Oil portraits from Christmas

January 2016. That's kind of crazy. As usual, the last quarter was hectic and 2 things slowed me down-the hard drive on my 6 month old computer crashed (thank you 1 year warranty!) leaving me scrambling to do even the basics, let alone photos, book work and correspondence. Sorry but my android phone just doesn't cut it. :-(. The other was a rotten cold that, for the first time in years, was bad enough for antibiotics....so today I am coldless and have my computer back (a ridiculous 3 week hiatus) Life is good!

So what have I been painting...too many to put up here so how about a few oils? 

Maureen and Duncan-oil 20 x 24

Favorite Hunter-oil 16 x 20

Oils take longer than my pastels but they do sort of "pop" don't they?
I am off to Portland Oregon Jan 10-27 so let's see what I come back with!

Going to the dogs...artistically!

After finishing up 2 weekends...long weekends..... of shows, I found myself going to the dogs. On my easel.
I already live with 5 dogs and with a background that once encompassed dog shows, dog training and pet boarding (with a 100 run kennel no less!) I find it as easy to return to a life with dogs as I do with horses :-) 

Our pets occupy a special place in our hearts and it's easy to see why my collectors love to have  portraits of these special families members created. And I have created hundreds...perhaps thousands, over the years! 
At these last two shows I created Jack Russell Terriers and a Corgi puppy. Both are two of the most popular pups at the horse shows although I am seeing more and more mixed breeds-a nod to the efforts of  dog and horse rescue groups that work hard and diligent to place their charges in the best homes possible!   The "Tiny Urls" take you to my Etsy store where you can see these much larger!

All 3 are available as originals, for purchase :-)

http://tinyurl.com/nueldyg

http://tinyurl.com/oznpjqf

http://tinyurl.com/o5m5rcn

Going to the Dogs is a special place I think. When it comes to your canine companions, every day is a good day! And that is a nice place to be :-)

Art studios, landscaping and chickens...

Finally! Warmer weather! My poor ponies have a sea of dried mud around their run-in shed that will again turn to mush with the upcoming expected rains but MAYBE there will be a week with no rain, snow or mix after that! 

So the renovation on the small studio is drawing to a foreseeable end...at least the walls are painted-white. I cannot bear the thought of anymore interior darkness! Hubby Steve is putting in the work counter...same height as a bar-that could be nice too!


I have been doing some raking and semi-landscaping. What that really means is that there was wire  along the edges of the pasture fence that the pretty vinca flower vines had grown through and covered so I have actually had to use a pick ax, short and long handled pruning clippers to get up...a lot of it. I guess I noticed it but then did nothing about it...just ran the lawnmower around that nice long clump of dark green vines with their purple summer violets.   After I finally spent 2 days yanking, digging and chopping at it all, the wire is up....followed by curious chickens who went to work digging in dirt I had conveniently already "undug" for them.  

We are at a show right now so other than popping up an image of a recently completed and now shipped painting, I am off to make some sales today (always a good thought-heck it's the goal!)


Follow my journey with me and see how I set up the inside of a 12 x 20 studio!

Zues-16 x 16 pastel

No doubt about Christmas!

Nope. No doubt about Christmas and Thanksgiving! They are here and have been creeping up for several months. But for us, that's a good thing! When one area of our art becomes overwhelmed, other areas have to flounder for a bit....so we opted to make December the month for a few of our popular art classes and then in January we're back in the saddle in that department:-)

In the meantime both Steve and I found ourselves in the NC State Fair in the Village of Yesteryear showcasing areas of our art that are not as big as the paintings and portraits.  That was the silk work I do and the sign painting that he's done for many years. Amazing how awed people were watching him hand letter a beautiful sign!
So for 10 days we were demonstrating and displaying our art. Long hours but we enjoyed the crowds and loved demonstrating in front of them!

Yep we had to dress Colonial times :-)

Steve attracting lots of attention!

So I'll bring in more detail later but enjoy a few of the closeups from a different artistic perspective!

The Terrier scarf

The owl scarf

The incredibly lovely Coachman Sign!

Theresa's black silk scarf from her block carvings

Steve's Singing Pig hand painted and lettered

Art in pastels, silk dyes and gold leaf!

There is nothing more inspiring to an artist than to try new techniques or experiment with current styles, colors or sizes!
I am fortunate enough to be one of those multi-faceted artists who thrives on challenges. Portraits have always been and will always be, my first love, but it's the energy that comes from trying new ideas that energizes me!
So what have I been up to? Portraits of course, but so much more :-) The 3 below are a few recent portraits-all pastels.

Pastel 14 x 18

Pastel 11 x 14

Pastel 11 x 14

I have also been creating my silk scarves in new techniques and dyes as well as a very cool art piece using aluminum and gold leaf (courtesy of hubby, Stephen Filarsky of www.Goldleafman.com)

8 x 54 scarf

These are soft pastel colors that come from a dye that not not need to be steamed or heat set-nice!


And finally I have the combined efforts of Stephen Filarsky  for our raised art relief.
(Sorry about the photo positioning-can't easily arrange anything on this blog!

8 x 72 scarf

9 x 12 metal relief

closeup of relief in metallic format

A Woman and her Beagle: a pastel portrait

I'm shipping out a pastel portrait this week and I must confess that I love it :-)

Now as you can see, it is of a beautiful woman and her equally charming beagle! Wow-the memories....my very first dog, my buddy, my confidant...was a beagle. I was just 7 years old and she occupied a time in my life that no other dog ever will. At 20, I honestly thought my world was going to end when "Tippy" passed. It was serious grief.

Ah but years later, and many four legged best friends later, I know of course that wasn't true :-). So I totally understood the bond between this woman and her dog!

Her mother commissioned it and sent me a huge pile of photos and ideas! After looking through them, I said what I say to everyone "Got it. Now just leave it up to me to choose!" So she did.:-)

The result is this pastel portrait-about 14 x 18 of Sarah and Bella and it will be the family's treasure for many years to come!

Of course, no one ever says it better than a happy client:

 Theresa....I have just had to retrieve the Kleenex box.....this is absolutely perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am blown away....

Oh yes, Christmas Portraits!

No doubt about it-Christmas is a motivating factor for people thinking about a portrait!
Below are two collages with quick glimpses of what this fall has been like so far...I am leaving out the ones that are gifts that could be seen!

Pastel Portrait Special! Ends Sept 1!

I am so pleased to be able to offer this again to my collectors and newcomers!
You asked and it's back! This is my 4th annual Pastel Special!  It ends Sept 1 or before when the available number is reached.

This is my popular pastel portrait special that I offer each year about this time, to my collectors, old and new, prior to my Christmas portrait rush! Thanks to my wonderful clients, I have created fine art portraits of all sizes in oils, pastels, pencil and watercolor for 25 years! The past few years I have been giving back by offering a special opportunity for you to have one (or more) of my small (cameo) pastel portraits of or for someone special in your life. You would normally invest $275.00 for my pastels of this size. For the Special, each portrait is just $95.00! Pastels are beautifully soft, pure pigment and once framed, your portrait will last for generations!

The details:
To get an idea of what others have ordered for their Pastel Special, take a look at the portrait examples All are 9 x 12 pastel portraits created by me from your best "head and shoulder" photos of your subject.
You may order as many portraits as you wish but each portrait will have only ONE subject in it. The available number of portraits is limited! So if you have 3 children, or 2 dogs, or a child and horse, you will be ordering 3 or 2 individual portraits.
Framing in not included. Shipping is additional and very reasonable. Complete instructions for framing are included in every carefully wrapped package. You may also arrange for pick up of your portrait upon my completion in the Raleigh NC area!

How to order your portrait!
1.Click on the number of portraits that you wish. Total number is limited. Etsy will notify me.

2. Email your best photos to me at ipaintportraits [!at] aol.com. Label each photo (you can send more than one of your subject and I will help you select the best portrait photo!) so I know who is who.
You may send old photos, recent photos, even black and white.


4. Upon completion, I will send you a digital of the finished portrait prior to shipping or pick up. Relax, I've done this for 25 years! If you feel something needs tweaking, no problem-it's YOUR portrait!

Unless I have questions, I will create your portrait within a 1-3 week time period! Because I work on the smaller portraits while also working on my large portraits, I find it easier to complete the cameos in the order in which I receive them :-) See my website at MTheresaBrown.com or find me (same name) on Facebook!

My Pastel Special allows you to give the ultimate gift to either yourself or a friend! Special ends Sept 1

Thank you so much!-Theresa

The most often painted breed of dog? Labradors!

Face it. People love their Labrador Retrievers! Black, yellow or chocolate, they love them.They live with them, sleep with them, play with them and enjoy them! So perhaps it is no surprise when I share with you that Labs are the dogs that I create the most portraits of.
Enjoy a few recent ones that I have done!

Bailey 14 x 18 pastel

The Perry labs

Another "Perry" lab

Page Labs 24 x 30 oil

Three Labrador Retrievers

Rex, Magnus and Ami

My 24 x 30 oil portrait of these three charming labs went home to their owner last night!
Two of the old fellows are pushing 14 but the young center Lab, Magnus takes care not to overpower his elders :-)

I took the original photos and then combined their images and personalities into one large oil that now hangs proudly over the mantle.

Originally the owners called me last year  but we were not able to get together until August. 

The owner of Ami said it best when he said, "This is frickin' awesome!"
Yep-does my heart good :-)

Dec. 6, 2012 update: Rex, the yellow Lab on the far left passed away Nov 25. RIP old fellow-you will be so missed by your owner.

Trio of Labradors! Following a work in Progress

There is no doubt that oil portraits "pop!" They are challenging in the sense that the artist (lol-me) has to work quickly to lay in the colors and work wet paint into wet paint to blend. Of course often I have to step back, let it dry before adding details.

Oil in progress Three Labs" 24 x 30

This large oil is a work in progress meaning, I'm just not done with it :-)

Although the owners handed me photos of their "boys", none were what I need for the "pop" factor. So I went back later and snapped quick photos with my old Nikon D70. Good for what I do so need to update to fancier more expensive models!

This is a large 24 x 30 oil and I gave them several choices initially. I like to do rough sketches so that the client gets a feel for what I'll be creating for them, and the actual size-a HUGE plus! Nope just sketches-no photoshop for me!

I usually wait and let collectors see the finished work but the dogs are completed enough for them to see what I first showed them in a sketch so after teaching a class this morning, I'll run down and let them have a peek!
 

Traditional art and the Portrait

Bogie and Ribbons 24 x 30 pastel

Among my clients, traditional art will always be the most popular when it comes to portraiture!

I just completed this large 24 x 30 pastel of an adorable Bichon and her late companion, a cute Schnauzer sitting on their favorite chair on the back porch of the owner's house.

Created from the client's photos and my visit to her house, it's always challenging to paint dark objects such as a wicker chair and black railing and not have it overwhelm the subjects. I kept the two dogs as the focal point by not cluttering up the background, softening what I did create and detailing them so that they would "pop" from the portrait. There was no photo of them sitting together like this...all of it is created from my personal, non computerized "photoshop" abilities the old fashioned way-by hand and brain :-)

The fun part is that she has seen it digitally (which I honestly hate to do) and the "unveiling" will be a treat as any artwork is far better in person than on someone's computer.

And finally, if I have one piece of advice for pet owners, make the time to take decent photos of those you cherish! Look for their expressions and try to capture it as best you can. The very best imagoes this family will have of their much loved pets will be from this pastel portrait. That makes me happy :-).

Creating the dog portrait

Penny, Mixed Breed Dog Portrait in Pastel

Dog Portraits are popular with my collectors and none so much as my pastel paintings!

This 11" x 14" portrait is a good example of using a pastel medium called PanPastels and it is wielded much like a palette knife.

I love the loose effect that can be achieved!

Notice how I begin? I want those eyes looking at me while I work!

"I met a man Bo Jangles and he'd dance for you...."

When my client brought me an old, out of focus photo for this little pastel commission, all I could think of was that line from the "Mr Bo Jangles" song that said something like "his dog up and died....after twenty years he still grieves..."

It simply goes to prove that there is no time limit on the loss of a beloved pet.

I am honored to have been the artist to bring this little guy back into focus for his owner!

LOL but now I cannot get that song out of my head!

Adding a new slide show

I love it when I play with technology and something finally clicks! LOL

So I have had fun putting together this slide show. Enjoy!

The Scottish Deerhound

I was  painting this 16 x 20 Pastel before the recent win at Westminster by a Scottish Deerhound! A very cool breed. Big but light footed and a real couch potato despite the regal bearing!



More at PaintMyDogs.com!

Busy at Christmas but Art from the Heart!

How can being busy and having too much business be commented on without sounding like a complaint? In the world of self employment you "cut hay while the sun shines" and that is exactly what happens during this crunch time. And I love it! I am a deadline artist. Give me a deadline and you have it. Don't give me a deadline and I turn into one of those "need to wait until I am motivated" artists.

Pastel by M Theresa Brown

So deadlines,with me, work!

This charming mixed breed dog passed recently. Friends of the owner came to me with two photos in which I combined the "head" in one and the "body" in another, to create this 14 x 14 pastel portrait. As a Christmas present from the group of friends to the dog's owner, it will be unforgettable! And this is really what giving gifts at Christmas should be all about. Gifts from the heart.

So how can many orders be too many with all these beautiful emotions attached? It's not.

Christmas is a time for thanking my clients for the orders and Thanking God for making it all possible!

Welsh Springer Spaniel Pastel Portrait

A beautiful Welsh Springer Spaniel who arrived at my Studio for his portrait photography session. He approached things cautiously at first but when he saw the goats? Well, he lost all interest in anything but them!

This talented young dog is on his way to his championship but prefers the Agility training competition that he and his owner go to.

This cameo pastel is a 9 x 12 and created by M Theresa Brown on PastelMat by applying the containers of pastel with sponges. I Love the effect!

The Portraits: www.MTheresaBrown.com
The Paintings: www.sfilarsky.com 
The Team:    www.OnRoadArtists.com
The Career: www.ArtCareerExperts.com

Portraying the Mixed breed dog

Penny is a mixed breed rescue dog who is fortunate indeed to be rescued from the local shelter and into the arms of her loving owner!

This 9 x 12 cameo pastel portrait was created by M Theresa Brown on Pastel Mat using Pan Pastels. There's almost a watercolor feel to it!

The journey from the actual portrait to the steps in between to make it to this page always seems to dull the vividness of the actual colors but enjoy! The owner was delighted with her portrait-one of four that I created for her recently!

M Theresa Brown

Fine art Portraits of people, places and animals!

Intuitive Oil Paintings

The beauty of commissioned art is that it is personal. "Custom made" is a phrase used over and over but when applied to a commissioned art piece, the painting truly becomes a part of the history, likes and desires of the client!

This large 30 x 40 oil portrait is the second that I have created for this client. Her family is indeed her beautiful animals and on a very personal note, the Golden Retriever on her far left was her beloved Bailey who passed several years ago. Originally I was going to include Bailey in the distant background but as I progressed work on the oil, the painting seemed to call for a more definitive view of the old dog. Sometimes, as an artist, that is how I work...I go with an intuitive feeling! I did not consult the client. I have discovered over many years of portraiture that envisioning a change is difficult for most clients. Part of the artist mystique and its progress is to anticipate the unveiling of a painting-not see it all laid out beforehand in Photoshop! Was she pleased? Oh my yes! Intuitive painting is what it's all about!

M Theresa Brown

The Portraits: www.MTheresaBrown.com