". . . a brush with nature"

Just completed . . . this piece is the fourth in my series of works featuring animals from around the world created in scratchboard. I combined traditional scratchboard techniques with colored inks and acrylics. 

All pieces in this series are 10" x 10" and framed in like molding under museum glass. They would make a wonderful grouping or each can hang as a stand alone piece.

Joyful abandon and a sense of whimsy - that is what I saw and felt as I watched this young Native American girl. I also love that special connection she has with her dog as he watches her dance. These things brought to mind the lyrics of one of my favorite songs, "I Hope You Dance", by Lee Ann Womack.

"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder . . . May you never take one single breath for granted . . . Never settle for the path of least resistance . . .

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,

I hope you dance . . . I hope you dance."

May your week be filled with many opportunities to experience life and DANCE!

Although my paintings cannot be considered hyper realistic or photo realistic by any sense of the imagination, I do like to pay attention to the details in my work no matter what the subject matter or medium I am working in. When you look at a painting of mine your eyes are not tricked into thinking it is a photograph, but I do strive for realism when I paint . . . with a large amount of passion for the subject thrown into the mix. I think that is a good thing for an artist to do. To paint with their own “voice,” but allow for the small touches, or “details” if you will, to come through to make the work a stronger piece yet still their own. Those details are quite often what allow the work to reach out and resonate with the viewer. Very often they even create a trademark style for you as an artist that makes your work recognizable.

I want my work to touch the viewer . . . to speak to them . . . to be a piece that is memorable, thought provoking or story-telling. I believe the use of small details in my paintings can help me be successful in achieving these goals.

Details can touch the soul of your viewer. A good example of this is getting the eye color and “look” “just right” when you are working on a commission piece of a cherished pet for a client. That important detail alone can make the entire painting a success and pave the way for a portrait that will be treasured for years to come. Another important factor to me as a wildlife/animal artist is to make sure the details for the surrounding environment is correct. An example of this is shown here (“Frisbee Retriever”-detail) where I tried to take great care in addressing the subtle shifts of color in the water itself, as well as in the details of the reflections and dancing highlights on the water’s surface.

Often, details can be used to produce texture as in “Out of Serengeti” – detail, or to simulate the look of wet fur, etc. in a painting. Small surprising narratives such as those seen in the detail of “After the Rain” come together as a whole to add to the story of the piece. They can also flesh out the character of the subject you have chosen to paint.

Another way to utilize “details” in your work is to actually paint small vignettes, or detailed paintings, in one piece allowing them to come together to tell the whole story. I recently finished an acrylic painting that will be submitted to an upcoming juried competition that was completed in just this fashion. I had a vision, knew the “story” I wanted to tell, worked out the composition and set out to paint my details. Shown here is one small piece of the much larger work.

As you can see, in my work it really does come down to all the details.