A New Painting . . . . and a SCAM

"HEY! YOU WITH THE OPPOSABLE THUMB!!"
Mackenzie

Labradoodle
24" x 20"
Acrylic on Canvas

Wow, it's been awhile since I posted. I do have some paintings, but no photos! I am so far behind. Allow me to introduce Mackenzie. She is my dog. I've wanted to paint her for quite a while, but I can't ever get the photo that I really want. I still didn't, but I like this one. When she's trying to get you to throw the ball for her, she looks up at you with the whites showing in her eyes - I love the look, but when I take the camera out she stops doing it! I have a lot more sympathy with those of you who tell me they can't get a good photo of their dog. Now I understand why I work from so many bad photos LOL

I waited until today to send this out so that I could get a good daylight photo. The painting is so bright that it's hard to get an accurate photo, but it's pretty close. I think the close-up below is more accurate.

You'll notice that the copyright is a bit different on this one - I have started a new website - what? 5 websites is not enough? plus 2 blogs? Ok have I mentioned that I have ADD . . . oh look a chicken . . . anyway, if I were a firearm, I'd be a shotgun. Anyway, this new website - WackyPup.com has more crafty type things, and will also have my wackier paintings. Mack will be the first to be showcased. It will also include things from others, like my sister who builds things from wood. If you have something that you think could be marketed through WackyPup.com give me a hollar and we'll see if we can work something out.


I'm using a different type of paint - Chroma Interactives. I'm excited to announce that I was approached to become a working artist for Chroma. This is the first painting I've done with the new paints. They are an acrylic paint that has a much longer open time than traditional acrylics. I don't usually paint in acrylics for exactly that reason - they dry so fast that I don't have time to do any blending or manipulation of the paint. Even oils dry too fast for me most of the time (but then I use a lot of liquin LOL) I LOVE these Chroma Interactive paints! The colors are fantastic and they handle well. I'm going to have to use them more to get accustomed to the properties, but so far it looks like they will be a wonderful addition to my studio. I'll be writing more about them as I find out more techniques to use them.

Now, the scam I mentioned. A while back, I painted a portrait of a golden retriver named Theodore, owned by Scott Shields. I just found out tonight that Scott is a fraud. He also owned another dog, Bear, who was purported to be the most successful rescue dog ever, won medals, and gathered a lot of publicity and money for Scott and his sister. The stories that Scott told were LIES and the dogs weren't even trained as rescue dogs.


I was one of the many who were taken in by Scott's stories. However, I am leaving Theo's painting up, albeit as a FAUX Search & Rescue dog, because it is not his fault that his owner is a fraud. He is still a beautiful golden retreiver, and I'm sure that if he had the opportunity to become a REAL search & rescue dog, he would be very eager to do it! If he understood what had been going on, he would be ashamed of his owner, but since dogs give unconditional love, he doesn't have a clue. So, this is a tribute to all the dogs we own that love us no matter if we deserve it or not.

Thank you as usual for your patience, I should be painting a bit more often over the next two weeks, because I'm supposed to be in an art show at the end of the month and I have nothing to bring LOL!!

If' you're going to be in the Fort Worth area on April 25 come by the Will Rogers Memorial Center and visit me at the Funky Finds Spring Fling - It's FREE and pet-friendly and looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. I'll be painting and doing dog caricatures . . . Mackenzie the wacky pup will be there with me.

Live Creatively!!

Liz

Portrait of a Hero - Donation #20 - Dakota

Dakota
Belgian Malinois Search & Rescue Dog
FLTF2

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From Julie, his handler:

Dakota, 3, was imported from Germany to be a patrol dog, but fortunately for me biting was not is forte. For a Mal he has a sweat personality and likes to please. He negotiates rubble like a gazelle and searches extremely fast, sometimes blowing right by scent and has to work his way back. He likes to take direction and isn't as serious about his work as Lilly-Belle, but he also has a strong work ethic. Dakota, is my "Flash dog" and Lilly is my "steady girl" they make a great pair.

FLTF2 is a Federal Search team sponsored by Miami Fire Rescue. I am a 23 year fire fighter with Miami. Both Lilly-Belle and Dakota are Type 1 FEMA certified disaster search dogs.

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Thank you Julie, Dakota and Lilly! We appreciate your hard work! I will be painting Lilly's portrait soon.

I am so happy with the way this portrait turned out. In this instance, I deleted the background from the photo and put in a generic background. I love the look on Dakota's face. However, I just realized that I never finished his collar LOL . . . so I guess the painting isn't exactly finished. I will post an updated photo when I add his bright orange collar.

“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion . . . . I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (American Writer, b.1922)

Live Creatively!

Liz

Donation #15 - Summit - Australian Shepherd DAWGS

(click to enlarge)

Summit
Australian Shepherd Search and Rescue Dog

From Karen, his handler:

Damp Paisley

Paisley - Border Collie
Search and Rescue Dog

4" x 6" Oil on Panel

Well, today I had a bit of a quandary . . . . I have one painting that

Bria - English Labrado Retriever SAR

Bria
English Black Labrador retriever Search & Rescue Dog with DAWGS
4"x6" Oil on Panel

From her owner, Jennifer:

Bria is a four year old English Black Labrador retriever who has been training for search and rescue since 2005, first with my husband Matt and for the past year, with me. Having recently become a certified Field Assistant myself, my goal is to be a dog and handler team able to work in the field together by the end of 2008.

Bria has been called a natural and is so incredibly focused and in her element while she is working that just watching her makes me beam with pride. I’ve told my teammates time and again that only hope I can be as good of a handler as she is a search dog. While Bria is not working, she is seeking as well as giving love and attention to everyone around her and will occasionally romp and play with her fellow dog teammates, that is if there’s nothing available for snacking.

Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers (DAWGS) is a volunteer search unit dedicated to the training of search and rescue dogs, handlers and support personnel in order to provide professional and highly-skilled search and rescue teams in the event of emergency response events. Formed in 1997 and operational in the spring of 1998, their primary search area is the state of Connecticut, although they are willing to assist disaster relief efforts and lost person searches wherever they are needed."

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In this painting of Bria, I was trying to portray what her handler calls her personality of "calm, sweet and peaceful with a gentle soul". Remember, these are just small, quick ol sketches, not full portraits. Because it was late, this photo was taken with a flash, and I will try to get a better photo up soon, she really isn't quite so blue in the actual painting.

Thank you, Jennifer, Bria and all the other handlers & dogs out there that dedicate so much time and money to save us from harm.

If you are a member of Search & Rescue, K-9 or Mounted Patrol, please allow me to paint a small portrait for you at no charge, in gratitude for your service.

Jet - Search & Rescue Dog

JET
Black Labrador
Search & Rescue Dog

(click to enlarge)
Original Oil Painting
6" x 4"

This is Jet - a Search & Rescue Dog with D.A.W.G.S

In this painting of Jet, I was trying to portray his eagerness to help and his muscular body. His handler sent me a number of photos, but this one really stood out because he was so alert he was ready to jump out of the picture. I changed his pose a little bit for compositional reasons, but basically, this is the photo. Remember, these are just small, quick ol sketches, not full portraits.

Jet was rescued from a shelter at 4 months old, at 2 years old he had earned his advanced certification for wilderness search with Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers (DAWGS). Now almost 7, he is one of the more experienced dogs in the group. His boundless enthusiasm and energy, unacceptable problem attributes for him in his original “pet” home, became strengths for him once he was taught a job to do and given frequent opportunities to practice it.

Chris Chorney - Jet’s handler - is a founding member of DAWGS and Operations Leader. 7 years ago he decided to expand his understanding of search management by getting a dog and becoming a handler. He never expected to get as challenging or rewarding a working partner, and as good a friend, as Jet.

Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers (DAWGS) is a volunteer search unit dedicated to the training of search and rescue dogs, handlers and support personnel in order to provide professional and highly-skilled search and rescue teams in the event of emergency response events. Formed in 1997 and operational in the spring of 1998, their primary search area is the state of Connecticut, although they are willing to assist disaster relief efforts and lost person searches wherever they are needed.

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Thank you, Chris, Jet and all the other handlers & dogs out there that spend so much time and money to save us from harm.

Uintah - Golden Retriever SAR Dog

UINTAH
GOLDEN RETRIEVER
SEARCH & RESCUE DOG

This is the first painting in my new project of painting Search & Rescue, K-9 or Mounted Patrol animals.

Kacy is Uintah's partner - here is what she says about Uintah:

"Uintah and I are with Rocky Mountain Rescue Dogs. www.rockymountainrescuedogs.net We are an all volunteer rescue team who provides our services to any police agency requesting them. We do wilderness/area searches, avalanche rescues, water recovery, disaster recovery, human tracking/trailing, and cadaver. We train weekly with our dogs and then once a month as a group.

"Uintah is a 2 1/2 year old Golden Retriever. She was my graduation present from my husband. I drove from Connectiuct to Wyoming on my way home to Utah to get her, and we have been inseparable since then. She was named because of the Uinta Mountains here in Utah and is living up to her name. She is an amazing search and rescue dog, because there is nothing in this world she loves more than people. She gets a huge smile on her face when someone-anyone-is paying attention to her. She is wonderful with kids and older people, and she becomes a little ham when anyone has a camera. Her favorite trick is wave bye-bye, but she can also spin, rewind, stick-um-up, be shy, play dead, high 5, shake, and crawl. She is truly my best friend, my partner, my entertainment and my world."

If you are a member of Search & Rescue, K-9 or Mounted Patrol, please allow me to paint a small portrait for you at no charge, in gratitude for your service.

As usual, thanks for your interest in my artwork and the encouragement and emails!

Liz