SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER

I'm sure you're all dimly aware that eventually, maybe after Thanksgiving, you will have to come up with holiday gift ideas for the special people in your lives. I'm here to remind you that although Halloween hasn't even arrived yet, for makers of unique, handmade items like pet portraits (me!), the holiday season is right around the corner.

So I came up with a little incentive to inspire you to consider commissioning that holiday portrait NOW, while I still have time to paint like a sane person:

Book a Rainbowdog portrait for the holidays by the end of October and receive a 20 percent discount.

I've never offered a discount this huge before, but last December was so crazy, I thought, what the heck? So please, if you would like to treat yourself or someone close to you with a special, hand-made-in-America gift this year, shoot me an email  to start the process by October 31 - that's Halloween folks! - and save big bucks.

We will all have a more peaceful, stress-free holiday. Plus, you'll be able to relax and put your feet up, knowing you will NOT be rushing to the mall this December, frantically searching for a special gift. (Let's face it. Much of the stuff at the mall is really not that special.)

THANK YOU for supporting Rainbowdog. Let's keep life colorful!

Leonberger Love

Don't you just love the colors in this portrait?  I think the joyful hues perfectly capture the happy-go-lucky personality of my subject Rudy, our regular companion on morning walks in the park near my house.  

The finished portrait is 18 x 24 inches, but Rudy is so big I think the portrait is only slightly larger-than-life.  Rudy is a Leonberger (not a Newfie), and I can't say whether it's a trait of the breed or not, but he occasionally makes a sound -- a bark? a cough? -- that sounds like he is channelling the big, hairy Wookiee from Star Wars. 

Here's the photo I worked from (already cropped to suit my purposes).

There's still time for me to recreate your favorite dog or cat on canvas before the holidays.  Just shoot me an email and we can work out the details.

Rainbowdog. Because life's more fun when it's colorful!

Mutts Take Center Stage

Here is a new portrait of my darling rescue dog Sylvie, an Australian Shepherd/Sheltie-ish mix of some kind.  I can tell you that she is definitely a herder, but further genetic info I can't provide.

Obviously, I was experimenting with the colorful patterned background, and I'm thrilled with the result. I think it adds a lot of visual pop.  Originally, I had stripes painted behind the dog's head, but Sylvie's personality is really more about flowers, shyness, and general all-around sweetness.  Flowers seemed much more fitting.

I also whipped up a portrait of my other dog Stella, another pet with a mysterious genetic history.  We think perhaps Border Collie/Greyhound/???  She herds, she chases EVERYTHING, and she is lightning fast.

This portrait isn't done to my satisfaction right now.  Her nose is a little off, not to mention the fact that this photograph had to be taken indoors on a rainy day, so the resolution really isn't what it should be. Stay tuned for the fully-finished product later today (weather permitting!)

Would you like to brighten your home with a Rainbowdog? You know where to find me.

Rainbowdog. Life is colorful here.

Speed Racer

Dogs hanging out a car window are a classic subject for paintings, photographs and greeting cards.  I've joined the crowd with my latest, another in the series of paintings on reclaimed or upcycled painting surfaces (aka "supports" in artist-speak).  This painting is acrylic on a refurbished kitchen cabinet door.

The title is "Speed Racer," not only because it depicts a dog enjoying the wind in its fur on a car ride, but also because the new knob I found for this cabinet door reminded me of the checkered flag they wave at the Indy 500.  (Click on the image above to see a larger shot of the painting.)

The background was suggested by a piece of printed fabric from India - with the colors completely reworked to complement my subject.

I don't seem to have photographed the original door before making this picture, but you can see from these shots of the back that the door was originally covered with blue and white paint.  I like to leave recycled supports raw on the back (with the old paint and hinge marks showing) - it's a subtle reminder of the painting's earlier life and different function.

"Speed Racer" can be yours for $500.  Please shoot me an email if you'd like to purchase this painting and add a shot of fun to your decor.

Greyhound Painting on Reclaimed Cabinet Door

Another reclaimed-cabinet-painting of a very expressive greyhound.  

I think this cupboard door was originally homemade - can you see how the trim on the top of the "frame" is just slightly askew? I LOVE that slightly imperfect look.  

Here's another shot - a bit grainy I'm afraid - with a slightly closer view.

When I found this door in the attic of a garage, it was an ugly blue color with the trim painted white, and the original knob was missing.  It was a breeze to sand it down and turn it into a fun and original conversation piece.  It seems the only difficult thing about using recycled supports (that's the artist's term for "what gets painted on") is FINDING them in the first place.  If anyone has any brilliant suggestions on where I might find more, please let me know in the comments section.

This pup is for sale, so dog lovers, greyhound enthusiasts and people who use kitchen cabinets daily may contact me for price information.

Thanks for sharing my art with your friends and family.

Got Marimekko?

Is it immodest to say that I just love this new painting?  This curious cow in front of a Marimekko-inspired print is painted on a reclaimed wooden kitchen cabinet that I found "out with the trash" while I was riding my bike around town.

 The "frame" you see is the raised cabinet edge painted black - the painting is actually all one piece.   I used my usual acrylic paints, and the dimensions of the entire piece are approximately 18 1/2 by 32 1/2, just the right size for over the mantel or in the living room.

"Got Marimekko?" is FOR SALE to the first interested party, so please email me if that's you, or if you'd like more information.

I photographed this outside in natural light to get the best color reproduction, and thought it looked really charming on the side of my shed (yep, the shed is where I do all my fancy art photography).

Here's a close-up of just the painting, which you can also see as part of the slide show on my home page at rainbowdog.net.

And here's the original cabinet before it went bovine.  I don't think this cabinet was ever actually used, because there is no evidence of a knob.

Don't forget, I am always taking commissions to paint your family dog or cat - or cow!  Thanks for sharing my art with your family and friends.

Hamster Smack Down

Lately I've been doing a series of cartoons featuring my dog Stella.  This one's called Hamster Smack Down.  Anyone who has ever had dogs and hamsters in the same house will appreciate the hours of "entertainment" one provides the other.

Cartoon Stella amuses me, so I thought I'd share one version each week, and see where it takes me. Let me know what you think!

Palm Beach Pooch

I'm just back from a weekend wedding near Palm Beach, Florida, but around the celebration I had time to stop in at the Flagler Museum, the former mansion of an oil and shipping magnate, and now a National Historic Landmark open to the public (that's me).

 When the house was completed in 1902, the New York Herald proclaimed it to be "more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world." Well lah-ti-dah! 

To enjoy the interior of the house on a personal level you would have to be a fan of gilding -- gilded ceilings, walls, furniture, you name it -- but I am not.  So, while the rooms were lavish and life was good, what interested me more were the photos of the Flaglers with their beloved American Eskimo dog Delos.

Here's Delos pictured with his "mom" Mary;

And here he is hanging out with "dad" Henry Flagler.  Since Delos seems quite comfortable riding on Henry Flagler's lap in the bike chair in this photo, I imagine he was allowed on the furniture somewhere in the house, if not in the grand ballroom.

I also took a shot of this nifty dog sculpture on the mantle in one of the bedrooms (right next to a gilded candle and wall sconce). No idea about the artist, unfortunately.

Back to the easel for now. If you'd like to commission a portrait, you know where to find me.

Spring Inspirations

Spring came very early to the Northeast where I live this year, and though I'm nervous that early spring means we have a broiling summer in store, the flowers blooming everywhere are gorgeous -- and inspiring.  The color scheme of one of my latest portraits, below, was certainly influenced by all the pinks and purples on view in my neighborhood.

This portrait of a Weimeraner is a 12 x 12 inch gallery-wrapped acrylic on canvas. I had fun expressing the dog's gray coat in these spring-like purple, blue and pink tones.  I think it gives her a very soulful, feminine look.

Here's where I got my color inspiration: pink dogwood blossoms;

My daughter's Converse (technically not blossoms, but still within the color scheme);

Violets, vinca and other wildflowers.

Happy spring! If you'd like to order your own Rainbowdog, you know where to find me: janet@rainbowdog.net.

Lucky Friday the 13th

Just wanted to share this beautiful Tarot card of "The Fool" in honor of Friday the 13th.  I love the sunny yellow color in this image, but what puts it over the top for me is the dog down in front.

Enjoy the weekend!

Changes in the Air

I haven't been very active on the blog in the past few months, but behind the scenes I've been working feverishly to update my website, create a new body of original work to sell, and learn some new techniques for sharing all my activity with you.

I'll be able to go public with most of the new stuff next week, but I have implemented a NEW newsletter to share with my collectors and friends. The inaugural issue is almost ready to launch, and you can sign up to get it via email in the box on the left. I promise it will be fun, informative, and maybe include a few special deals for subscribers.

The newsletter is powered by MailChimp, a fantastic FREE service that lets me easily communicate with you, while protecting your privacy. (I'm pretty big on privacy, so that tells you I'm definitely older than 20.) Plus, their logo is a monkey --what could be better?

More details to follow, but in the meantime, enjoy the spring and stay tuned.

P.S. As always, if you'd like to commission a Rainbowdog portrait, you can shoot me an email, or just write and tell me what a great dog you have.

Valentine Pairing

I actually painted this portrait late last fall, but the colors seem quite appropriate to share near Valentine's day.

"Juno" 20 x 20 inch acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

The English bull terrier depicted is one of two owned by a client in Chicago.  You may recognize this companion portrait, shown below, that I painted early in 2011.

"Rudy" 20 x 20 inch acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

They make a sweet and happy-looking couple, both in real life and on canvas.

Pairing two or more same-size Rainbowdog canvases is a great decorating idea and a beautiful way to show the world how much we love our dogs (I have numerous portraits at my house!).

I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about commissioning your own Rainbowdog - just shoot me an email.

Rainbowdog Pet Portraits. Life's more fun when it's colorful. Don't you agree?