5" x 7"
oil on panel
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Cloud the Wonder Dog
8" x 10"
oil on panel
My new friend (and wonderful painter) Kathleen Coy and I decided for Christmas to exchange portraits. I painted her dog Cloud (The Wonder Dog) and she painted my Chumley. It was quite fun and challenging - It's not often that I do a portrait for a fellow painter and I felt more less confident that usual, but was able to forge ahead and complete a piece I am very happy with.
When I feel insecure and question my abilities, I say to myself "Buck-up and paint like you know what you're doing!"
It always works.
You can see Kathleen's awesome work here:
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!!
"Fender"
18" x 24"
oil on canvas
Christmas day has brought a welcome break from the end commission season. I just finished that last one this morning and now I can get ready for my show at McErny Gallery in 2014. I'll be experimenting with some larger paintings and very excited about the possibilities!
I hope that you all have a safe and peaceful holiday season.
Thank you for supporting my art through the years. Through your patronage, I have been able to pursue my passion and for this I am grateful.
Do something awesome for yourself and an artist in the new year, go out and buy some art!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Frida
"Frida"
11" x 14"
oil on canvas
Lately I have been working on numerous portraits, not being able to post because I don't want to mess up anyone's secret surprise... shhhhh!
In between, I have been working on this portrait of Frida, my newest addition. I love her long neck and when I took this photo I knew I had to paint it. Now, I need to do a portrait of Chumley and hang them next to each other.
Don't forget to order your calendar early. They are on sale at Red Bubble
Friday, November 23, 2012
New 2013 Calendar!!
I just finished the New 2013 Calendar and it's available here at Red Bubble!
http://www.redbubble.com/people/clairhartmann/calendars/9643225-a-calendar-of-paintings-by-clair-hartmann
These calendars are high quality printing on heavy paper. I was very surprised when I received my first one how nice they are and have saved all of them from the past 3 years.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
TP or not TP II
11" x 14"
oil on canvas
TP or not TP
11" x 14"
oil on canvas
Sold to a collector in Florida
I know a painting of a toilet paper roll is odd, but they sell surprisingly well.... go figure. I like painting them because they are an excellent exercise in subtle differences in whites, which is really difficult to see and translate to a painting. You can get lost in one of these.
I also love the idea of taking something so mundane and making it interesting and beautiful. It makes me think about how important TP is in our lives... you may say "gross", but try living without it... now, that's gross.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
New Watercolors
Angelfish
14" x 11"
Lately I have been working on these fun watercolors of tropical fish in combination with doing portraits for Christmas presents and working on larger pieces for the McErny Gallery show in spring 2014... All while running the gallery! Whew!
The show at McErny will be dog inspired, of course with all new work. I have a whole year to work on it and it will be fantastic!!
This friday the Gallery is having an open house and you can see new work and a surprise portrait gift to a special someone. Love surprises! I hope you can come out and join us. Here is the info...
Don't forget, if you are thinking about a portrait for Christmas, it's best to get your order in soon!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Frida
7" x 5"
Oil on panel
My work has been recently highlighted on a blog. You can read it here at Knight Moves:
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Baldhead Island Landscape
Here is an impression of the landscape at the kitchen sink at the vacation house we are staying in on Baldhead Island. It has been very cloudy and cold - the first night it rained and stormed like crazy.
The dogs are getting along well, but they are both sick from something Frida picked up. We have been sleeping and resting a lot which is much needed by all.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Fall Vacation
Just wanted to thank everyone who came out to the show. It was a great evening with lots of creative energy!
Also wanted to send a photo of the new addition. We couldn't be more thrilled with this little one. She's smart and changing everyday as she learns to trust that she is truly home.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
New Addition to the Family
About a week ago I was on Facebook and noticed a dog that had been picked up as a stray in an animal control facility. It was a female Jack Russell Terrier or Rat Terrier mix that looked a lot like Chumley and she was in a high kill facility with time running out.
We called and they told us we couldn't adopt her because we lived outside the county and we would have to have a rescue organization send the correct forms so that someone could "pull" her on the "release" date (release day is the day she can be adopted, rescued, or euthanized). Then she needed to be "vetted"which means get all the correct shots and spay.
After frantically calling every shelter we could find, calling the facility to only receive vague answers, we found a shelter to step up, with only hours left for her life. She was "pulled" to safety by a volunteer (angel). I kept thinking, I wonder if this little doggie knows she was being posted all over the internet with people texting and calling just to save her little life.
Yesterday she was released from the vet all fixed up and today we picked her up from a "transporter" (someone who transport animals to the adoptees or shelters) a few hours away.
We named her Frida (after Frida Kahlo)
I have to tell you she is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met (besides Chumley) and we are thrilled!
You will probably see lots of photos and updates... and of course, paintings of this little sweety.
Today, If you care at all about rescued dogs (or cats), please donate to a rescue because they need it for food, beds, gas, spays, everything - a lot of these people get nothing to do the work they do and they still do it - tirelessly.
Please donate, even if it's just a little.
Here is a great one to start with that does a lot of rescues and appropriate because Frida is considered a rat terrier mix.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
"Illumination" and Some Auctions
Illumination
15" x 19"
oil on canvas
I have some paintings up for auction at really great prices:
Clair Hartmann, artist
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
"Pregnant Pear" by Clair Hartmann
7.5" x 5.5"
oil on panel
I've painted this scene several times in the past few years to see how my progress has changed my painting. I still have difficulty with it as far as color and I can see my brush work is more "fluid" which is the direction I want to be going in. I do like May 2009's version, but I feel my style is changing into it's own and I'm o.k. with that.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Bluebird
Bluebird
oil on panel
5.5" x 4.25"
Today is my 48th birthday and yesterday, after months of hard work, we proudly opened the Sun Gallery. We intentionally didn't advertise, so we knew it would be a quiet day to reflect on aspects of what we had done and what needs to be done... it was nice to sit still and reflect after all the rush.
It's a peaceful, creative space, in which I will probably be spending a lot of time... I absolutely love it.
Thank you Susan for the beautiful flowers!
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