Sunday, February 8, 2015

"My Treasures" Limited Edition Print on Canvas

"My Treasures" limited edition print on canvas
Limited Edition Print on Canvas


http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html
Photos of painting in process.   

 
Close up - one of the pups

This is my new print.   I thought I'd step out of the box from what people were used to seeing and do an oil painting that was unexpected.  

One of my favorite things to do is paint with a palette knife.  Painting with a palette knife was something I did frequently when I was younger.  Actually, it was uncommon for me to use a brush.   The exciting thing about a palette knife is that there is not the control I have with a brush.   Palette knives are rigid and can easily swipe the paint off a canvas as easily as they can lay it on.   Paint can be laid on thick and dimensional shapes are left in the wake.   I used to be up until all hours; an Irish Setter by my side.   A huge canvas would sit in front of me with an array of palette knives at my fingertips.   The bigger the canvas the better.   Once finished, I'd give the painting to the first person who enjoyed it.   Then 'd go out, purchase a new blank canvas and start all over again. 

When thinking about what I'd like to create to be released at the 2015 ISCA National, old recessed memories about the palette knife and a large painting suddenly were vivid.  I knew how I wanted to paint it, just not what I would paint.  Then it came to me, a mom and pups.   We all love to see little babies with their mom.   Going through my reference photos I came across a photo with the mom looking tenderly down at her babies.  There were five or six photos used for image reference to get the nursing pups in the places that were perfect for my purposes.   I didn't want the pups to jump out at you, I wanted them to be hidden in the coat of their mother.  When Rich and I had the litter two years ago, we were always trying to find the pups which were curled around Monet.  The pups blended in so easily.  So, in the painting, the pups are intertwined with their mother in natural poses.  Can you count how many there are?  If it takes you a moment, my goal was successful.  Though there won't be panic when you can't find one!  

The background was done using the oil paint as a wash after the subjects were almost completed.  I took a large paint brush and saturated the canvas with turpenoid, then another paint brush was loaded with paint and glazed over the wet canvas.  The turpenoid slightly dissolved the paint and the paint ran down the canvas.  This was done out in the grass as it was pretty messy.   Once the colors were satisfactory, the painting was left on the porch to dry (the fumes were pretty extreme.) Then I flipped the painting upside down and used this same technique for the sky.  The end result almost looks like a water color painting but it is oil paint.
 
The painting measures 3 feet x 4 feet.   Sometimes the hardest thing to do is find the perfect name.   My mother thought of the name for this painting.  Her suggestion?  "My Treasures".   Isn't it perfect.   To the mother dog, her babies are her treasures.  To the breeders, all the dogs, mom and pups, are their treasures, to the owners of the pups - the pup certainly becomes their treasure.

The reproductions are going to all be on canvas.   I've done this a few times in the past and love how they turn out.    With the canvas prints, you can frame them with or without glass - your choice.   The 11 x 14 prints are mounted on board.

11 x 14  $75.00
16 x 20  $165.00
20 x 24  $225.00  (artist proofs - to be special orders)
3 feet x 4 feet (artist proofs - to be special orders)

I will be bringing 11 x 14 and 16 x 20 prints to the Irish Setter National as well as one 3 foot by 4 foot to hang as a display.    

The artwork is available for pre-order and is in inventory at this time.   Please contact me by phone, email or click on the below link to purchase directly from my website:

Order by phone:  866-393-7111
Order by email:  DawnSecordArt@gmail.com
Order via website:   

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