30 Sighthounds in 30 Days - Day 4

Day 4 - Azawakh

6 x 6 inch, oil on panel

© 2014 Kathleen Coy

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This gorgeous girl is Eddiyet. One of my favorite things about this project so far has been learning about sighthound breeds that were new to me. This is the Azawakh, a sighthound from Africa. I find them fascinating, so you can be sure the Azawakh will make at least one more appearance before the 30 days is up. 

30 Sighthounds in 30 Days - Day 3

Day 3 - Greyhound

6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2014 Kathleen Coy

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The beautiful, smiling girl in today's painting is Ava, and is a great example of why I'm pretty picky about what photos I will work from when painting pets. This reference photo had it all: taken outdoors in natural light, no flash to wash out the shadows or mess with the eyes, the photo clear and in focus, and of course the fabulous pose. I'm extremely happy with this painting, counting it among my person favorites.

30 Sighthounds in 30 Days - Day 2

Day 2 - Greyhound

5 x 7 inch oil on panel

© 2014 Kathleen Coy

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This beautiful brindle boy is Pyppee 3 Stockings. I added the flowers on his blanket to represent his mama, because I can tell how much she loves him. 

30 Sighthounds in 30 Days - Day 1

Day 1, Scottish Deerhound Puppy

5 x 7 inch oil on panel

© 2014 Kathleen Coy
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What better way to kick off the New Year than with a baby! This is Fling, a Scottish Deerhound puppy. If you're unfamiliar with the breed, I suggest you look them up, because they are big, gorgeous, noble and ancient. If you've been to a Renaissance Faire, you've probably seen them. I'm told by Fling's owner that she is growing like a weed and gaining 10 lbs a month!

I'm joining Leslie Saeta's artist challenge during the month of January where we paint 30 paintings of the subject of our choice. I decided on 30 days of Sighthound paintings and asked for submissions from sighthound owners on facebook. The results were overwhelming - both in the number of submissions and the quality of photos. Stay tuned, this is going to be fun!

6" Squared Show at Randy Higbee Gallery

So honored to not only have these five pieces accepted, but to also have received a Gallery Award in the Randy Higbee Gallery incredible 6"Squared Show. The show is on view until December 20th, 2013 in Costa Mesa, CA. http://randyhigbeegallery.com/Randy_Higbee_Gallery/6_Inch_Squared.html

Chicken Scratch, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel
© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Crosswalk, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel
© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Lion Cub, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel
© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Yellow Jacket, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel
© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Marshland, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel
© 2012 Kathleen Coy

This Way, and a sketch

This Way, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

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"This way." "No, THIS way.""But this way looks more interesting. I smell something good over here, too..." Just another scene from the farmer's market. I love the triangle shape the girl and dog make, as well as the tension created from leaning in two different directions. 

And here we have a quick 10 minute sketch of my new greyhound napping. 

My new Greyhound

Sephiroth, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

We adopted a retired greyhound last weekend. I'd like to introduce you to Sephiroth, a three and a half year old, 75 lb amber-eyed boy who looks like some sort of mythical tiger/antelope/dog creature. Despite his exotic good looks, he's just a big goofball of a dog, and we adore him already.  Most importantly, unlike the fictional Sephiroth and Cloud, my Sephiroth and Cloud are getting along fine.

This painting is I'm sure the first of many. Brindle coats are a challenge to paint, so I'll be getting lots of practice. Here's a picture of Seph in the yard. Love this yellow-eyed boy.

Bison Study

Bison Study, 5 x 7 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

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One of the many bison we saw at Custer State Park. 

Chicken Scratch

Chicken Scratch, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

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No, I'm not talking about my handwriting, although chicken scratch is a pretty accurate description. I found this free range hen during a visit to a local dairy goat farm. I like the boldness of the knife work in the background against the realistic hen.

Marley and Gracie

Marley, 4 x 4 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

I took a week long workshop with Karin Jurick last year, and one of the days she had us painting mugshots on small 4 x 4 inch panels. I enjoyed painting faces that size so much that I've done a few pets, (you can find them here and here.) Marley and Gracie are the latest, both commissions.

Gracie, 4 x 4 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Turkey Skull Study, and a trip to South Dakota

Turkey Skull Study, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel.

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

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Painted from life. I find skulls to be beautiful - a reminder that we are more than what we see as our physical bodies, and that our time in these bodies is limited. They are a great study tool as well, if you have an interest in anatomy. 

We took our first trip to South Dakota last month, visiting the Badlands and staying in Custer State Park. I fell in love with the landscape, and all the critters. Took lots of photos of bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and elk. Can't wait to paint them! Here are a few photos from the trip:

Plein air festival

Widener Building, 9 x 12 inch oil on linen

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Queen Anne's Lace and Summer Sky

8 x 8 inch oil on linen

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

I painted these two pieces on location last month during Corning, Iowa's plein air festival. It was a "bluebird day" - 75 degrees and sunny with gorgeous clouds... couldn't have asked for better weather during a July weekend. The Widener Building, with it's patina'd copper turret, is one of Corning's landmarks. The field of Queen Ann'e Lace was painted outside of town along a gravel road in the countryside.

Honey

Honey, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

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This is the first Yorkie I've painted. Being used to short-haired dogs, I had a lot of fun painting her long hair and adding areas of texture to her fur with thick paint. 

Black Lab Commission

River, 12 x 16 inch, oil on linen

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

This was a really fun commissioned painting of a female black lab named River, from the client's reference photo taken in Colorado. I loved the colors of the landscape, and wanted to use them in the painting because they set off the dog so nicely. Here are some work-in-progress shots:

New Commission - Buster, an Australian Kelpie

Buster, 16 x 16 inch oil on linen.

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

Fresh off the easel is a commissioned painting of an Australian Kelpie named Buster. Would you look at that face! I fell in love with this pose, and those gorgeous eyes that stare right into your soul. It felt great to be painting large after a year of small paintings. (By the way, the year long project is over, so I'll be updating this blog much more frequently now.) I've included some photos of the process below. 

First I did a small value study, then I sketched Buster with vine charcoal on the 16 x 16" oil-primed linen panel. I like vine or willow charcoal because it erases off the canvas with the touch of your finger, so you can fiddle with the drawing until it's right. 

After I'm satisfied with the charcoal drawing, I go over it with a sanguine Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen (a little trick I learned from Terry Moore Strickland's blog), otherwise it will dissolve when I start laying in the first washes of thin paint:

Now to start on those eyes...

More progress:

And once again, the finished painting:

Next up is a portrait of Buster's black lab sister, River. Stay tuned...