so far.  I often shy away from large paintings, but it's good to challenge yourself now and then.

I actually really like how it looks at the moment.  I'm just blocking in the light and dark, giving the horse and rider form, but there's something about the loose brushstrokes that really appeals.  I'm much more carefree with the paint when blocking in the undercoat, something that I wish I could do with the final touches.  I sometimes get too "precious", as one of my art teachers used to say.  I think with this larger piece, because there's more information, more area to cover, I could attempt a looser, less controlled look.  That's the plan anyway.