A Painting of Samantha

 I was at a dog show recently talking to a friend about my art.   It is fun to look back at where my journey with dog art began.   Back in the 90's, my work was hanging in a wild life gallery in Laguna, California.  My husband and I had lost our first Irish Setter and had found a new pup from a breeder.  We'd set out to get a pet quality female and ended up with a show quality male.   That was before the internet and it was difficult for people not in the show world to find pups.

We decided to try showing and my world to new friends opened up.   I painted a friend's dog as a gift for her helping me with my pup and his training.   Thus began my entrance into painting dogs.

Here it is, almost 30 years later and one of my greatest joys is painting people's animals for them.   When I was commissioned to paint Samantha, my heart was heavy.   I knew that Samantha had passed and she was very special to her human family.  When emotions are involved, my work is more of a mission than a journey.   My goal was for the painting to give the family a piece of their Samantha to hang in their home and warm their hearts.

I asked Samantha's owner, Katie, to share a few words about Samantha.   Here is what she shared:

    Samantha was the love of my life.   My best friend.  It was a privilege and great honor to have her at my side for 12 years.  Sam was up for the challenge with any venue and gave it her all.  Such a gentle, and loving soul.  Until we meet at the bridge.   Dawn thank you for creating such a beautiful portrait of my Samantha.

Katie's kind words make every moment I spent painting Samantha timeless.  Thank you for the honor Katie.

An Irish Setter and her handler

 Every time a painting is completed, I say, "I loved painting this."   And... yes, I LOVED painting this.

The painting features a dog that I knew many years ago with her handler and her handler's daughter.

Funny thing - reminiscing, this very same handler helped me in a pinch in 2000 with a young Irish I was showing named Jewel.   She was a junior handler at the time.  She was such a sweet young lady and so professional considering her tender age.   Jumping ahead many years later, I remember sitting across a restaurant table with her discussing the name of her unborn child.

The dog in the painting was named Lucy.   Lucy was the same age as my girl, Monet.  We showed against each other more times than I can count and always enjoyed our time together.

When the commission came in to create this painting I was beyond excited.  The primary reference photo showed Lucy giving kisses and reaching up with her paw to the then toddler.   A different photo of Lucy was used in the painting - a better head shot of her.   I decided to make Lucy closer to the people in the painting than she was in the reference photo.   I also have the toddler reaching up and petting Lucy instead of her little hands in her lap.

It is so important to me not to copy a photo.  I absolutely need reference photos to guide me to capturing the subjects correctly.   All the while, I can not be held captive to copying a photo.  I look for ways to make each painting stronger than the reference photos.   It can be a balancing act deciding how much to deviate from the reference material.  Of course, there are times when the reference material is perfect - exactly what needs to be painted.

This painting was creating using soft pastels and measures 11 x 14.  It was an honor to paint all the subjects.  The painting was a commission - a gift from one friend to another.   I truly hope those involved in this project enjoy the final product as much as I enjoyed painting it.

Painting of Trevor, an Irish Setter

 Trevor was a special dog.   I was thrilled when I was asked to paint him.  Many years ago, I spent time with his canine mother (then young) and was captivated by her eyes.   Years later, I was commissioned to paint her using some photos taken of her when I first saw her.   With that backstory, it is exciting that Trevor's painting is finished.

Several photos were discussed for the painting.  Ultimately, the photo with his beautiful face won the heart of his owner to be used as the primary reference photo.   

Each painting request received as a commission is an honor.  There is an incredible feeling of purpose when painting another person's pets.   Thank you Barb for having me paint Trevor.

I asked Barb to share some of information about Trevor and here are her thoughts reflecting on his life with her:

6/7/2020

Today I said good bye to my beloved Trevor. Morrigan Party LIghts CDX, RE, AXJP, OAP, OF. He was born 4-22-07 to my heart dog Jenna and Pam Gale's Bagger. He was the 4th born from the Party litter. I named him Trevor because it means wise in Irish! He was the dog who challenged me to learn to be a better trainer, better dog owner and better person He had a love of life that was unparalleled and taught me so much about enjoying the moment, He has been my demo dog in obedience for years to show students what an awesome obedient dog you can have in a large dog. Trevor's greatest love was agility. He did not need treats or toys. He just loved the sport. Whether he missed a jump or weave entry he just loved to run. I had posted that Trevor has been sick off on on since March. My goal was to give him what ever quality of life I could give him. He still wanted to go for walks and play with his Frisbee even up until yesterday.. Today he told me he was ready to go to the rainbow bridge and be with his mom. He was such a special boy. My heart is broken

A painting of Stevie - PBGV - Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

Here is a painting of Stevie.  She is a PBGV - Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. 

Here is a little background Stevie's owner shared with me...I got “Stevie” from a breeder  (“Lilly - her previous name” at the time, was 18 Months Old).  I lost my last Heart Dog on December 28^th, 2013 and swore NO more Dogs!!!  (no more heartbreak)  Well, less than 2 Months Later, (Feb. 26^th 2014) Stevie became my Forever Dog and the rest is History.  It was Love at First Sight and DEFINITELY a sign from Rainbow Bridge that was telling me, my previous PBGV didn’t want Mom to be lonely.  Stevie and I walk for about 5 miles every day and anyone and everyone that sees her, stops to ask me what kind of Dog she is.  She captures the hearts of everyone and LOVES both people and other dogs.  Her outgoing personality and her zest for life, keep me going and I can’t wait to open my eyes every morning to see her face.  She makes me smile, laugh and kisses my tears away when I’m sad.  She LOVES to chase squirrels, rabbits and anything else that’s small, furry and moves.  She has such an AMAZING temperament and the tail wags CONSTANTLY!  Her eyes sparkle and she has brought so much Sunshine and Love in to my Life and I’m Blessed to be lucky enough to be her “Forever Mom”.  One other thing is that she realizes how poor my Vision is and actually leads me through trails, paths etc. to find our way home.  I LOVE, LOVE LOVE what you’ve created!

Here are the reference photos used to create Stevie's painting.   Thank yo to Diane for having me paint your beautiful girl!

A painting of Calypso

This is a painting Calypso created in pastel.

I'd photographed her twice for the painting and her owner kept going back to a photo taken of her as a young dog.  There are times when we have to follow our hearts.

A little fun backgriund information is that Calypso had a litter of pups two years ago.   Her daughter closely resembles this reference photo.  Her pup, Lyric, is a mini me (ha ha).  The pup was sired by my dog, Drew.   It is always amazing how things happen.  Back when it was first discussed for me to paint Calypso, it would have never have been on my radar that her owner would one day use my dog in her breeding program.  Some things are just meant to be.

I hope you enjoy the painting.  As always, it is such a gift when someone wants me to paint their dog.

A painting of Rogan

Rogan is such a cool dog.  He shows us what can be done with an Irish Setter.   He has beauty, brains and a loving gentle personality.

It always is so sad when people see me with one  of my dogs and say (something like this) - "Oh, I used to have one of those when I was a kid.  They are such stupid dogs."   It is always awkward - do I respond negatively as their statement is insulting, or do I try to be kind.   The kindness wins out everytime.  But, there is a little voice screaming inside me trying to get out. 

Irish Setters are very smart dogs.  Do they have a lot of energy?  Well, yes, they are sporting dogs - bred to work the field all day.   They have to  have the drive and build to do so.   As they get older, they quiet down.  Just like we do.   I remember as a child jumping on the bed with gusto and glee.  It was awesome, it was exhilarating.   Would I do that now?  No way - I'd  probably fall off  and break my leg or something.   Ha Ha.  Point is, Irish Setters are very smart dogs and can accomplish whatever we ask of them.   It comes down to the same thing for all dogs, the more time we spend with them, the more they are trained and socialized.   Our dogs, regardless of the breed, can do so much - it is up to us.

I asked Jeanne, Rogan's owner, to share a little bit about him and this is what she shared:

      GCh Ch Roclyn Rockafella, CD BN RE CGCA (Rogan) is a sweet, loving boy who excels in both the show ring and in performance events.

Thank you Jeanne for having me paint your boy.   It was my pleasure.   Below are the reference photos I took of him for the painting (plus one taken by another party).  It was a hard choice to decide which photo would be the primary reference photo.   When we are having a challenge  picking the photo for the painting, I like to put the top choices side by side.  It helps the elimination process.

Thru an artist's eyes...August 2, 2018

Our senior dog, Monet, is rapidly approaching her 12th birthday.   She hasn't changed a bit.  Yes, her face is white and her gait not quite as spry....but her eyes...they are still the same as they were 12 years ago.   She has this zest for life that shines through her eyes. 

There is something magical about the eyes - notice with Monet's eyes how the wetness reflects the objects in front of her like a mirror.   Look closely.   We can see the reflection of the blue sky, of me kneeling in front of her with my cell phone to take the photos - even the driveway and surrounding foliage. The white hair of her face envelopes her darker eye which is the focal point of this photograph.   Isn't it fun to take the time to look a little more deeply into the photo and see these small finer points.   There is so much beauty in this photo.  The beauty of the dog, the beauty of the flowering Crepe Myrtle tree and the hints of the blue sky peeking through.

 Next time you look at an image, take a moment to look a little more deeply and find something you didn't expect to find.  There may be visual surprises in the subjects you didn't think would be fascinating or beautiful..

Carly and Colleen - Painting of Two Irish Setters

The two subjects in this painting are named Carly and Colleen.   They are as sweet as they can be!   Though I understand they are also very "Irish" and can be mischievous.  When I was with them, they were adorable and very good about having their photos taken!

We'd taken photos of them last year on the East Coast.  It is so much fun to photograph dogs and then see their personalities show through in the photos.  Their reference photos are shown at the bottom of this post.

When it was time to do the painting we settled on two lovely photos as the primary reference material.  For Carly, our favorite reference photo had her mouth open just a tad.  So, in her image in the painting, I closed her mouth.   For Colleen, she was squinting a bit, so I opened her eyes a tad more than in the reference photos.

The beauty of  painting is the freedom in  using reference material.  I am not locked into using everything in the photo.   I can omit, add, enhance, downplay, and or create whatever is needed to make the painting something special and unique.    Of course, the better the reference material, the more I can put into the painting.   Photographing animals is not easy.  My hat is off to professional photographers - wow - their job is one I greatly respect.

Thank you to Anne for having me paint your gorgeous girls.  

A painting of Katie as a pup

Several years ago I'd painted Katie as an adult.  She was a lovely girl and I was thrilled to paint her and her "brother."   Time has a way of passing without us realizing years have flown by. 

Katie's owner contacted me and informed me of Katie's passing.   She had decided to do a smaller painting of Katie as a pup.   Many of us don't have great photos from years before the "cell phone camera."   Cindy was going to have to look for Katie puppy photos and get back to me.   Photos were found, copied to a disk and mailed to me.  It was so special to see Katie as a pup in those photos.   All the while difficult.  We've all been there - the new pup - the life of memories and then the loss of our senior dogs.   Katie's lifetime was there in front of me.
 

It was time to paint the baby Katie and the painting just flowed.    I'd asked Cindy to share a little bit about Katie and she gave me her okay to share the story.  Here it is....

     In 2005, I attended a dog show with a friend and, of course, I had to see the Irish Setters. I have had Irish since 1973 but had been without one for 10 years as the heartache after my Kelly passed was just too much. I got to meet some beautiful, friendly dogs at that show. A few days later, I watched Westminster. The Irish in the group was none other than the incomparable Fonzie (BIS BISS Ch Saxony’s Snow in August) shown to perfection by Shelly. I was stunned by his beauty and determined that I wanted a Fonzie puppy to show even though I hadn’t shown a dog since grade school( my gram bred pugs). Shelly referred me to a breeder in Florida (Ellie Pusatari) who had bred to him. Thus, my Katie came into my life - my first Irish show dog and my first champion- and changed it forever. Thru her, I have met so many new friends and had so many new experiences. Katie, aka Ch Darnella’s Creme de Menthe CGC, was a diva and a princess. Incredibly smart and a quick study, she did nothing unless there was payment. She was part mountain goat and could be depended on to climb- counters, tables, bird baths, dog walks, and a-frames. She loved to watch TV and shred toilet paper rolls. Dawn had previously painted Katie with her half brother Rowan a few years ago. Katie passed last April at almost 12. I decided I wanted Dawn to do a puppy painting of my girl. I also wanted her to include Katie’s favorite toy - a mouse stuffy. I bought it before I got her and it was her first toy of her own. She never ripped it and always carried and cuddled it. It was her “baby”. She always brought it to me when I came home from work and it remains a remembrance. Miss you my Kater-Potater, my Fonzie baby.

Thank you Cindy for having me paint your special girl.  It is one of the greatest compliments, to an artist, when an art collector returns for additional paintings.   Here are some reference photos to enjoy.  Baby Katie and her favorite toy.

Kristopher - original painting

I have had the pleasure of seeing Kristopher in the ring and out of the ring for a number of years now.   He is a lovely dog with a kind heart.

When his owner approached me to ask me to paint him, I was thrilled.  I love painting.   It is always an honor to paint for someone. 

So, we took some photos and then came the tough job of picking which photos best reflected the true Kristopher.  Below are the reference photos.   The head study photo I took.  The movement shot was done by the official show photographer (who was quite kind and permitted me to use her photo for this painting.)   Thank you to Dale for trusting me with her boy.

Here is what Kristopher's owner told me about him:

Kristopher is a once in a lifetime dog.. He has accomplished so much more than I had ever

hoped for. The thrill of winning the breed at Westminster was overwhelming.  He has continued his winning ways by taking back to back specialties in Seattle this past weekend and on to a group 2 at the all breed show on Sunday.  He now has 12 Specialty wins and has won it 5 times in Seattle.  

He also has 3 champion offspring and 6 more are pointed.  His youngest boy took a 5 point major in Seattle at 15 months at only his 3rd show. He is aging well and looks so distinquished with his graying muzzle.  I am so very proud of this dog.. I co-bred this litter with Ginny Swanson and it is a miracle that he is even here. When the litter was 7 weeks old they contracted parvo.  Kristopher was one of the sickest, the vet did not expect him to make it but he had a tremendous will to live and look at him now. In fact the whole litter survived to the amazement of the vet.  He is a Silver Grand Champion and close to getting his gold.  That will be a nice end to his career.

Pilgrim and Yosemite

This is a painting of a dog that I've know his entire life.    He lived a full life, but not matter how long our pets live, it just is never long enough.

Before he passed, his owner had planned this painting.  I had a file of photos of him.   I never expected I'd be painting him when I did.   I've asked his owner to share about the Pilgrim, Yosemite and the painting.   Here are her words...

About 30 years ago, I made my first trip to Yosemite National Park.  I was so taken by the beauties of nature, that I thought I was in Heaven.  The rock formations, the waterfalls, the wildlife and the vegetation, all made a beauty that made me want to spend my life in eternity in Yosemite.
Pilgrim came into my life just over 10 years ago.  He was my BEST friend for nearly 10 years.  He was beautiful, but more than that, he was the true meaning of love.  He made me laugh and smile on a daily basis.  He laid by my side day and night.  He greeted me with smiles when I went away and had to leave him home.  He cried a sound that said "I'm so glad you're home!"  When he gave me kisses, I told him "I love you" and he emitted a sound that said "I love you, too!"  Only someone that loves a dog as I did Pilgrim would believe and understand that.

When Pilgrim was about 9 years old, I began to think about a portrait I wanted painted of Pilgrim at Rainbow Bridge.  I searched for a bridge where I might be able to take a photo of him.  I could not find anything appropriate. I always knew that when I lost him, I would have him cremated and have his ashes taken with mine to Yosemite.  He died without warning.  I told my artist friend, Dawn Secord, that I'd like to have the portrait at the Bridge include Yosemite.  I sent her many photos of Pilgrim and the awesome pictures I had taken at the park. She chose a photo I had taken at Tunnel View, where the view is breath taking.  El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridal Veil Falls and the Valley fill the scene with so much more. She painted it with such precision and added the block walkway for Pilgrim to cross over into Heaven with a rainbow and sun filtering through the clouds.  It is TRULY an AWESOME portrait.  Tears fill my eyes when I look at it.  It depicts the feeling I have for the place that will welcome me and those I love.  No words can describe the beauty I see and feel when I look at this painting.

Thank you, SO MUCH, Dawn Secord, for capturing my feelings for a place and a friend that I love most!

Finn - Painting of an Irish Setter

Here is a painting I've been working on since mid December.   I try to work on several  paintings simultaneously, going from painting to painting, to keep my eyes fresh.  It is a great way to proof what I am doing with each painting.   While working on this painting, I had three paintings in process; a Boxer, this Irish and a Springer Spaniel (that is very close to being completed).



A lovely lady named Christin had left a message on my phone about her dog, Finn, and wanted me to paint him.  It is so heartwarming to be contacted by someone who wants me to paint their dog.   I don't think it will ever be less exciting than it was for my first commission.



The initial discussion for this painting was great, the potential collector was excited, and I awaited the opportunity to meet her dog in Georgia.   We exchanged cell phone numbers and made plans to meet months later.   Zipping ahead to Georgia - I met Finn - he was GORGEOUS.   His photos were taken and we were all set for me to go through the photos when I returned to California.

Since Finn is also a hunting dog, Christin wanted to send me some hunting photos to be considered while going through all his reference photos.   She sent me the photos, and I have to say, they were really fabulous photos.   We went through the process of considering what touched her heart about the photos while I looked at each photo as an artist and compositionally.   In the end, we both loved this hunting photo and knew we'd found the perfect photo for his painting.

Upon asking, here is what Christin shared with me about Finn:

Finn is a sweet fun loving Irish setter.  While his human mommy took him home to be a loved member of the family with no intent of showing him, this gorgeous boy found his way into the show ring.  Showing only occasionally, he was still able to obtain his grand championship and finish out last year in the top 25.  But this sweet boy is not all show, his real love is being out in the field.   He's an avid hunter, even fancying himself a hound when his favorite quarry, birds, are not available seeking out rabbits, squirrels and even deer to chase.  Above all he loves spending time with his human pack joining in whatever activity they are involved in.

Thank you to Finn's family for having me paint him.  He is a really an awesome dog and painting him was my pleasure.

Finn in the Field

Primary Reference Photo

Three Generations of Irish Setters - Pastel Painting

When I was approached to paint three generations of Irish Setters, I was thrilled.

I was able to meet all the dogs in person and take photos of them.  The center image was to be painted larger than the others is she the foundation dam.   Her owner wanted her image to be larger and stand out from her puppies and grand puppies.

The two upper images are her get - female on the right, male on the left.   From the female, a litter was whelped which produced the two lower images - two young males. 

Knowing the dam and the sire of the two young males, it is amazing how much resemblence I can see to various dogs in their pedigree.   The pup on the left most certainly reminds me of his uncle - upper right.  The pup on the right most certainly reminds me of his sire.  The pups are three now and I've seen pictures of the pup on the right.  As an adult he is a beautiful blend of his sire and dam.

It is so interesting to watch dogs grow and, like people, see how they develop and who they resemble.

Thank you so much to their owner for having me paint their portraits.   It was truly an honor to paint your family.

If you are interested in commissioning me to paint your dog, my email is dawnsecordart@gmail.com or go to my website for more information  http://www.dawnsecord.com http://www.dawnsecord.com

Getting the Point - a new limited edition print

This is my newest print release.  Sometimes the most difficult thing for me to do is to come up with a name for the painting.   So, thank you to Karolynne for the suggestion of the name, Getting the Point!

Getting the Point started out as an idea to change up my style a little bit.  Almost like wanting a new hair style.  The change folks that are familiar with my work will notice is that the back ground is different.   The colors are more muted and a little less detailed.  My goal was for the painting to be all about the dog and less about what was going on around the dog.

I started with a sanded board and did a light layer of pastel that was then brushed with turpenoid to create an under painting that was more like a watercolor painting.   Once that layer dried, I began layering subtle dry layers of pastel.  Those layers were "smudged" with my fingers and actual paint brushes to feather out any significant detail.

For the dog in the painting, the color was strong and detailed as usual.  The photo of this dog was taken while she was out in the field working.  I saw the reference photo and knew immediately that I had to paint her.  To date, all of my Irish Setter hunt scenes have featured a male dog.  So, it was thrilling to have a female to add to the collection.  I love seeing the dogs doing what comes naturally.  The pheasant in the painting was photographed by me, out in the field, a few years earlier.   In an ideal scenario the pheasant would have been further away from the dog.  However, to keep the gaze of the dog correct and keep the subjects as up close and personal as possible, the pheasant needed to be placed closer to the dog.

The original painting sold at a show.  It happened so quickly.   I hadn't had time before the show to take the painting in to be professionally photographed for reproductions.   Fortunately, the reproduction folks were able to work with some images I'd taken of the painting, so we were able to put the painting into print.

Hope you like this new painting and would love to hear your feedback on the back ground!  The prints are now available on my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com  specifically http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html  or call me toll free at 866-393-7111.

Have a great day!

Tucker - An Irish Setter - Pastel Paintings

Just finished a double commission of an Irish Setter named Tucker.

The owner had me photograph her dog, Tucker, for a painting for her.  She had a brainstorm and decided to have me paint a mini painting of the same reference photo for Tucker's breeder as a gift.   It was very sunny out on the day we took photos and, as a result, the photos were not the correct color of Tucker.  So, to make his paintings accurate, the color of the paintings needed to be much darker than the reference photos.

We were all at the same dog show and the breeder had been chatting with me not knowing a gift was forthcoming.   It was killing me not to tell her I had a painting for her - but it was not my gift to give!   Later, after Tucker's owner had picked up both paintings from me, I saw the breeder headed my way with a smile on her face.   What a fun day for all three of us!

Thank you to Bonnie for allowing me to be part of your "family" and for choosing me to paint your boy....twice!!

Coonie - Australian Cattle Dog

Coonie was a very special girl.   Her owner, Tracy, was explaining their relationship to me and how close they were.  During the conversation I said to her, "Coonie sounds like she was your velcro dog."  We are very fortunate when we have that special relationship with a dog - where they are so close to you it is almost like you are one.   Jewel was my velcro dog. 

Tracy and I understood each other.   The loss of a velcro dog is heart wrenching.   No words are needed, you just understand.

There were only two reference photos for Coonie's portrait.  One was measurably more clear in detail than the other.   The better of the two photos had a view which was looking almost straight down on Coonie.  This was an angle I'd not painted.   The reference photo was over exposed so the colors on Coonie were a bit washed out.  The second photo was the one I used to capture the correct coloring of Coonie.

Tracy and her husband are "horse people" and we decided we would add some equine related objects to Coonie's portrait.   They took a number of photos of items in their horse arena.   It took me days to decide which item or items would be used in the painting.

The boots are placed strategically so the viewer understands we are looking down on the dog.   Their height and shading add a feeling of dimension.  The headstall is flat with the brow band raised so again, you understand the view point is down.  The detail in the headstall was minimized so that item does not steal the focal point which belongs to Coonie.  The reins were placed under Coonie's front paws to assist in achieving the view of looking down on the subjects.

If you look closely into Coonie's eyes you can see Tracy taking the photo of her.   That is generally the most important part of my paintings - the eyes (unless the painting features a sleeping animal etc).   A great deal of time was spent on Coonie's eyes.   If the eyes are not right, the painting won't be right.

It is always so special to paint a persons animals.  Thank you to Tracy for the choosing me to paint her special velcro girl.

Hunting Dogs

The dogs featured here are Rowdy, Speck and Hero.   I had met their owners at a hunt test.   They saw me taking photos of dogs and came over to see what I was doing.   Ultimately, they commissioned me to paint the two dogs with them.   One of the dogs in the painting, Rowdy, had passed some time ago.   I photographed Speck and Hero for the painting.   Rowdy was an American Brittany.  Speck and Hero are French Brittanies.   Looking at the painting, you can see the differences in head shape and muzzle length.   I love watching dogs in the field working and doing the job they were bred to do.