Fading Canna

Fading Canna
12" x 16"
oil on canvas
view in my shop

I've been watching a cluster of these red Cannas for awhile now. I love the deep purples in the stem rising up to bright, bright red.

Once you cut them, it's a pretty quick demise so I had taken some photos against a dark cardboard background to paint later.

I love the mood of this painting.

Pug Wine

Jampa
Pug Wine Commission
Sold

This is the fifth label painting I have done for Pug Wine.
Here are some of the others…

Coffee Shop Flowers

12" x 12"

oil on canvas

view in my shop

I guess you could say I'm taking a break.
Maybe it's spring fever, Maybe I'm just tired, but lately I just haven't felt like painting.
This morning I just HAD to paint something. So, I saw these little roses in a little coffee shop the other day and snapped the photo with my phone and decided I would paint these.

Show Update...

8" x 10"
sold

Remember the show I was going to have in September? Well, it's been pushed back awhile because of "life stuff". I'm still working on the show, but I've had some other emergencies come up that need my attention. It's still going to happen, just not when I thought it would.

Here is a portrait that I did in the beginning of the year.

The Tamarin King

"The Tamarin King"
10" x 20"
oil on canvas

view in my shop

The Bee Keeper

The Bee Keeper
18" x 24"
oil on canvas
view in my shop

This painting is for the Kingdom of the Animal Show in September 2015.
The inspiration for my painting is borrowed from Jan Van Eyck's painting "Portrait of a Man".

Geisha Wendy

Geisha Wendy

16" x 20"

oil on canvas

sold to a collector in Texas

 

Kat and dog sleeping with Kat and Dog (the painting)

A photographer I know had posted a photo of his wife sleeping with their dog Jaeger on Facebook - It was a photo he took with his phone and the quality wasn't great, but all I saw was an awesome subject to paint. So I decided to paint it really big for a show I was doing. Needless to say, it never made it to the show. Once he saw it, he said he just had to have it. He told me he and his wife were moving to Chicago and he wanted this painting hanging in their new apartment when his wife arrived for the first time. He said it was quite a surprise with a few tears shed.

Love it when that happens.

Dog Dreaming

Dog Dreaming
10" x 8"
oil on canvas

I have a friend and a collector on Facebook that has been posting great photos of her grandkids napping with her rescues. I'm a such a sucker for sleeping dogs, and with babies? Well, that's just too good! So, I have been secretly hoarding these gems for a while hoping to one day paint them. Turns out today's the day.

King Jazzy

"King Jazzy"

16" x 20"

oil on canvas
sold to a collector in Texas

If you are interested in a portrait please go to www.petportraitsbyclair.com

Baxter

"Baxter"

10" x 8"

oil on canvas

view in my store

For the past week I have been struggling with one of the nastiest colds I have ever experienced. With the belief that I could control this and "get better faster so I can get on with my life" I have tried everything homeopathic to OTC from thera-flu to turmeric steams, Nyquil to epsom baths with mega doses of vitamin C, to no avail. I have come to the conclusion I just have to let it run it's course and take the break when it's given.
I surrendered.

Today is the first day I could concentrate without an uncontrollable cough, drippy nose, dizziness, migraine, etc. I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

So, I decided to paint Baxter. Baxter is kind of a new addition to our family. He is a super unique loving pup with eyesight issues. When he first got here, he ran into furniture a lot and I considered putting pool noodles on the coffee table, but now that he knows the lay of the land, he fits in quite perfectly.

I found out that he is a mixed breed called a Meagle (mix of Min-Pin and Beagle).

Eli

Eli
oil on canvas
sold to a collector in NC

Tug

Tug
8" x 10"
oil on canvas
sold to a collector in NC

I have been working away on the show in September and have come up with a theme. I call it Kingdom of the Animal… here is the poster so far and although it may change, you get the idea. It's been so much fun working on these paintings…. I'll send more about the dates when they are confirmed.

Coming in September 2015!

Cheerio

"Cheerio"
16" x 12"
oil on canvas
Sold to a collector in Florida

Big Blue Crab

"Big Blue"

36" x 24"

oil on canvas

view in my shop

I have been MIA for a few weeks - Been dealing with a bad tooth and extraction and then my dog Chumley's tooth had to be pulled (same tooth). It's been crazy, but I did manage to paint this super fun crab. I'll be back on track this week for sure - got some commissions rolling in aaand I'm going to start working on a BIG show in the fall featuring my fancy dressed-up pets which will include cats..... Yayy!

Barn Owl II

Barn Owl II
18" x 24"
oil on canvas
view in my shop

After much pain and dental work, I think I'm back on track again... at least until my next appointment.

I found this wonderful surface for painting while perusing my local Hobby Lobby. It is a cotton primed watercolor surface over wood stretchers that I have used to paint thin and thick oil paints on instead of the typical watercolors. It's nice and smooth with a little grain - I just love it!

Tulips in Zorn

Tulips in Zorn
14" x 18"
oil on canvas
View in my Shop

This painting is for a challenge on Daily Paintworks to paint a floral. I decided to do it in a limited palette using the Zorn palette. For those of you that do not know what a Zorn palette is, it consists of Yellow, Red, Black and White. Here is more info on it from one of my favorite artist, Aaron Westerberg: http://www.westerberg-fineart.com/2014/05/zorn-palette-rembrandt-brand-paint/

Lucy

"Lucy"

10" x 8"

oil on canvas

Sold

The first dog I ever sketched was my dalmatian, Ginny. 

We got her when she was a tiny white puppy with little black dots. I adored her. She was gorgeous, highly protective and incredibly smart. Although she was completely deaf, we were able to teach her unlimited commands that she learned quite quickly. I would draw her when she was sleeping so when I received this commission it was very dear to my heart. 

Ginny will be forever missed.

Me and Ginny

Watercolor Illustrations

Canna Lily
Watercolor
View in my shop

Well, I started out doing a 30 day challenge and then life happened. I think I got to day 21 and then stopped… home life got so turbulent, I just couldn't concentrate to paint so I allowed myself to back out of the challenge. I feel guilty, but I'll be fine. As I get older, I accept that this is MY life and I can change my mind if I want and that's just what I did.

Sooo, the other day I was going through some old watercolor illustrations and decided to put them up on my Etsy shop. You can see them here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClairHartmannFineArt?section_id=12496014&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1
Looks like I was having some fun when I did these. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did finding them again.

Sid

Sid
8" x 10
oil on canvas
Sold

Feather Finds (detail)

Feather Finds (detail)
24" x 12"
oil on canvas

Decided to add two more feathers today.