Limited Edition Print of Nigel Buggers Painting

Nigel
© 2009 Kathleen Coy

Tomorrow (Dec 31) is the last day for A Place to Bark dog rescue to raise funds to meet their matching grant. Info here: http://www.aplacetobark.blogspot.com/
I'm donating 50% of each Nigel Buggers print sold to the cause. So with your order, you're making a 20 dollar donation to A Place to Bark (doubled with matching grant by the 31st) AND owning a gorgeous, museum quality print of my painting of the infamous Nigel for 20 dollars!!!

Here is a link to purchase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270499021177

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2010! I'm working on some paintings that I'm really excited about, and I can't wait to share another year of art with you.

Much love,

Warmest Wishes...

...to all this holiday season. Thank you for your support, comments, and friendship over the last year. I look forward to sharing an exciting new year of art and creativity with you.

Wishing you much love and many blessings now and in 2010,

Twix the Dachshund's portrait is finished

"Twix" 10 x 10" acrylic on canvas
© 2009 Kathleen Coy

Here is the finished portrait of Twix the little red Dachshund. The portrait is a surprise Christmas present for her daddy. I can't wait to hear about his reaction!

Here are a few photos of the progress -

The reference photo:

Sketch on the canvas:

Laying down the background colors:

Love that little red ear!

More work on her face:

And once again, the final portrait:

What a little sweetie! I'm really happy with how this turned out. The collar was especially fun to paint! I hope her daddy likes it!

Dachshund commission - Twix!!!

I'm really excited about my next dog commission - those of you who follow dog blogs may be familiar with Twix, the "tweenie red Dachshund" from A Wiener Dog Blog. I was delighted when her mom emailed me about painting her portrait as a Christmas present for her daddy.

I looked through a lot of her photos, and this one screamed "PAINT ME!"

The above photo shows her sketched out on the canvas and ready for paint. Here is the original photo:

It's going to be so much fun to paint that sweet head tilt, those ears and eyes, (and the hearts on her collar...) The canvas size is 10 x 10 inches.

Remember, it's a surprise Christmas present, so don't leave any comments about the painting over on Twix's blog in case her daddy reads it! :-)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

The Happiest Ending...

I am thrilled. My painting of Nigel Buggers that was auctioned for A Place to Bark last week was given to Nigel's Two-Legger, otherwise known as "The Author," by the winning bidder. Some of Nigel's biggest fans pooled their resources to help this wonderful cause, and then gave the painting to the people who would love it best in the whole world.

I am so touched at their thoughtfulness, and the money they raised. This was such a wonderful experience to be a part of. Dogs, and dog rescue, mirror our very best qualities. I would say that's why we love them so.

When I first contacted "Mr. Author" about painting the infamous Nigel for a charity auction, he was extremely helpful and as enthusiastic as I was. He is both an eloquent and hilarious asset to the dog world, (I know Nigel is laughing because I said "asset") and the story of this painting couldn't have had a happier ending...

You can read his post about the experience here.

Much love,

Joe's portrait is finished!

"Joe" (Rat Terrier)

8 x 10" acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard
© 2009 Kathleen Coy

Joe the Rat Terrier's portrait is finished. This sweet little dog passed away last month at the age of 17 years. It's always a little sad to paint a dog who's no longer with us, but it's very rewarding too, knowing that it provides a comfort to the family and a reminder that he will always be in their hearts.

I didn't take as many work-in-progress photos as I normally do, since I have a lot on my plate right now and it takes time to stop painting and photograph, crop, adjust color, etc. But here are a few photos. The first one is the photo that I worked from. As you can see, parts of it were quite dark, making it a bit of a challenge. Since there was no way to take new photos of Joe, I did my best with it.

Starting to lay down the color.

Blocking in the rest of the colors.

And once again, the finished painting. I like the loose brushwork and painterly feel to it. It looks quiet and dignified, just like I'm told Joe was.

Latest commission - first stage of Joe the Rat Terrier

This is Joe. He passed away recently at the age of 17. It's so very hard to lose a dear dog, and I love being able to create art for people that honors their pet and gives them a sense that a part of their dog will always be with them.

Joe's owner says he was very serious, very business-like, and very dignified. He looks all that, plus a little stern in this sketch, but his expression should soften up as I start adding color.

So he's all sketched out and ready for paint. The size is 8 x 10 inches.

New painting for charity auction - Nigel Buggers!

Nigel 12 x 12" acrylic on canvas
© 2009 Kathleen Coy

Yes, THAT Nigel Buggers! (Is there any other???) When Bernie Berlin placed a call to artists for the annual art auction benefiting her dog rescue A Place to Bark, I was delighted to have a chance to help out. I am in awe of all the hard work and dedication Bernie puts into her rescue. She is truly an angel on earth.

In a flash of brilliance (or madness?) I contacted "The Author" of the hugely popular and hilarious Life With Dogs blog, and asked if I could paint his Greyhound Nigel for the auction. He not only thought it was a great idea, but gave me a nice assortment of photos to choose from. This one jumped out at me because of the fun pose, the look on Nigel's face, and the fabulously foreshortened paw (which can be hard to pull off, but in this pose it worked perfectly!)

Thank you so much Neil, for letting me paint Nigel. It was an honor, and a blast!

Here is a link to the auction, (with a starting price of $1.99!!!) where you can bid on this fantabulous original painting of the famous (or infamous) Nigel Buggers, AND support A Place to Bark:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270480846523

Sami's portrait is finished!

"Sami" 8 x 10" acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard

© 2009 Kathleen Coy

Sami's portrait is finished, and I'm thrilled with how it turned out. I can almost feel her in the room with me. This portrait has a special place in my heart, as I painted Sami's owner's other dog Lyle two years ago. Sadly, Sami and Lyle are no longer with us, but there is a young Rat Terrier named Sprocket filling their shoes. Sami was a Rat Terrier/Australian Cattle Dog cross, and you can see both traits clearly. Here is a video of the progress:



Thank you for all the comments left as this painting progressed. It's such an honor to paint someone's beloved dog, to create with my own hands a tribute to the special bond and unending love we share with our canine friends.

More work on Sami

No, she's not finished yet, but I've finished blocking in the underpainting on Sami's portrait. Since my underpaintings are a lot more detailed then they used to be, it's pretty close to the finished stage right now. Up next - refining the details...my favorite part!

More work on Sami's portrait

Now that I'm blocking in the dark fur, it's really starting to look like Sami.

I love how clearly you can see the mix of Rat Terrier and Australian Cattle Dog in her fur and features.

They never look right until they have a nose...

I get so much joy watching faces appear from the brushstrokes...

This phase is the underpainting. After everything is blocked in, I go back over and refine the details, and add more texture and layers.

To be continued...

Sami's portrait is underway!

I began by laying down some beautiful yellow ochre for Sami's cheeks and "eyebrows." Words cannot express how much I love this color... It plays a major roll in my palette.

Next, I blocked in the pink of her ears and tongue, then added some soft colors to the background that I felt would compliment her fur.

Then on to the ears and eyes. There she is. Hi sweetheart!

The painting as it stands now. I'd say I've got about 6 hours into it at the moment, including the drawing. Once again, it's 8 x 10, acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard.

More to come...

Wordless Wednesday

New dog portrait underway - Sami

This smiley girl is Sami. She is a Rat Terrier/Australian Cattle Dog mix. I had the pleasure of painting her "brother" Lyle's portrait two years ago. Sadly, Sami is no longer with us, and has gone to be with her brother Lyle at the Rainbow Bridge.

This happy portrait is going to be a wonderful way for her family to remember her.

The drawing is finished, now she's ready for paint. This is going to be such a fun portrait!


This will be an acrylic painting, 8 x 10" on Ampersand Gessoboard.

Wordless Wednesday

Early snow

We had our first snow of the year this morning, and there's a chance of snow this afternoon as well. Last year our first snow was November 30th! I do like snow, but Fall is my favorite time of year and I don't want to skip it, lol. As you can see, there is still plenty of green leaves on the trees:

My plants were NOT ready for this!

It's a shame to say goodbye to my roses this early, but I'm afraid they're toast. We're supposed to have near record lows tonight in the 20's.



Everyone says it's going to be a hard winter this year in the Midwest. And I thought last year was bad! I guess we'll find out.

Stay warm!