Art of the Dog: Dawn Secord: A painting of Stevie

Saturday, May 24, 2025

A painting of Stevie

The dog in this painting is named Stevie. Her owner approached me and wanted a painting of them together. A quest ensued to find the perfect photos for the painting. Diane sent me photos of her looking down to mix with photos of Stevie. She sent photos of Stevie looking up. I told her we had enough photos for me to accomplish the painting that was at hand.

On a whim, I decided to scroll through her Facebook photos. Upon doing so, I found a candid photo of her reaching down to lovingly pet Stevie who was looking up at her. It was perfect - it was natural and not staged. So of course I contacted Diane about my "big find". To make this even more perfect, that was the day Diane met Stevie. Stevie came to her as an adult.

Of course, I changed the background. The photo had challenges to work with. It is an old photo with a very small resolution. It took some time, going back and forth, trial and error, to create the detail I wanted in the painting without having the reference material to confirm my thoughts.

The painting is done, Diane is thrilled and my heart is full. Stevie is now 12 1/5 and I know this painting will forever show the bond that started immediately between the two.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: This Painting is more than I could have ever asked for Dawn. You captured EXACTLY what I was seeking and I will Cherish this FOREVER. You found the PERFECT Picture to work from and my Heart is so full after looking at the finished Painting. I can't thank you enough My Friend and though this is the 3rd Painting that you've done for me, it is by far,"The Best"! I'll never know how you capture such details in your Paintings, but you have a God Given Talent that will ALWAYS Amazr me. Thank you so much My Friend and I will Cherish this FOREVER. Diane; May 25, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Anonymous said...: I couldn't be any happier than I am about the way that this Painting turned out. It is more than I could have ever asked for and my heart is so full as my eyes are tearing. Dawn, you managed to capture EXACTLY what I was Seeking and I will Cherish this Painting FOREVER. You picked the PERFECT Picture to paint from and the details you put in to this work of Art are Absolutely Amazing. This is the 3rd Painting that you've done for me and I'll still never know how you are able to pick up every single detail. God gave you a Talent that I've never seen before and I will always be greatful for you and your expertise. Thank you so much My Friend. I LOVE this Painting. Diane Ruttenberg; May 25, 2025 at 7:15 AM

Pastel Painting in Progress - French Bulldog

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Oil Painting in Process

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