Sunshine

My Place in the Sun
Pastel, 8.5 x 10

Nearly every cat I have ever known loves the sunshine. They will lie down any place that sunlight streams through a window, and when the patch of sun moves, they move with it. Cats are amazing creatures, I have never been sure they weren't transplanted here from another world. One minute they are rolling around on the floor, playing with a soft fuzzy toy, the next they are seriously stalking some invisible menace. They take a flying leap from the highest point in the room landing on their feet and walk away as if nothing extraordinary has just happened. Their mood can swing from cuddly and full of love to completely indifferent and superior in the flick of a tail.

I read once that the Lord created the cat so that people might know the pleasure of petting a lion. That may be true - I know that inside every soft little kitten is the heart of a lion.

I hope you find your place in the sunshine today, that you stay there as long as you need to for warmth, for light and for inspiration. Find joy in the simple things in life: the sun shining through a window, the purr of a kitty, the laughter of a child. And remember to be grateful...

"Sunshine" is a pastel on Wallis paper, mounted, matted and ready to frame. It will be offered on Art Helping Animals and Daily Painters later this week. If you would like more information in the meantime, email me. Email Della

Just a Little Snack to Get Me By

A cute, friendly little guy like the those who show up when my husband and I travel to the North Shore of Lake Superior to paint. They are extremely industrious, even in the middle of summer, always looking for seeds to stuff into their little pouches to take to their favorite hiding places. Sometimes they stop their activity and actually eat some of the treasures they have found. Button, our toy poodle, usually travels with us and loves playing with them - first he chases them, then they chase him. Nobody ever catches anybody, and when Button thinks he is too close, he backs up and lets them run away. When he tires of the game and tries to rest, they come out of the bushes and scold him. One summer a friend who had parked his boat and covered it with a tarp, later found it filled with pine cones. It had looked like an ideal storage place to the chipmunks. To me, no trip would be complete without them.

This is an acrylic on canvas panel, 5 x 7 and is available through Art Helping Animals.

Or email me for more information.

Email Della

Passion for Painting Award

Good news! I have been presented with the prestigious Passion for Painting Award, by the internationally admired and respected artist, Vernita Bridges Hoyt. It is indeed an honor. Vernita is a wonderful animal artist, and her still lifes, landscapes, and portraits are simply fantastic. You can see her work on her blog, Texas Sauce Art Life or on Art Helping Animals.

Thank you, Nita. This is the best thing that has happened to me all day, well, I can safely say all month. As a matter of fact it is probably the best thing that has happened to me all year.

I have been asked to list seven things that I love and then pass the award on to seven other people.

Seven things I love, (aside from painting)
1. My family
2. My critters, in no particular order: Button, toy poodle, Barney, tan and white Border Collie, Yellow Kitty, a yellow and white kitty, lots of zebra finch and five cockatiels.
3. Reading mysteries
4. Lilacs in the spring
5. Painting vacations along the shores of Lake Superior
6. Horses
7. Cafe mochas

I need to collect some names, and will present the award to them as they occur to me. Very soon. One thing I forgot to mention is "naps," which I need right now.

Renewal

Colt in the Meadow

I must apologize for not posting lately. It has been a difficult time for my family as my father passed away two weeks ago. In a way it was expected, because he was 98 years old and had a bad heart for several years, but he had been feeling good and living well almost until the time of his passing. After a heart attack about 7 years ago, he moved in with my husband and me. His eyesight was failing and his hearing had almost gone, so he could no longer live alone on the farm as he had for many years. But his mind was just as sharp as ever, and his enthusiasm for living had never diminished. It was a life well lived. But we are missing him.

The new colt seemed an appropriate subject to return to painting. My dad loved horses and colts. Actually this is an older painting that I reworked a bit. I was never quite happy with it, but it took a while to figure out what to change. Sometimes I just put away work for a while and it helps me get a better perspective. I love the way he stands, a little uncertain, maybe a little shy, but curious about the world around him. To me it is a reminder that life is continually being renewed and those of us left behind must continue to live out our time on earth, whether it is long or short.

This painting is available on Ebay

Or send me an email
Email Della

Equine Art White Arabian Horse Close Up

A Beautiful Spirit

Pastel, 8.5 x 10

Matted, mounted on Foam Core board

Ready to frame

$80. shipping included

20% will be donated to True Blue Animal Rescue

I love painting horses, they have such graceful forms, such expressive movements. This particular horse has a way of looking at you that is very direct and somewhat disconcerting. I decided to focus on the face, in order to express the soul and character of the animal. I always wonder what they are thinking.

I am a member of Art Helping Animals, a group of professional artists who sell their work online and donate a portion of the sales of our paintings to animal charities. Visit our blog by clicking on the link below, and you will find paintings and other art in a wide range of styles. subjects, and mediums. Cats, dogs, horses, chicken, pigs, wildlife, and just about any other animal you can imagine have benefited from our charities and graced our gallery.

The image size of this painting is 8.5 x 10, it is matted and mounted on foam core board. 20% of the sale will be donated to True Blue Animal Rescue. You get to see this first, before it is listed on Daily Painters, Zibbet, or Art Helping Animals. I am not sure what the title of the painting should be, so I am mulling it over for a while.

Please check out our Art Helping Animals group.
Art Helping Animals