Buddy - Search & Rescue Donation # 29

Buddy
German Shepherd
4" x 6"
Oil on Panel
Search & Rescue Donation #29

Princess Zora & Chico Dog Donation #28

Long day today - finished up the portrait of the German Shepherd and completed a K9 donation painting.

First up, here's Zora, the princess - delicately gnawing on her bone -

Zora
16" x 20"
Oil on Canvas
Private Commission
NFS

You can see how her portrait coordinates with the painting of Indigo

Forest, Australian Shepherd Search & Rescue Dog

Forest
4" x 6"
Oil on Panel

Tonight's painting is an Australian Shepherd search & rescue dog, Forest. Unfortunately, it's a memorial painting, as Forest has passed away. I finally got together with his partner and she was able to watch me paint online through http://www.ustream.tv/channel/daily-painting-by-liz and see Forest's portrait come to life. I recorded the sessions so if you can watch it at any time.

I forgot to get his information, so I don't have his story, but I will post it on his page at Portrait of a Hero - http://www.PortraitOfAHero.com

If you have a search & rescue or K9 dog, or if you know someone who does, please allow me to paint a portrait of them free of charge in gratitude for their service. Contact me for details.

Here is a portion of the session during which I painting Forest's portrait



Live Creatively!

Liz

Mekky & Two More Paintings

It has been far too long since I posted. I have some Christmas commissions that I hope to get around to putting up, so maybe I'll post more often :) The first painting tonight is a donated K9 portrait that I couldn't post until after Christmas. Tonight I also blocked in two paintings, and I'll take you along on the process.

First here's Mekky - - -

Donation #26 - Mekky
Granbury TX Police Dept
4" x 6"
Donated Oil Portrait
Oil on Panel

This was given by the Officer's wife as a Christmas gift. Her description follows:

Youtube Video

Just time for a quick note -

I put together a montage of some of my search & rescue paintings - please help me get the word out about the free portraits - I need more dogs to paint!



Please comment and rate the video, and PLEASE FORWARD IT to everyone you think might be interested.

Thanks!

Live Creatively!

Liz

Buster Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog with CARDA

Buster

Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog

CARDA - California Rescue Dog Association
4" x 6"
Oil on Canvas

Waylon, Bloodhound Extraordinaire :)

Waylon
Bloodhound
South Carolina Police K9
Oil on Panel 4" x 6"

Sienna - Search & Rescue Dog Donation #21

Sienna
Golden Retriever
DAWGS

From her partner: My Golden Retriever Sienna was a search and rescue dog

Uintah & Wahsatch

Uintah & Wahsatch
Oil on Canvas
20" x 20"

Finally getting around to posting the final photo of the two golden retrievers

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

Forest - Portrait of a Search & Rescue Dog

This is the first step of a small commissioned painting. This is Forest, a beautiful search and rescue

Donation #15 - Summit - Australian Shepherd DAWGS

(click to enlarge)

Summit
Australian Shepherd Search and Rescue Dog

From Karen, his handler:

Donation #14 - Wahsatch - Golden Retriever Search & Rescue

Wahsatch - Golden Retriever
Search and Rescue Dog with
Rocky Mountain Rescue Dogs

Number 14 in my series of Search & Rescue dog portraits donated

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

Theo - Golden Retriever Search & Rescue

Theodore - Golden Retriever
Search & Rescue Dog

4" x 6" Oil on Panel

This is Theo, a Search & Rescue dog - I don't have his information yet, but I wanted to show you this beautiful boy! I painted this start to finish on UStream - Live! Join me tomorrow when I paint another one. I'll be doing quite a bit of work tomorrow, I'm going to be online starting at 9 a.m. Central Time Tuesday.

I am very glad that I decided to do live painting broadcasts. It is definitely motivating me to get into the studio. I had a hard time getting things to work correctly today, but finally got going about 4:30. Tomorrow morning I should be more punctual . . . If I can get the wire I rigged up to hold the camera! And remember to focus it LOL . . . this is a learning curve for me. But it is so nice to have people to talk to while I paint, and I love showing how a painting goes from start to finish.

I'll be in the studio at 9 a.m. tomorrow, and probably painting on and off all day long, so please join me! It was great to see some of you there! I will be broadcasting LIVE on UStream while I paint. If you're at all interested in my techniques and style, or just my fantastic wit - make sure you're signed up on my notification list so you can actually watch me paint. I will be narrating every move I make, along with the colors and any tips I think of during the sessions. Please join me :)

Below is the video of me painting Theo's portrait. There are more videos on my show page at UStream

Click here to get an email notice when I will be online painting LIVE

Thank you again for your interest in my artwork -

Live CREATIVELY!!

Liz

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.

Barley - Chocolate Lab Search & Rescue Dog

Barley - a Search & Rescue Dog
with Rocky Mountain Rescue Dogs

From her owner, Andre' - "Lady "Barley" Blue and I are active members of Rocky Mountain Rescue Dogs.

"RMRD is an all volunteer, non-profit canine search and rescue organization based in Salt Lake City, Utah. We currently have approximately 30 dog/handler teams and we respond to searches in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona and had four dog teams respond to ground zero following 9/11. More about our organization can be found at rockymountainrescuedogs.net

"My dog, Barley, is a seven year old chocolate lab who has known nothing but search work since she was born. We have been with the team since January of 2002 and we have responded to many searches and spent countless hours of training in avalanche SAR, water SAR, wilderness SAR, collapsed structure SAR and tracking skills."

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The shadow in this painting created a composition that is bold and colorful and I really enjoyed painting it. Her eyes are not really evil glowing orbs like they appear in the photo - I really have got to take better photos!

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.

Tucker - Chocolate Lab SAR Dog

Tucker
Search & Rescue Dog with DAWGS

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From Marianne, his handler:

Tucker is a 2 year old chocolate lab. He is originally from Corry, PA where I picked him up at 8 weeks old. He became involved in search & rescue at 4 months and has loved it ever since. Tucker's favorite things to do is swim, hike, play tug-of-war, fetch tennis balls, and destroy stuffed toys. He is a quick learner, strives to please and gets along with everyone. We do just about everything together and is adored by everyone that meets him.

Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers (DAWGS) is a Connecticut based volunteer K-9 search and rescue organization. DAWGS is 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.

Thank you, Marianne & Tucker for your dedication of 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.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEND ME AN EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROJECT

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Now, on the art side of things - I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this painting! This is hopefully the beginning of a trend LOL . . . I've had some really successful paintings lately. I don't know what exactly I love about this painting, it's just the look I've been going for with my art. It wasn't a particularly easy painting, some just fly off the brush (like Spiffy) but most are like this one - some success and then a lot of struggle (in this case the colors on his face were tough to get) At least at the end of the day, I'm happy with the painting :) It, of course, looks tremendously better in person, the colors just don't come across on the internet.

. . . I should have asked Marianne to explain the bell he is wearing. I assume it is so that they know where he is when he is searching. Or maybe he just likes to pretend he's a cow :)

The painting is signed, but the website copyright appears only on the internet. Your replies are appreciated :)

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