Art of the Dog: Dawn Secord

New Greeting Card "Treasured Moment'

2012-02-19T21:57:00.000-08:00

This is my new greeting card. It is titled, "Treasured Moment". The layout was just finished and cards should be shipped to me sometime towards the end of the week.

The cards come 8 to a pack, are blank inside and include 8 envelopes. Pre-orders are welcome. Cards will be shipped out as soon as they are received from the printer. Packages of 8 are $14.00 plus shipping and tax for California residents. As a bonus, any cards purchased between now and March 1st will be eligible to win one extra pack of cards. A random drawing will be conducted 3/2/2012.

Go to my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/greetingcards.html and click on the greeting card button or prints and stationary.

Have a great day!

Drew's puppies

2012-01-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture I received of Drew's ( AM & Int'l CH Willowbrook Artists Rendition) first litter of pups. They are eight weeks old in this photo when the had their first visit with Santa.

Doberman Pastel Painting

2011-12-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

This painting is 17" x 27" and features Kayla - a new champion. Kayla's owners have each of their Doberman's painting when the dogs finish their American Kennel Club (AKC) Championship. As a fun addition to the painting, an AKC ribbon is placed in the painting along with the dog.

I had met Kayla's owners at a dog show where she was not present. Traveling to Northern California allowed me to meet up with the owners and Kayla and be able to photograph Kayla in person. She was an awesome model and I obtained some wonderful reference material from our photo shoot.

The ribbon is a ribbon one of my dogs had won. So, I had a real life ribbon to paint from - an added plus.

Thank you to Kayla's owners for choosing me to paint their beautiful girl!

Merry Christmas from Jewel

2011-12-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

This is our girl Jewel. She will be 13 years old next month. Jewel has been my model in so many paintings since she was a pup.

To say I love this dog is an understatement.

Large Oil Painting in Process

2011-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

I've been working on this painting all year - a little bit at a time. It is still not done. There are a few little things that I'd like to adjust. The sides need to be painted and finally, when dry, it should be varnished. Between commissions I'll take a few hours here or there and work on this painting. It has been a fun progress.

My first oil painting commission was to my high school principal. It is fun to take a little time and do something for our house. I hope to have it done by the time of the 2012 National and bring it with me.

Camping at Laguna Beach

2011-12-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

We decided to take out dogs and go to the beach for a few days. I took a few paintings with me that are works in progress. It has been so nice and quiet to work down here. tonight we had an absolutely gorgeous sunset. We took a walk down to the beach on Friday and found there was a pod of Dolphin about ten feet off shore. Some other beach goers said they were mating. It was very interesting to watch. They kept a very leisurely pace and going in large circles. Not sure what they were doing, but it was a fabulous opportunity to see them so up and close. We had a great time at the beach, was able to paint very long hours without the usual distractions, had fun with the dogs, and wished we could have spent more time there!

Drew's 1st JH Leg

2011-11-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

Drew earned his first leg towards his Junior Hunter title today. My husband, Rich, has been working with Drew.

It was the first time out for both the boys. Drew had a wonderful score and some very complimentary words from the judge on his hunting ability. Good job Rich!!

There are a few more pictures from today on our website at http://www.irishsetter.me click on Drew's page.

Bull Mastiff Pastel Painting

2011-11-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

I just finished this mini painting of a Bull Mastiff. The owners did not have any great photos of the dog - so I pulled my cell phone out and took a photo with my cell phone. The delay on the phone camera is so long that the photo came out a tad blurry due to the dog moving. The painting image (not including the frame) measures 5" x 7".

To see more of my dog paintings go to my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/

Black Dog Oil Painting Finished

2011-10-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

The Black Dog oil painting is finished! It has been drying for a number of weeks and then varnished which required additional drying time.

As I write this the painting is being shipped cross country to the corporate collector. Can't wait to hear their response when the painting is received.

The painting measures two feet by three feet. Love doing the larger than life oil paintings. Check back - a larger than life oil painting of an Irish Setter is drying and waiting to be varnished. Will post photos soon.

Black Dog Oil Painting in Process

2011-10-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

The painting is coming along nicely. If you'll scroll down through my posts you will be able to see more photos of this painting in process.

Irish Setter - A painting of Sully

2011-10-13T09:22:00.001-07:00

This painting is of a dog named Sully. He was a gorgeous dog and had a wonderful personality. I had the pleasure of being in the show ring with him many times as I showed my Irish Setter, Jewel, at the time he was being shown.

Sully is no longer with us - but he will be in our hearts and memories forever.

Irish Setter Pastel Painting

2011-09-30T12:17:00.001-07:00

This is an original pastel painting of Autumn, Ch. Summit Rise Thyme in a Bottle, CD.

Autumn's owners had sent a number of photos of Autumn for the portrait. There just wasn't the perfect photo. Then, all of a sudden, there were two photos that were just great. The perspectives were correct, the expression of the dog was soft, there were some nice highlights and shadows, the reference material was ideal. We all agreed which photo would be the primary reference pose and the painting was started. In the two photos shown above, the photos were taken in such a way that I couldn't see the length of Autumn's ears. Fortunately, there were other reference photos that gave me the details that were missing from the primary photos.

I've added some green highlights through out the portrait ( such as in the coat, the nose, the eyes and eye lids) to create a color harmony with the background. I always emphasis to my collectors, it is important to realize my goal is not to simply copy a photo. That would be too easy. My goal is to create an original painting based on the likeness of a given animal. I make changes in lights, in darks, in detail around the facial features such as the eyes, nose and mouth. Part of Autumn's bottom lip showed in the reference photo. That was not needed in the painting. There are a number of reflections in both eyes that are not in the photos. There are colors in the nose that are not in the photos. Photos are simply a road map to keep me on track so my paintings capture the likeness of a specific subject. The creativity starts with the photo but ends with my imagination.

Black Dog Oil Painting photo 3

2011-09-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

This painting is coming along. The 2' x 3' canvas is fun to work on. It is so much fun to paint the larger than life oils.

Once the black paint (that reinforced the initial sketch) had dried a layer of semi-translucent burnt sienna was put all over the entire canvas.

The white hair was laid in first as the black hair will eventually be layered over that. Slow process with drying time - but is coming along nicely.

Autumn Splendor

2011-09-22T16:13:00.001-07:00

This is the first painting in my newest series, the Seasons Series. It is the "fall" season. There were several background photos used for the painting taken at different times in the year.

For the painting to really have the feel of fall and for color harmony in the painting, a great deal of warm reds and yellows were incorporated into the background that were not in the reference photos.

The model for this painting I had met several times over the years and is a Best In Show winner. When in Wisconsin a few years ago his owner had commissioned me to paint his portrait. During the photo session, something in the pine trees caught his attention and he swung his head around to look at the distraction. One thing led to another and this painting, Autumn Splendor came to be. Prints are for sale on my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

BEST IN SHOW - Great Dane Painting

2011-09-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

"A Great Moment" was awarded BEST IN SHOW at the Irving Art Association 2011 3rd National Unconditional Love Juried Pet Show. The exhibit runs through September 2011.

Prints of the painting are available on my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

Thanks for taking a peek!

Black Dog Oil Painting in Process

2011-09-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the painting in process. I've used black oil paint to block in my sketch before I do the complete underpainting. Now to wait for the black paint to dry......

Large Oil Painting's Beginning Sketch

2011-09-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

This sketch was done a number of weeks ago. I sat down on my studio floor with the photo on my lap top and created the sketch. This is the beginning of a two foot x three foot oil painting for a commercial account. The dog looks to be an Akita. Can't wait to get my brushes out!

Remembering 911

2011-08-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

THE PROGRAM:
On Sunday, September 11th, 2011, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States . Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this tenth anniversary of one our country's worst tragedies. We do this honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
Action Plan:So, here's what we need you to do ...(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Please don't be the one to break this chain. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.
Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America

Newfie painting almost finished

2011-08-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

This painting is of D'arcy. She was an awesome girl and I was so happy to have been able to meet her. She just wasn't with us long enough. For her painting, her human parents wanted to use this photo of her with her toy as the reference pose. We had taken quite a lot of photos of her. The toy photo just tugged at their hearts.

Giant paw prints

2011-08-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

I am helping some friends with decorations at their business They need some giant six foot paw prints on metal. I drew the prints (Monet, my dog, is sitting along side as a size reference). They will have the paw prints cut out and then powder coated. Can't wait to see the final product!

Newfoundland Pastel Painting

2011-07-28T16:35:00.001-07:00

This painting was recently completed. The upper image is the completed painting. The lower image is one of the reference photos used for the painting.

Since Newfoundlands are water dogs, it was decided to have a water scene as the background. The dog's owners live in Southern California so I used some reference photos of surf I'd taken from Laguna Beach several years prior.

The dog's right eye was partially obscured by her coat. In the painting, I cleaned that area up a bit so both eyes were clearly visible. The bright morning light shown too much on her coat casting a silver look. Thus, the photos neglected to reflect her deep black coat. In her painting, the color of the coat is more accurate.

If you are interested in having me paint your dog please call or send me an email. 909-393-7111 or fff@linkline.com

Brown Pelican - Original Painting

2011-07-21T10:25:00.001-07:00

I recently finished this painting of Brown Pelican. The reference photos were taken on the Santa Barbara, California pier. We had our dog, Bailey, with us. That photo is bittersweet as we lost Bailey several years ago at almost age 13. He was such a great dog.

The painting is on Wallis Sanded pastel paper. I started with an under painting of lightly laid pastel which was then brushed over with terpenoid to cover the entire surface of the Wallis. Almost all my paintings, oil or pastel, have an under painting or colored surface to start out with.

Birds always fascinate me and I love painting them. This painting measures 9" x 12" without the frame and is available for purchase. If interested in it, please email me at fff@linkline.com.

A link to the blog Featuring Artist: Dawn Secord

2011-07-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

My work was featured in the blog for writers, "1st Turning Point." To read the article please click on the link below! Thanks for reading.

Featured Artist: Dawn Secord

Laguna Beach, California

2011-07-18T16:16:00.001-07:00

My husband and I were in Laguna Beach last month and we took some fun photos around the Montage Resort. This painting titled, "Laguna Beach Palms" is a result of that outing.

Laguna is such a beautiful place. Wish this view was from my window. Alas, it is not!

The painting is for sale. If interested please email me at fff@linkline.com

Work day but kinda play day

2011-06-27T18:53:00.001-07:00

I've been painting some beach scenes with dogs and wanted some more beach / ocean reference material. In addition, I needed some beach scenes for some future landscape paintings.

Yesterday was an absolutely perfect beach day. So, my husband and I packed up a picnic lunch, my camera and Faith (our youngest dog) and headed to the beach.

One of the beach cities we visited was actually having an art competition and had artists set up with paintings in a formal art fair environment. We had a blast. Faith was a big hit and gave lots of kisses. The beach photos I took for reference material were awesome. What a great day! Southern California - can't beat the weather!

Boston Terrier Painting

2011-06-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

This is Sophie Rae and she lives in Atlanta. When her owner sent me the reference photo, I was so excited . Her face was very sweet and the pose in the photo was unique and really drew you into her eye.

A few changes were needed to be made when creating the portrait in comparison to the photo. (I always tell people I don't recreate your photo. Your photo is simply reference material to be used in creating the painting.)

Her left ear needed to be downplayed since the perspective in the photo was exaggerated. She had pulled her right lip up which affected the front of her mouth and a part of her left side of her mouth. In the painting there are more highlights in her eye than the photo shows. That is the fun part of painting - the artist makes the rules and creates what works. There are no limits other than our imagination.

Labrador Retriever Painting - Reference Photo

2011-06-13T10:25:00.001-07:00

This is Buzz, a yellow labrador retriever. He had been a dog in rescue and his foster parents found they couldn't part with him. We took Buzz to a dog beach in Southern California so I could take reference photos. There is so much energy and fun to this photo, Collectively, his owners and I thought this would be the perfect photo to use as reference for his portrait. There are a few changes that would need to be made. His painting would not have his collar on. There is a funny roll on his shoulder that I would not include in the painting and most importantly, his owner wanted to see more of his right rear leg. We were throwing a doggie floatation toy around on the beach which is what he is looking at.

Labrador Retriever Painting in Process

2011-06-13T10:15:00.001-07:00

The painting is well underway. Notice I've brought the right rear leg back so it is more visible in the painting compared to the photograph. The dog has been painted and I've added a tennis ball for fun. The dog's photo had the dog looking at a toy that had been tossed into the surf. As a dog owner, one of the favorite toys of my dogs is a tennis ball. The addition of the ball would answer the viewer's question - what is the dog looking at. A tennis ball floats and is commonly used as a toy for dogs playing in the water. In the past, when painting in pastel, I worked from left to right. Lately I've changed that direction. I like to get my subject finished before the background is started. Using a colored surface as my under-painting, this method is bringing me more in line with my oil paintings.

Labrador Painting in Process

2011-06-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

The base coat for the water has been painted. Next, I've started adding a wave to lead the viewer's eye directly to the dog. To get a straight horizon line I mark it off with a piece of acid free artist's tape. The tape will be removed to put the sky. The edge of the horizon will be softened between the water and the water. This will be accomplished by using a harder brand of pastels and glazing across the surface of the painting.

Labrador Painting in Process

2011-06-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

The painting of Buzz is coming along. The water is almost finished. I'll add some highlights and darks/lights on the entire painting once all the different areas are finished. That is my favorite part - standing back and seeing where the final changes are needed. At this point I return to my really hard pastels and drag them across the areas that need to be softened. The more softer brands of pastel are used to bring the lightest lights to the water and clouds.

Labrador Portrait Finished

2011-06-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the final painting of Buzz. Hope you like it. Thank you to the Buzz's parents for having me paint him. He is a sweetie!

Irish Setter Club of Southern California Specialty

2011-06-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

Our dog club (Irish Setter Club of Southern California) had its 100th Specialty Show this past weekend on June 4, 2011. It was a beautiful day in a very nice park. Our puppy, Faith (Jamond Wings of Glory at Rendition), won Best in Sweepstakes under judge Dr. Gary Brown, DVM. We were thrilled. Here are some pictures my husband took ringside. Thanks Rich!

Borzoi International Summer 2011

2011-06-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

Borzoi International Summer 2011
My work is on the cover of "Borzoi International" an on line publication. In addition to being on the cover, my work is included in a six page feature story within the magazine. Thank you to Borzoi International for featuring my work!

Our dogs like to share.

2011-05-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

This crate is always set up in my office for Jewel. Monet snuck in there when Jewel left the room, Then Faith tried to fit in with Monet. She didn't quite make it!

On the way to the National

2011-04-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

stopped for gas in Needles CA $4.89 a gallon...ugh

Irish Setter Puppy Painting

2011-04-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

This painting was just finished yesterday. A few years ago a friend sent me a photo of this sleeping pup. I asked her if I could use it for a painting and she agreed. Sometimes photos are taken out of perspective. The reference photo for this painting was perfect.

It is a mini painting and the frame was made by a friend of mine in back East. He does amazing things with wood. I love that the frame is hand made right here in America.

Hope you enjoy viewing the painting as much as I did painting it!

Borzoi Commission Completed

2011-04-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Primary Reference Photos Side by Side

Additional Reference Photo Finished Painting

This portrait is of three Borzoi who live in Norway. Their owner is a fabulous photographer and to my good fortune, was able to supply amazing reference material for the painting.

The dog on the left is the dam followed by her daughter and her son. One of the reference photos had the mother and the daughter. Another photo had the son. In his primary reference photo the lighting was different than in the photo of the mother and his sister. An additional photo (second photo of him) had lighting that was consistent with the photo of the girls.

That third photo was my reference to change the lighting in the painting to be consistent with the photo of the mother and the daughter. The third photo had the dog looking an entirely different color than the first. After looking at many photos of him, it was clear this third photo was not consistent with the coloring of the others. Tiny obstacles!

It is funny how your eyes can play tricks on you. After some trial and error, all came together and there is the consistency of lighting I strove to achieve on all three subjects.

Thank you for taking a peek!

Oil Painting Finished.

2011-04-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

This is a painting that I just finished and is drying. The above photos show the process that my paintings go through.

I always start with a sketch. If it is an oil painting, I secure the sketch with black oil paint. Then I glaze a neutral color over the entire canvas. With this painting the base coat is in burnt sienna.

Then colors are layered gradually allowing for drying time between each layer. During the painting process the painting may be rotated upside down or sideways to allow ease of painting the fur etc.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Tri Setter Specialties in Dixon, California

2011-04-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with the dogs in Dixon this past weekend. Drew went Winners Dog for a 4 point major under respected breeder judge, Dr. John Savory.

Faith went Best Puppy under Dr. John Savory and the following day in sweepstakes went Best of Opposite Sex.

The art sales were good and we had fun seeing friends we hadn't seen in a while as well as meeting new people.

Thank you so much to the clubs for putting on these shows (Irish Setter Club of Central California, Irish Setter Club of the Pacific and Irish Setter Club of Sacramento).

To see more pictures of our dogs at this show or pedigree information please go to our website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/renditionirishsetters.html

Oil painting of a cat in process

2011-03-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

BISS CH Farpoint Effervescent Gem, CD (Irish Setter)

2011-03-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

Ruby is a remarkable girl. I met her an ISCA National Specialty. Ruby's owner approached me to commission a painting of this beautiful dog as a surprise gift for her parents.

There were a few changes that were needed to be made to the photos that were taken of Ruby. The wind was blowing her hair which I chose to lay down softly. The sun had been in her eyes and she was squinting in the photos. It was necessary to open up her eyes a bit. I had taken some photos in the shade and had reference material of her eyes not squinting. We can never have too many photos. It is amazing how one photo that seemingly is unimportant ultimately provides me with needed reference material! Lastly, in the photos, Ruby was ten years old and due to being spayed her coat had lightened. In the painting, her coat was darkened to a richer mahogany.

Ruby's owners were very pleased with the final painting. When the gift was presented, the recipients called me right away to thank me for the painting. It was a wonderful call and so enjoyable to hear fun stories about Ruby. She is truly a special dog.

Faith's first show picture

2011-03-21T21:19:00.001-07:00

Faith is six months old in this photo - almost 7 months. It was her second day out as a show pup. She went WB, BOW and Best of Breed. She is quite a handful at times and I was very proud of her for keeping "four on the floor"!

Drew helps with the painting

2011-03-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

I am doing this cat painting a little bit differently than usual. It is a pretty dark cat and there will be several layers of under painting.

The first layer is identifying the original sketch of the cat. This is an outline painting in black with some dark greys in the bigger mass areas. Then, I'll do an under painting of translucent brown over the entire surface of the canvas.

Drew was a big help holding brushes for me. What would I do without him??

While the under paintings dry I'll get back to my pastel painting.

Drew and Monet help in the studio

2011-03-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm just starting the sketch on a 3' x 3' close up of a tabby cat in oil. Our dogs are always in the studio with me and I have a big brush that I use to dust the eraser off the canvas with.

I put the brush in Drew's mouth and posed him next to the canvas. He spit the brush out a few times and then figured it was kinda fun to hold the brush. He decided the brush was his new toy and "I" couldn't have it. Monet had to see what all the fun was about and decided to get off the sofa and peek around the canvas.

Better get back to work and stop playing with the dogs!

Baby Faith goes Best in Breed

2011-03-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Saturday 3/12/11, was Faith's second show and her first outside show. I totally expected her to be wild and playful since she is only 6 months old. To her, outside means playtime.

She was the only puppy at the show for the Irish Setter breed. There were three adult dogs and two adult females in addition to the Champion dog and Faith at the Irish Setter ring.

Faith was such a good girl. She stacked for the judge, didn't move a paw and resisted any temptation of running in the ring. She won her first point (our youngest dog to get a point to date!) and then went on to win over all the boys going Best of Winners and then to our surprise, Best of Breed. She is the youngest dog we've ever had to win Best of Breed, with competition, at such a young age.

We did take her in the group ring for two reasons. One, we felt it was respectful to the judge who gave her the win, and secondly, it was a great opportunity to practice in the ring for the pup. As a six month old pup we truly didn't expect her to win anything. She was as a real trooper in the group ring and didn't put one paw out of place (other than jumping on the other handlers if they only gave their dogs a treat! But she's six months old - what else could we expect with food involved!!)

Landscape Show opens tonight!

2011-03-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Three of my paintings are included in the landscape show at Pinnell Gallery. Rich and I took Faith with us to the gallery. She enjoyed meeting the gallery owner, Jennifer.

The show runs through April 2nd.

Irish Painting is a surprise

2011-02-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

Just finished this painting. It is a gift and a surprise so I can't show the entire dog until the gift has been given.

Can't wait to hear what the recipients of the gift think of their present!

Drew in the Field

2011-02-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Rich wants to put a junior hunting title on Drew. Several weeks ago Rich took Drew to join some friends who were hunting locally. Everyone said Drew was a natural and had a blast.

Jumping three weeks later, everyone wanted to take Drew out again and let him actually find a bird. Of course, this was a great photo opportunity for me to take some additional reference material for future paintings.

We met up with our friends at 7 AM and it was the most beautiful day. The hunting fields are about ten minutes from our house. We've had a great deal of rain lately here in Southern California so the grass is very green. The skies were clear and gave us a beautiful view of some of the mountains.

Drew did find his bird. It was amazing to see how he found it and pointed it. This was my first time in the field and seeing a dog work naturally. Thank you to Dave and Cathy for taking us along and working with Drew!

Trooper - English Setter

2011-02-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

Trooper is an English Setter - specifically a Llewellin which is used for hunting. He is eight years old and in absolutely magnificent condition for a dog of his age.

The photos used for this painting had been taken in the field when Trooper was actually working. For additional reference material, Trooper was brought to my studio so I could meet him and take more photos.

He was a joy and full of personality. It was fun to see him working back and forth in our front yard looking for birds. We live very close to a training facility and I think he recognized the scent in the air and thought our yard another field to work (not that our front yard is that big but it wraps around a corner with a lot of hedges).

The photos I took helped me to see his markings. His hunting collars somewhat blocked my view of the markings at the top of his neck. The background was adjusted a bit to strengthen the composition. The actual photo didn't have any height variation in the foliage and we wanted some more pizazz to the background. Hope you enjoy viewing the painting as much as I did painting it!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW BOY!!

2011-02-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

How do these years fly by!!

Drew is three years old today!

Happy Birthday our little man! All 80 pounds of him!

Wille the Orange Tabby Cat

2011-02-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

This is Wille. He has a heart warming story.

His human parents live in Southern California. While volunteering at a local shelter, they met Wille. Wille had been released by his former family. It seemed that he had a very sensitive stomach and was prone to urinary tract issues that could be life threatening.

Treating Wille's medical issues proved too much for his former family so this eight year old cat was given up. There is no explanation for the loss of his eye. Wille was at the shelter, an older cat, with medical issues and one eye. Definitely not an easy adoption candidate.

Well, Wille's new family fell in love with his personality and had to adopt him. Volunteering at the shelter gave them an opportunity to get to know Wille and they just couldn't stand him not having a family. He has the most adorable personality. It has taken some time to find the right food to balance his urinary tract issues, but this has been accomplished and Wille is flourishing. It was a pleasure to paint Wille's portrait and his human family are the most wonderful people. A story of true unconditional love.

St. Bernard Puppy - Remington

2011-02-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

This is baby Remington. He was about 12 weeks old in this portrait.

There is a fun story on how I met Remy's human parents. Back in 2003 I was in a "Dog Reality Show" called "Top Dog" with my dog Jewel. The show air in February 2004 and was a FOX TV production. One of the other dogs on the show was a St. Bernard named Winston. His human parents were incredible people and we became friends during the course of taping the show. Once the show was completed, and they found out about my art, they commissioned me to paint Winston.

Sadly, Winston passed as age would dictate and it took the owners a while to be ready for a new pup. When the time was right, they brought a new pup into their home. This pup is Remington.

Remington is a big pup as any St. Bernard pup would be. He is beautiful and has a gentle quiet temperament just as Winston had. Knowing Remington would only be "small" for a tiny window of time they had me come down and take photos of him at that age. During the photo session they decided to put Remy in a basket on one of their bicycles. This was a fun idea - how long would a St. Bernard fit in a bicycle basket!!! Ultimately, that was the photo that would be used for his puppy painting.

It will be fun to watch Remington grow and I look forward to painting him as a Big Dog!!

Grooming and Playtime

2011-02-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

I was grooming our dogs this past Friday. It was a beautiful day. If you groom your own dogs at home you know how they can get frisky.

Monet was on the grooming table and my camera was near by. Up on the deck Drew had been laying in the sun. Then, the little pest, Faith, came by to inter up his sunning.

Glad I had the camera to capture their playtime. They are so cute together.

Signage at the Veterinary Hospital

2011-01-30T17:43:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was asked to do some signage at a local animal hospital ( for our personal veterinarian). They have two waiting areas. One area is specifically reserved for cat clients and one area for dog clients. There was some informal signage, but nothing that was really visible.

At first my plan was to free style paint directly on the walls. I thought about stencils but wanted something a bit more original. There was a small dilemma for me while I was planning out the spacing and direction of the wording. Thinking ahead, what would the clinic do when they decided to repaint the walls? If I painted directly on the walls then the painters would have to paint around my lettering. That made my proposed lettering perhaps not a permanent fixture in the clinic.

So, I went to a local craft store to check out options. I found some raised lettering which was perfect. The lettering could be nailed on the walls so it could be removed if and when the clinic decided to repaint the walls themselves. The letters I chose were painted white. It made sense to leave the sides of the lettering white so if the painters were to repaint the walls, they would not need to worry about getting the white paint of the walls on the sides of the lettering.

I sponged the faces of the lettering with brown acrylic mural paint. Then, on the larger letters, I free hand painted paw prints. The clinic manager was very happy with the out come.

The photos show the lettering on my floor before painting, after painting and then being mounted on the walls in the clinic. It was raining today and mounting the letters in the clinic was a perfect way to spend a rainy Sunday.

Secord Dogs out having Fun

2011-01-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

Our dogs were busy today. Rich took Drew to learn to work in the field. Drew took to it like a duck takes to water. Rich let Drew loose in the field and Drew immediately took off with his tail up and wagging like crazy. That dog started working the field like he'd done this before which he had not. This was his first time out. The trainers were surprised at Drew's confidence and drive. Rich said he was impressed with how keen Drew's instinct was. They were gone for hours. So, the boys had fun being boys. I bet they both sleep well tonight!

I took Monet out to a conformation show. She showed her little heart out and received lots of compliments from fellow exhibitors. Monet hasn't been shown in a while and boy did she have fun. I could not have asked for anything else from her. I really felt we had some great team work. She picked up another point towards her Grand Championship by going Select. The girls had a fun day too! Monet does not want to be a couch....ooops....."studio potato"!

Jewel is 12 years old today!

2011-01-27T08:24:00.000-08:00

Jewel, our little princess, is 12 years old today.

This photo is from last month when we were in Palm Springs. Jewel doesn't lay on the ground don't cha know. She is a princess. She has to be on a chair, even if she doesn't fit, or on a sofa or the bed or anything that she deems is appropriate. Jewel is my special girl!

She and I have had so many memories - we've done a commercial for Animal Planet, a dog reality show that aired - through Fox TV, been my spokes model for several TV appearances, she's won a Best in Show, Best in Specialty Show and Best of Opposite Sex at the 2003 AKC Eukanuba Dog Show as well as a therapy dog.

She is my constant companion, my Velcro dog, a trash stealer and if given too much freedom wreaks havoc in the household. I love her with all my heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEWEL! aka "BIS BISS CH Rendition Treasured Moment CGC TDI"

Krista: Gordon Setter

2011-01-20T12:42:00.001-08:00

This is Krista. Her painting has been in process for awhile. Krista passed away a number of years ago and her owner had been trying to find more pictures of her for reference material.

Her photos were before the "digital" camera age so most of the photos were small snap shots. Krista was also blind so many of the photos did not show her true eye color. Her owner was not quite sure how the eyes would turn out.

Krista was a fun and comical dog. There were some conventional photos of Krista that showed what one would expect for a head shot portrait. However, the reference photo chosen allowed us to see the side of Krista that was so special to her owners.

When she came to pick up the painting in Palm Springs, she was teary eyed. She told me the painting looked just like Krista and the eyes were correct. It is always such a humbling experience to paint someone's beloved pet. Thank you to Krista's owners for this honor.

The Girls of Tuesday

2011-01-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

This is a painting of three litter mates - Irish Setters. The theme of this litter was New Orleans. I have shown against these dogs for a few years and have enjoyed getting to know them. When their owner asked me to paint the girls I was thrilled.

We took quite a few photos. The hard part was choosing which photos we collectively liked best. And...there were a number of them!! My goal is to not reproduce a photo - my goal is to make a painting using a photo as reference material. If you look at the photos and the final painting you'll see shadows in the photos that are not in the painting, colors in the painting that are not in the photos, high lights in the painting that differ from the photos and most importantly - the eyes have a life like quality.

For the background, the owner of the dogs wanted something to do with New Orleans. We toyed with making the background the French Quarter and having Mardi Gras beads around their necks. (well....the beads were my idea - over zealous with the theme!)

Ultimately, we both felt a gentle landscape was the best choice. As a surprise, I added the Spanish Moss hanging from the trees. When I've traveled through Louisiana, the hanging moss has always fascinated me. It gives the trees a very gentle dreamy quality.

Thank you for taking a peek!

It is FREEZING in Southern California

2011-01-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning we woke to ice on our cars, ice on the grass, and an outside thermostat that read 32 degrees.

This morning it was a bit warmer - maybe 34 or 35 degrees outside. Baby Faith is ready for the weather. We have her in a fleece jacket. She now has three jackets. Two fashion jackets from my mom and this fleece hand me down from when Monet was a pup.

Hope things warm up quickly or I'll think I'm back in Texas!

Hiking with Four Dogs

2010-12-31T21:17:00.000-08:00

Every Friday one of my girlfriend's and I get together for coffee. We each usually bring a dog or two,

Today we each showed up with two dogs. One of her dogs is a ten month old Aussie Shepherd. I had two year old Drew and twenty week old Faith. Hum...three young dogs is a mixture for disaster.

They were trying to play with each other instead of walking. At some point I tried to take a photo with my cell phone while holding two leashes.....photo attached.

The end result was no wiped out dog walkers and four tired puppy dogs.

Happy New Year!

Secord dogs

2010-12-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

I was training our puppy, Faith, in our bathroom using treats. The bathroom is sectioned off from the dogs because our cat box is in there. For those of you who own both dogs and cats....no further explanation is needed.

So, before bedtime Faith goes in the with me and plays. For pups, I use a lot of food rewards when training (which we will graduate away from as they get older). Love and cuddles are are great training tool for the older ones. We had an audience during our training don't cha think!! ha ha

Miniature Schnauzer

2010-12-29T16:57:00.000-08:00

This little girl is a Miniature Schnauzer and her portrait was a Christmas present. The recipients were very surprised when given the painting. They said it looked just like her and they could not believe how realistic the painting is.

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait of a dog as a gift, I do have gift certificates available. For more information on commissioning a portrait please click here: http://www.dawnsecord.com/commissioninformation.html

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Rich and baby Faith

2010-12-28T10:53:00.000-08:00

Rich and I decided to get Faith and have her be our Christmas present to each other. Do you think my husband likes his present?

jewel and monet

2010-12-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

Jewel and Monet had a very busy Christmas day. Like most of us...they are exhausted!

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-21T15:07:00.001-08:00

This model is our new puppy, Faith. She turned 18 weeks old yesterday. We've been working on "stay" and "wait" for her modeling career. My dogs are used for models for my paintings and it is never too early to start teaching them.

I put Faith under the tree with no decorations and no ribbon on her and told her to "wait". It took just a few tries to get the idea into her baby mind. Then I put the gifts around the tree and the bow around her neck.

All was going well until our young cat, Lacey, decided to get under the tree while we were taking photos. I took over 100 photos and Faith got up only twice (once enticed by the tricky feline).

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Tuxedo Kittens in Oil

2010-12-13T10:53:00.000-08:00

This larger than life painting of two tuxedo kittens was done in oil. It is another piece for the corporate commission that I am working on.

The painting is three feet wide by two feet tall. A number of photos of the two kittens were supplied by the collector. One kitten has a narrower face as in a Siamese and the other kitten has a round face. The markings are very close so I relied on the face shape to assist me in keeping track of which kitten was in each photo. Ultimately, I chose two poses that were from two different photos.

My initial sketch was in pencil. If you notice the eyes on the sketch and look at the final painting - there was some adjustment done to the eye shape during the painting process. I sometimes flip my paintings upside down during the process to double check details. It was during one of these "upside down" times that I noticed the eye shape was not what I wanted it to be. One nice thing about painting in oil is the ability to change just about anything during the course of the painting. Pastels are not quite so user friendly!

Thanks for taking a peek at the kittens!

It was a lot of fun to paint.

Texas Boathouse

2010-12-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

This is the final painting in the landscape series I've been working on. It is the boat house at Eagle's Nest Preserve in North Texas. The painting is to be a gift for my dearest friend's parents.

The interesting part of the painting was the current in the water around the boathouse. If you look across the lake you'll notice the water is still. I could have changed the painting and had all the water still and reflective - but the movement of the water was one of the things that made this reference material so interesting.

The painting started with a colorful under painting of pastel glazed with turpenoid. The turpenoid allowed the pastel to become liquid much like I have done with acrylic and watercolor under paintings. Once the under painting dried the layering of pastel began working from top to bottom.

The pastel under painting included the use of salmon hues in some areas, blues, purples and greens. The goal was to have some of the under painting shine through the finished painting in key locations. In some areas I wanted a complimentary color to show - such as salmon under green. In other areas I used deep purple under the foliage and water to create a feeling of depth. There was to be a lot of green reflections in the water so I chose to have a green under painting for the water.

Thank you for taking a peek!

Texas Tree number 2

2010-12-05T10:28:00.000-08:00

This pastel painting was created from a photo taken when I was in Texas a few months ago. There were other trees around it, however, something about the shape of this tree captured my attention.

The under painting was in different values of salmon. The original photo had Lilly pads floating on the water and a slight current was visible. I played around some time with the water and finally decided to simply the water in the painting due to all the detail that was in the grasses. The final painting has detail where the viewer ideally should be drawn to - the tree and the wild flowers.

Hope you enjoy it! The painting is available. If interested drop me an email at fff@linkline.com

Napa Valley Vineyard Painting

2010-11-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

This Napa Valley vineyard painting was created using a new technique of yellow and blue as an under painting.

The initial sketch was created by using a hard yellow pastel. Large shapes were identified for sunlit areas and well as shadowed areas. Three different values of yellow were used to capture the areas that were in the sun and three different values of blue were used to capture the areas of shadows.

Turpenoid was laid over these blocked in colors of blue and yellow to create a full mass of color which created the yellow and blue under painting.

You'll see above in the photos of the painting in progress how the landscape colors were layered over the dried under painting.

The painting was a fun to do. It is interesting to see how the shadowed areas really have a feeling of depth due to the blue under painting and the sunlit areas have a richer feeling of warmth.

Hope you enjoy viewing the finished painting.

Texas Landscape Painting - Finished!!

2010-11-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

The painting is finished! If you scroll down a few blog entries you will find this painting in process.

The under painting was in pure pastel. In the past, my under paintings have been in acrylic or watercolor. Using pastel as an under painting was a first. I quite like the effect. This particular under painting had a monochromatic theme. The under painting was in varying values of a salmon color. The under painting showing through in places gave a real interesting color harmony to the painting. It was important to pay particular attention to the under painting as to ensure I did not cover it completely as layers of pastel were applied.

It is undetermined whether or not this painting will be for sale. If interested in it, drop me a note at fff@linkline.com.

Have a great day.

Yellow Labrador Retriever

2010-11-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is the second painting of Syrah. The first painting showed her as a young dog in a meadow surrounded by brilliant purple blooms.

In this painting the owners wanted to reflect Syrah as she is today - 14 years old. We took a volume of photos of her. We photographed her in her home in several rooms, outside in the front yard, on the side yard under the arbor and the cherry tree blossoms, in the backyard on a chaise lounge. There was one photo that was precious to her owner and it was a photo taken at a down angle. (this was a private photo taken by the owners)

We all went back and forth discussing what photo would best capture Syrah at this point in time. The background of the painting was definitely going to be the arbor and the cherry blossoms. That simple fact knocked out the favorite photo taken by her owners looking down on Syrah (which is used as her computer screen saver).

The final decision was to use all the photos. I had taken a photo of Syrah laying under the dining room table with her woobie toy as a pillow. The angle would work for the cherry blossom background. The favored "screen saver" photo would be used to adjust the chiseling on her face and capture the her beautiful. Working with her owners to accomplish this painting was a joy and we are all very happy with the results.

Landscape Painting in Progress

2010-11-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

It seemed like a good time to take a little break from my pet portraits for a few days. So, I'm taking a landscape workshop with noted pastelist, Maggie Price.

Life gets so crazy at times. Sometime in early summer - or heck - can't really remember when, I signed up for the workshop. Then November rolled around and it turned out my schedule was incredibly hectic. The workshop started Monday and of course, things didn't start out well. Jewel, my precious red dog, got into something nasty and was vomiting. I thought class was doomed. Thanks to my husband, Rich, and my friend, Lisa, for jumping in and taking over "Jewel" care so I could attend the workshop.

These two photos are courtesy of another workshop attendee, Gayle. The one shows a multi value under painting with some beginning colors being laid on. The second photo shows the painting more underway. I'll take a photo of the finished painting as soon as it is finished. Check back~

Irish Setter Painting "Sweet Dreams"

2010-10-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

The limited edition for my painting, "Sweet Dreams", is getting very close to being sold out.

For Christmas this year, we are offering free shipping on in-stock artwork if ordered by December 15, 2010 and shipped within the continental USA.

On a fun note, "Sweet Dreams" has been added to my cafepress store. The artwork is featured on gift items such as clothing items, cups and bags.

To order limited edition prints click here: Http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

To go to my cafepress store click here: Http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Labrador Painting is Finished

2010-10-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've spent some time on this painting. The art collector commissioned two portraits of their Labrador Retriever. The first painting (seen here) features the dog in its adolescence. The second portrait will feature the dog as she is currently at 14 years of age.

The background of this painting is a meadow behind their home. In the reference photo the skyline is almost nonexistent with a slight splash of blue clouds in one small corner. Also, the meadow is laden with the beautiful blooms shown in the painting. However, the blooms were minimized in the painting. The bright color of the blooms combined with the thick blanket of them in the reference photo somewhat stole the show from the dog.

To ensure the dog was the focal point, the blossoms were minimized. The skyline was also greatly increased with a change in direction to draw the view into the focal point.

Gift items with an image of this painting are on my cafepress store at http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Now off to wrap the painting for delivery and finish portrait number 2.

English Springer Spaniel

2010-10-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to constantly add new images of my art to the Dawn Secord cafepress store before we get to the holidays.

Today the English Springer Spaniel was added to the store and will be available on a number of gift items.

To see the gift items available go to http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Check back now and then to see what new images of my artwork are available.

Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Monet!

2010-10-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Today is Monet's 4th birthday. We are going to take her to the pet store and let her get a new toy. She wants to drive there....ha ha.

Where did the time go....and hopefully, going forward, it slows down a bit.

Labrador Retriever Painting in process

2010-10-12T22:30:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this painting for a number of days now - long days (not an hour here or there - more like 10 hours a day. My arm is sore and my eye hurts.... goes along with the territory)

The reference photo is an old photo that was taken on a very sunny morning. As a result one side of the dog's face is too shadowed and the other side is almost whited out. So, my quest is to balance the lighting while maintaining the wonderful effects the light has created with the shadows.

On the right side of the dog's face I've reduced the shadows and brought the eye more into view. On the left side of the dog's face (the right side of the painting) I've found the bone structure of the dog and brought in slight shadows. These shadows will give the dog's face depth and roundness instead of a flat light area.

I've also eliminated the collar. Some people prefer the collars be left on their dogs in my paintings. That is a personal choice - no wrong or right answer. In this particular painting the dog's owners wanted the collar off.

Will post more as the painting develops.

Tabby Cat Commission

2010-10-12T12:24:00.001-07:00

This is a painting of Oliver. Oliver was a very special kitty and loved by a wonderful family. Life throws us some tough situations and sadly, Oliver was lost to cancer at a very young age.

His family had a very tough loss shortly before Oliver passed. Sometimes, when we hear of the tough roads of others we realize our problems are so minor.

Sending Oliver's human mom a big hug and keeping her in our prayers.

Thank you for the honor of commissioning me to paint Oliver.

Irish Setter Painting "Celtic Charm"

2010-10-04T11:43:00.001-07:00

This is my newest release in Irish Setter Art. The painting background was created from a photo I had taken in 2009 during a cross country trip. If you really want to see our great Country - the best way to see it and meet the people is by driving.

The original painting is unavailable. The prints are in a limited edition of 195. There are 19 artist proofs. The reproductions are professionally printed, are museum quality, and are signed and numbered. To purchase the prints you may call me or email me. For Pay Pal users, there are Pay Pal buttons set up on my web site for purchasing on line. Please click here: http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

Have a great day!

Corporate Commission

2010-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Finishing up on corporate commission. Its been a while since I've done such a large oil painting. We moved our birds to another area of the house and are venting the house for the fumes. Next oil painting will be done outside on the patio! It was fun.

Back to the pastels today to do a commission of a kitty that lost it's life way to early to cancer.

To see more pictures of this painting in process please go to my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-by-Dawn-Secord/120610651282807

Borzoi

2010-09-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

This Borzoi commission is recently completed. There is a very special story behind the painting of two people meeting inter-continentally (USA and Norway) because of their dogs.

The dogs, all Borzoi, have allowed these wonderful people to connect in a way that just brings tears to my ears. The woman, middle aged, met the man, a senior, and immediately had a connection that reminded her of her father.

The man, a senior, has a new "family" member who loves him and extends a long distance friendship of compassion and interaction. It seems, too often, we forget about relationships with people.

It has been said when people are asked what they would have done differently with their lives they would have spent more time with their loved ones. The greatest gift we can give is of our time and in this story the people involved are giving each other their time. And....it all started with their love of dogs.

El Mirador Estate - Montecito, California

2010-09-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

Here is a plein air painting done on location at the El Mirador Estate in Montecito, California. The estate is absolutely breathtaking and it was quite a thrill to be allowed on the grounds. It was a difficult choice picking the location in the Estate to paint as the grounds were extensive.

This painting is currently on exhibit and for sale. The exhibit will be at the gallery through October 16, 2010. The painting measures approximately 7" x 11" for the image - not including the frame. The framing is professionally done by the gallery. The painting is $425.00.

If you are interested please drop me an email: fff@linkline.com.

Thanks for taking a peek at my work.

"Sonoma Summer" Original Pastel Painting

2010-09-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

This painting was rendered in soft pastels (one of my two favorite mediums). My husband and I were recently in Napa, California specifically to photograph vineyards for paintings. This painting was created from photos taken in Sonoma.

The painting will be in an exhibit for mini paintings opening tomorrow in California. All paintings must be 8" x 10" or smaller. This framed painting is approximately 8" x 8" with a professional frame. The painting is available (pending sales at the gallery that I am unaware of) for $325.00.

My cat, Cash, was very jealous of me looking at photos while painting that were on my computer screen. So the little bugger sat behind the screen giving me the "eye". Was tempted to put him in the painting!

Abyssinian Cat Portrait

2010-09-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

The portrait of Cinder is complete! He is 12 years old and was a joy to meet. He tried to be really brave with the camera when I was taking photos of him.

It is always so heart warming to paint some one's special pet for them. I hope this painting gives many years of enjoyment to Cinder's family.

Drew and Carrots

2010-08-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

I was writing a story about my dogs for my September newsletter that goes out to art collectors and friends. The story was about our dogs and carrots. So, it seemed like the appropriate move to take Drew outside and pose him with a carrot in his mouth.

At first he looked at me like... "you have to be kidding me!" I put the carrot in his mouth and gently told him "hold it". And he did. Then a cat came by hunting lizards - he held the carrot. Then I moved him to a second location for better lighting...and he held the carrot.

Finally, I moved him to a sunny area by a hedge and asked him to hold the carrot....which he did for about 10 shots. He then ate the carrot. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. Drew is a little charm. Let me know if you want to see my newsletter and I can forward it to you. Take care - enjoy those carrots!!!

"A Great Moment" Great Dane

2010-08-25T14:11:00.002-07:00

The Great Dane painting is finished. I switched things up a bit. Usually, with pastel paintings, I work from left to right so my hand doesn't interfere with anything I've already laid down.

The background is started first and finished last. However, with this piece, I painted the subject first and then decided upon the background.

Originally, the background was going to be an a prestigious entrance to an estate. Hours were spent photographing entries of beautiful homes for this purpose. I have the most amazing carriage house type entrance from Rhode Island that was considered along with the latest photos taken.

In the end, simplicity won out. The background is a quiet antique"ish" feeling of an old landscape painting. I hope you enjoy viewing "A Great Moment" as much as I enjoyed painting it!

Bob and Billie

2010-08-19T08:22:00.001-07:00

This is a commission of two mixed breed dogs - Bob and Billie. I met their owners at a show over a year ago. To my surprise, I went to the post office one day and found an album of photos and a request to paint their dogs.

Many months later my husband and I were at a dog show in their area. We decided they should bring Bob and Billie over to the show grounds so we could meet the dogs in person and I could take additional reference photos.

It was a thrill to meet the dogs and spend time with their owners. They had a previous commission done of a dog since passed. In that painting were daffodils. So, to tie the paintings together it was requested that daffodils be in Bob and Billie's painting too.

Thanks so much for the honor of painting your dogs!

Simon's Cat in 'The Box'

2010-08-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks Victoria for finding another great U-Tube video!

Irish Setter in Wicker

2010-08-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

This is a commission where everything had been furnished to me. The collector had a wonderful photo of a beautiful dog laying on light colored furniture. On top of all that, I was able to meet the dog in person and take additional reference photos. A very good start!

The pillows on the wicker chair were a bit faded. So, in the painting I added some color and actually an additional pillow. That is one of the nice things about fine art, we are only limited by our imagination.

The photo was also taken on a porch and the foliage in the painting was not there. This is another change made to the painting that was not in the reference photo.

There are gift products on my cafepress store that feature this painting. http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Dawn's CafePress Store

2010-08-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a few new images that are on my cafepress store. To take a peek at the store please go to http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Monet and the new fish tank

2010-08-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

When we were traveling back in the midwest in June, Monet learned to hunt "critters". Now that we are back home in Southern California things have been a bit boring for her.

Last week, we pulled our fish tank out of the garage. It has been sitting in there for about five years. Monet - who is three - has not seen this in our house.

To our surprise, Monet LOVES the tank. She is always in the kitchen "window shopping" at the tank. It is pretty hilarious. Daily, I'm cleaning nose marks off the outside of the tank.

When I go to the pet store to get a new fish or two, Monet goes with me. She is fascinated with all the tanks. Of course, she is slobbering all over them as she attempts to go fishing. When the attendants look away I quickly grab my sleeve and wipe any slobber off the glass eradicating the evidence of fishing with no license.

Monet has no limits when it comes to hunting!! She is such a fun dog.

Yorkshire Terrier - Max

2010-08-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

This painting of Max is a birthday present for my mother. Growing up we had schnauzers and yorkies for the most part (and a Shepherd mix that was dumped by our house in the country that I kept in my bedroom in the barn). In Texas, what 14 year old girl doesn't want to live in the barn with her horse?? Thanks mom for that fun experience.

Max was part of our family for 14 years. He was rescued from an abusive situation by my brother's best friend. Max was living with his 12 week old sister outside in a dog house - in Texas. Now those of you that know North Texas know that is no place for baby yorkies. The temperatures at night can get to below freezing. The horrific part is one of the family members that owned the two pups was kicking them. The sister had perished and my brother's friend snuck over the fence in the dark of night and rescued baby Max from the abusive situation.

Max was brought to my mom in the nick of time. My mother took him immediately to the veterinarian. Max was in bad shape. Nothing was broken, however the veterinarian informed my mother that Max would have survived perhaps a few more hours without medical attention.

Max lived a full life and enjoyed living with two female yorkies, my collie and then my three Irish Setters. He peed on my sofa once and my mom blamed it on my Irish....hum....my Irish peed higher than two inches! You be the judge!

This image of Max is available on gift items at my CafePress store at www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Irish Setter Portrait

2010-07-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

I just finished this portrait of Katie and Rowan - Irish Setters. Their owner commissioned me to do the painting last year. We were able to meet up in Wisconsin in June where I photographed the dogs and spent some time with them.

The moment I walked into their hotel room and looked at Rowan I said, "That is a Hoolie pup!". Turns out that Rowan is a Hoolie grandson as is my young male, Drew. Both boys are 2 years old - give or take a few Months. When I was painting Rowan my husband walked in my studio and said with a question in his voice, "Why are you painting Drew?" Hoolie can sure put his stamp on his get.

It was a pleasure to paint Rowan and Katie. It will be hard for me to ship the painting off, and then again, what's new? It is always a bit hard for me when my paintings leave!

If you are considering having a painting done of your dogs, please go to my website and click on commission information or email me at fff@linkline.com

Borzoi

2010-07-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

I have images of two Borzoi on CafePress at this time. Hope you enjoy the work. Will be fun to watch and see if the store does well. As the saying goes...."nothing ventured nothing gained.

If you have a favorite painting of mine that you would like to see offered on gift items at CafePress please email me and let me know. There are some images that I have other plans for and won't be available. However, many of my images would be perfect there. Let me know your thoughts......email me at fff@linkline.com

Click here to go to my cafe press store: http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Click here to go to my website to see more of my artwork: http://www.dawnsecord.com/galleryhome.html

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait please email me or go to my website for more information. http://www.dawnsecord.com/commissioninformation.

Shetland Sheepdog on CafePress

2010-07-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

I've finally got my store open on CafePress where select pieces of art will be offered on gift items and clothing. This is a test. If it proves to offer those interested in my art an opportunity to collect art on a gift item, I'll continue the store. If it does not then I'll close the store.

Check back as I intend to offer more art in the next few weeks/months on this site.

To go to my store follow this link: http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

If interested in commissioning me to paint your pet - please contact/email me at fff@linkline.com

Golden Retriever Puppy

2010-07-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

This is another one of my mini paintings. The subject is a young golden retriever pup. He is probably about 12 or so weeks old.

When I was photographing him he was romping around as any pup should. Then he ran out of steam and fell asleep in the middle of the floor. Who couldn't enjoy spending time with such an adorable subject.

Check on my blog for videos of me working on this painting.

If you are interested in me doing a mini portrait please feel free to email me for information. My email address is fff@linkline.com

painting a golden retriever puppy

2010-07-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

My Dog Won't Get Out of Bed

2010-07-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-04T00:03:00.001-07:00

Wishing everyone a great 4th of July! I'm proud to be an American.

Irish Setter Print "Generations"

2010-07-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here is my "surprise" release for the ISCA National. "Generations" was a commissioned painting. The painting features three direct generations of Irish Setters. When I was looking at the senior Irish I kept thinking to myself, "boy does that dog look familiar!!" So, I asked the owner what the blood line was on the dog. To my surprise she is the 1/2 sister to my dog, Jewel. I KNEW that dog looked familiar!!

When I started showing the painting to Irish Setter breeders many asked me to put the piece into print.

I discussed the possibility with the dogs' owner and she was very excited about the prospect. My prints are planned 18 months plus or minus in advance. The question was - do I come out with this print in December of 2011 or should I just release it now. The "now" vote won.

Thank you to all involved for your encouragement.