01/11: NOVEMBER ALREADY ??!!

If you are looking in Di .... many thanks for hosting the Halloween Get Together last night. It was great fun and hope it doesn't take too long to gather up all the ghosties and ghoulies today .... mind you those in the garden will probably be miles away by now if its as windy there as it is in Whitstable!!!


Its frustrating not being able to post latest artwork yet for fear of spoiling birthday/christmas surprises. So, having just admired the latest work of a fellow artist (http://dorsart.blogspot.com/2009/10/cougar-finished.html) who has drawn a cougar 'emerging' from a frame I was reminded about a series of fun pictures I did a while back - I called them my 'out of frame' pics. Here are a couple of them done in Prismacolor coloured pencils .... and I should be able to post some current work tomorrow :o)

05/09: STARVING ARTISTS - EDITORS CHOICE

Found out yesterday that my portrait of Gizmo has been made STARVING ARTISTS Editor's Choice for September by Mike Sibley.

http://www.starving-artists.net/index.htm

06/08: Happy Clients

I was recently commissioned by a lovely lady to draw a family group portrait (Gran, Mum & Aunt) for her Mum's birthday, and also a cat portrait (Gizmo) for a friend's birthday - both in July. This is what she had to say today:

""I Just wanted to say thank you once again for the pictures, Mum was speechless for once, and her sister had come down to surprise her so she got to see it as well. It was a big hit all round!

'C' - well she just burst in to tears, 'P' was actually jealous because he hadn't thought of the idea and really didnt have any idea the picture was going to be that good!

Ive attached C's email for you to see and a picture".

Full names withheld for privacy
Here's an excerpt from her friend's email:


"Just want to say the biggest thank you to you both for the most amazing prezzie i have ever received. i still keep welling up every time i see the Gizmo picture! And when Gizmo saw the picture, sahe fluffed up her tail in defense, as if she had seen another cat.....but then she calmed down, so must have clocked that it was her or something!"

01/08: Society of Feline Artists (SOFA)

Well, after months of thinking about it, I finally got round to sending off my application to join the Society of Feline Artists. I've been inspired by the work of Gayle Mason and Katherine Tyrell who are active members of the society.

My membership card has arrived with an invitation to submit work for selection for SOFAs annual exhibition in London. Unfortunately, my recent feline portraits have all been commissioned for clients and I have nothing appropriate to submit. But I am now inspired to work on some cat pictures for next year's exhibition.

Here's a link to their website which you can follow to look at some of the fabulous feline pictures exhibited last year

http://www.felineartists.org/index.shtml

28/07: latest commissions

I've had a run of black & white and black animal commissions recently. My latest two, completed this week, have been Buster (Staffy) and Charlie (cat) and as I'm working on sanded paper the pastel pencils have been 'eaten' at a great rate of knots. I had to make a quick trip to the local art shop to stock up on Saturday.

Nothing is likely to change in the next couple of weeks as I've got a dalmation, a black lab and a black Schnauzer in the queue now. Actually I've been told the black lab is a chocolate Lab cross Rottie and have now received some clearer ref photos which show he has a brown tint to his coat. If anybody would like a ginger cat or a chestnut horse painted pleeeeeeease get in touch urgently :o)