The Necessity of Having a Dog Portrait
by: Martin Hickman

Generations and generations have seen English drawing rooms securing spots for portraits of favored pet dogs. But this time, we get to see the paintings of the pedigreed pets hung usually in New York living room walls while their real life counterparts are sighted strolling through the paths of Central Park and other places. The English style interiors are increasingly becoming popular while people have always loved their pet dogs or simply man's best friend and this has paved way to the rise of demand for dog paintings, no matter what kind of dogs are pictured, from beribboned ones or ones with leather, to ones at a restful state or seriously at play.

The dog of an Englishman will always be close to his master and will mostly have a place in many a family portrait. Those he described as hunting, racing, shooting and doggy pictures have sold increasingly well since the auction house started to sell sporting paintings in 1961. A Newfoundland which was a white and black dog in a portrait was loved by this prolific painter and the price it was sold for, to a sporting artists was a record price.

In the midst of 19th century and a few 18th century portraits, you are led to a different place in time. The fond clients of such pieces of art are the ones who like to go beyond their social range and want to be associated with things like hunting or even shooting with jackets and hounds and horses and other wild affairs. In fact, believing that so many dog portrait lovers abound today, a certain interior designer and antiques dealer has opened a tiny shop in Manhattan recently. And in this shop, dog paintings along with a few ones of cows and horses were hung on the blue and white lined walls neatly.

There are two types of collectors. The first are the ones going for a breed like the one he has. The other type include people who are very knowledgeable and passionate about certain dog types and so they have to scrutinize the portrait and determine if canine's anatomy is depicted accurately there. At some times, people would like having dogs in portraits than those on leashes. You don't have to feed or walk them. When he was in London, an interior decorator who was also passionate about dogs got himself two portrait and while he thought that he was being silly back then, now he marvels at how this trading business has become very lucrative and highly in demand.

But today, this proud decorator reveals that in his Manhattan home, 75 of these portraits are showcased and some enhanced with taffeta bows as they hang. Eve with the emphasis made by art dealers and specialists on the painting's quality along with the name of the artist setting the price, there are those who still insist that like the ever changing fashions of canines, some portraits of dogs are simply more in demand than some other types. We see a lot of people searching for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, but then portraits of West Highland Terriers, Scotties and Cairns are also getting to be popular today. And you could sit forever with a painting of a German shepherd.

A dealer who sells dog portraits from his small one bedroom apartment in Manhattan shared that the heyday of dog paintings were from the years 1850 to 1920. At some point, he got bombarded with so many inquiries from people looking for pictures of Chinese shar peis, King Charles spaniels as well as adorable terrier dogs. During the previous year, he had gotten around 10 requests for doberman pinscher paintings. He shares that he has never held a great painting of a Doberman as this breed got developed only in the late 1880s, and being a recent breed, it was understandable why he can't find any good old portraits of them.

Periodically, this artist spearheads special auctions of sporting themed paintings. Many bidders managed to decorate according to a famous fashion designer's appearance and then there are the ones who hunt and race and are with country houses. A female advertising account executive at a major TV network, decided to buy a painting of a Spaniel after seeing a black and white photograph. A ruby red spaniel came into her home first as she waited for the portrait that will match her pet, due to arrive from England. The painting, after just 3 months, came to her and it was a dog that had coat colors of black and tan, a King Charles indeed but even if it was unmatched she kept both.

Author Resource:  To get a closer look on custom dog painting visit this site. If you're on the hunt for top paintings of dogs information, make sure to visit them.

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Drawing and Stress
by Sue Brindle

Talking about stress and ways to reduce stress is a popular topic today. Who among us isn’t anxious about something these days? It’s also pretty common to hear somebody say that they use their art to relax with. Creativity soothes the soul and all that. But what if you are one of those folks who have always wanted to draw but just locks up at the thought of a blank piece of paper?

Or is already booked to the limits with obligations, and finding the time to draw and create seems impossible? The first way to stare down your demons and start to enjoy your creations is to look honestly at your negative attitudes about drawing. Don’t feel bad, these attitudes have been passed around as “truth” for generations. Are you certain that your efforts aren’t good enough, or that you weren’t born with enough talent? That you couldn’t even “draw a straight line”?

Try this – click on this link to some artwork by Wassily Kandinski. He is a famous artist who is displayed in many of the top international art museums. Do you think he worried that somebody thought his artwork was scribbles? (If you would like to learn more about Kandinski and his influence on abstract art, here is a Wikipedia article about him) The point is, draw what you like, don’t worry about what the other guy likes, and you ARE creating art.

By the way, if your lack of confidence stems from some negative comments you received from a teacher long ago, don’t worry about that either. That experience is amazingly common. My personal art style is very realistic. (some might call it obsessive) You would not believe how many of my art teachers back in the 1960’s and 70’s told me that realistic art lacks creativity. Just move on…

Second, let go of judgment on the “hows” of drawing. There are a million paths to get you there. It’s OK to start by tracing or copying somebody else’s work. Many a master started that way. It’s OK to use photographs instead of real life models. It’s even OK to use crayons or ball point pens if that is what you are most comfortable with. Just start, and you will naturally branch out and try new subjects and tools as time goes by.

“Just start” you say! I know what you are thinking. How in the world can I ever find the time to start? Have you read those instructions like I have, that say you should get a sketchbook and commit to using it every day for an hour? Yeah sure. Commit to that hour and your sketchbook will stay in a drawer somewhere for years. I know, I’ve been there. Instead, tell yourself, I’ve got TEN minutes. I’ll doodle for ten minutes! That isn’t so scary and surprise - you will probably still be at it 30 minutes later and enjoying yourself too. If not, who cares, you’ll find 10 more minutes later, or tomorrow.

Finally, watch your mouth! No, honestly, what I mean is, watch out for the kind of language you are using to talk to yourself as you are sitting there making your best efforts to create. Be kind! Don’t use words that cause you to compare yourself to others, or cut yourself off in mid-draw.

Here are some words we all use that have an effect of stifling ourselves: Bad, ugly, dumb, good, acceptable, worse than, better than, superior, inadequate, right, wrong, mistake, hard, unable. As an example of alternate words, take the word, “mistake”. Since there really are no mistakes in drawing, you might instead just notice something you don’t like in your work and then decide if you want to draw something differently.

Drawing is one of the most gratifying activities you can take part in. Not only is the do-ing a pleasure in itself, but afterward, you have something new that never existed before. With a little thought and effort, you can find a method, place and time to draw that is comfortable for you.

I discovered that after a 15-year “artist’s block”, that working very small gave me the confidence to start. My first works were about 2 X3 inches! You too, can find that right combination and discover yourself at ease whether doing some enthusiastic scribbles or careful botanical renderings; it’s all just waiting for you!

Art Can Mimic Life
by Penny Evens

Art can mimic life, or it can mock it. It can also reinterpret it in whatever way the artist chooses to portray. My choice is to escape the reality and explore the emotions of people and life; i.e., "humaniques".

Humans that express emotion: sad, confused, joyful, mixed up, sexy....does not matter. I take it to the edge to get the message across. My humans are not ordinary. They are enlarged and enhanced to make even those who don't understand it......understand expression and emotion.

I feel art should not be photogenic-like, but from the heart and mind, how one feels and wants to show others how I think emotions feel.

Painting with Watercolors

by Janie Prete

Watercolor to me is magical, elusive, alive and always flowing. Never is it boring and never the same. I have welcomed the surprises which come by sheer accident and guidance, rather than control. Not long after I began to paint in watercolor - over 20 years ago - it became apparent that I could complete a painting and sometimes never know where it might be headed.

I allowed  paintings free rein at times as I took a backseat. Other times, I guided the medium as much as I could when I wanted more structure. It has been an ongoing and experimental journey for me to enjoy in my creative life and to introduce it to others, hoping they will continue in watercolor, is equally satisfying.

Many times, would-be artists painting in watercolor give up since they cannot discipline this medium and I can understand that they want more of a set standard by which to paint. It's a medium that requires learning the basics, continuing the journey and starting to dream.

Discover A Dream

by Cheryl McCardle

Like all children, my youngest years were spent absorbing information like a sponge. I took everything in, and personalized it in order to understand how the world worked. Yet, I didn’t know how to ask questions, express myself, or tell anyone how I was feeling.

The information just kept flowing in. Many times I was very frightened by things I heard. Nuclear attack…, criminals escaped, keep children inside…, riots in the city…, news that was too scary for my young mind to handle. I never asked “Why?” or “Is it safe yet?” or “Can you comfort me?” The data kept piling up, and I learned to be afraid of the world.

I think that’s why I learned how to dream. Fantasy was such a nice safe place to be. I had no need to talk to anyone. Everything was pretty and comforting there. Once I learned to read well, books took me to other places that were wonderful and exciting, yet always safe. As I escaped into fantasy, I let my mind go free and learned how to be creative. I was about six years old when I peered into something out of a dream, but found a real life experience.

At six, I vaguely knew what art was. I knew how to color with crayons, and draw with a pencil, but I had never seen a real artist or the tools. For some reason, my best friend Ann and I had to go over to see a neighbor, Mrs. Keir. When we went in, she invited us into a room that was filled with paint and color, her studio. I felt that I had walked into one of my dreams.

There was the unique smell of oil paint and a wooden palette heavily laden with rich, buttery lumps of paint all around it. A jar stuffed with brushes was placed on the table. Paintings with brilliant colors and wondrous images were stacked around the room.

The massive oak easel displayed a large canvas painted brightly with large red flowers. I felt the artist’s passion. I was enveloped in smells, textures and colors. The exciting and joyous colors are something I will never forget. I was only six years old, yet it struck a chord deep within me.

It’s interesting that I never told anyone else about an experience that became such a treasured memory for me. Was it because I didn’t know how to express it, or that I didn’t think anyone would care and understand?

I suppose it was a little bit of both. I have since learned much about self-expression. I love a stimulating conversation, writing, and of course, painting. If I knew where Mrs. Keir was today, I would want to tell her how important her invitation was to a timid little girl. She showed me a glimpse of an exciting world filled with color.

I had an opportunity to peek inside her studio, and see all the dreams that could someday be mine.

Conceptual Art - Circa 1969

by Cheryl McCardle

The main purpose of Conceptual art is to make a statement and provoke a reaction from the viewer. While some conceptual art can seem unpleasant to the viewer, for example Michael Rees piece "Monsters and Programs and Other Beautiful Fictions" - http://atc.berkeley.edu/bio/Michael_Rees/ - can be a bit disturbing if not odd, but it makes a statement about something meaningful to the artist.

Sometimes you need to disturb people to get them to notice things that are wrong with society; but there are some artists who utilize aesthetically pleasing methods to make their point.

The conceptual work of Christo along with his wife and artistic partner, Jeanne-Claude, seems whimsical with his large spans of materials used in the environment. His projects are large scale environmental installations and have included surrounding 11 islands in Florida's Biscayne Bay with floating hot-pink fabric (1983), wrapping the Pont Neuf in Paris (1985), concurrent installations of thousands of 20-ft (6-m) tall umbrellas—blue near Tokyo and yellow near Los Angeles (1991).

One of his most recent ventures was using the paths and natural contours of New York City 's Central Park to create (2005) The Gates, a meandering installation of 7,500 saffron-hued rectangular vinyl gates. Each was 16-ft (5-m) tall and hung, to about halfway down, with a pleated nylon panel colored to match, which blew with the wind and shifted color with the changing light.

The artists were definitely able to draw attention to the environment with these massive installations. Here is a link to their website. http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/

I find this work both beautiful and thought provoking.

Who are some of your favorite conceptual artists?

Why would YOU buy Original Art?

by Cheryl McCardle

What is the catalyst that inspires someone to buy a piece of original art? I suppose there are many factors that go into that decision, and also fears about how to purchase artwork. I think many people believe they don't know enough about art to make a wise choice. Here are a few statements I've heard as to why someone takes the plunge into the art market.

1. “It matches my sofa.”

2. “I love the colors.”

3. “It makes me feel happy, uplifted, sad, nostalgic…”

4. “My wife/husband likes it.”

5. “I think it may be a good financial investment.”

6. “I know the artist or want to be supportive of the arts.”

7. “I want people to think I have culture or sophistication.”

These are all valid reasons which touch on why individuals would consider buying art. An artist is always thrilled to have a client who finds something exceptional about their work.

Let's flip the coin and think about why some people would never think of buying original art or even going into a gallery. Can they make a big mistake when buying art? Here's what they might say:

1. “Galleries and art are for people with lots of money.”

2. “It won't match my sofa.”

3. “It cost too much, and I can get a cheap print at a ‘home store' for a lot less.”

4. “I don't understand it.”

5. “TOO Expensive!”

6. “I can't believe those artists have fun doing art, then charge a fortune for it.”

7. “I don't know enough about art to know what is good.”

Well, you get the picture. Art can be an expensive investment if you are collecting the works of someone more notable. However, if you look around, and especially check out the art in your own community, you might find something wonderful at a reasonable price. As far as galleries or art only being for the rich, it's simply not true. You can go into galleries just to enjoy looking at art. Gallery owners don't expect everyone who walks in the door to buy something.

Most galleries have receptions that are free and open to the public and no one should ever feel that they are not good enough or have to buy something if they attend. As far as understanding art, you don't need to be an expert to know what you like. You are the only one who needs to love it. If you like the art, and can afford a piece, then buy it. There are a lot of individuals who spend a large sums of money on items related to their favorite sport, hobby, clothes, etc., but would never consider spending money on art.

I was once helping to hang a show in a coffee house. The exhibiting artists tried to price everything low to make it affordable. I was arranging the work when I overheard a woman exclaim how much she liked a piece, but she thought $150 was way too much. Yet, from the way she looked, I would bet that this same person probably spent that much every month getting her hair and nails done. I suppose that some individuals perceive artists work as “play,” and don't consider making art a “real job.” People don't always take into consideration the cost of training, materials and the number of hours an artist spends to complete one work.

It's always a boost to the artist ego, when someone appreciates their art, and even better if they buy something. If you like art and have any interest in collecting, and would like to start on a small scale, visit local galleries, coffee houses, restaurants and other local businesses that display art. You don't have to limit yourself to paintings. There is some wonderful photography, pottery, and other forms of art that are priced to sell. You may be surprised at how reasonable original art can be.

The right piece of art will give special meaning to your personal space and long outlast posters, prints and mass produced items from home stores. No matter what the reason, spending time viewing art or making a special art purchase will always lift your spirits and be a treat for your eyes. So get out there and look at some art today!

Speaking of buying great art, DON'T FORGET! Come to the Eye of the Eagle's Premiere opening of the World's Largest Tiny Art Show. Meet the artists, veiw the art and purchase a 1 of a kind gift for family or friend. Nothing is over $50.

Event is free and open to the public.

Taking a Creative Journey of Self Discovery

by Cheryl McCardle

How do you begin to take the journey to find your own creative spirit? It would be great to say that someone could teach you the secrets of being a creative, talented artist, writer, performer, or more expressive individual. As you begin to seek your own creativity, you will become the teacher.

Each person finds their own personal journey to true expression. It is up to you to draw from your life experiences and infuse your personal statement into the media in which you work. The idea of explorations into your innermost feelings, symbols and passions should be an exciting prospect, but many people have fears about trying something new. This experience is not painful and students should just learn to enjoy the creative process.

The role of a teacher is to give you some technical information about the art media, along with suggestions and guidance for your creative expression. Additionally, an instructor can help motivate you to reach deep inside to find the passion of creativity just waiting to come forth.

So many times we focus on product and don't consider the importance of process. Learn to enjoy your process, which will possibly include a few mistakes, rewarding successes and wonderful surprises as you uncover what's in your heart.

The concept of us needing “talent” really gets in the way and inhibits us from finding honest self expression. Here's an interesting excerpt on Talent; Tradition, Myth and Reality, from the book Freeing the Creative Spirit by Adriana Diaz.

“I must confess to being a bit of an agnostic when it comes to a belief in talent. Talent is a product-oriented word. It has no connection to the depth of human experience inherent in the creative act. The term is so charged that whether people believe they have it or not, the label traps everyone in a cage of expectations. Those expectations (‘I can't do anything' or ‘I must do something') alienate people from the spontaneous joy of the process.”