HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2010

2010 the year of the Tiger!

****

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR

***

Good Health, Peace, Prosperity

and Joy.

All my best,

CAROL

Merry Christmas .....

Little Angel of Hope

(collection the artist)
~~~~~~~~
Sending out my apologies for the last post "testing" thought it was going out to just me!
so sorry!
but ...while I have you let me say I really appreciate your being here to see
the new ART I post and follow along with my work in progress over the last few years!
I AM A WORK in PROGRESS, too!
***
yesterday I sent out a link that was also a mistake, see what I mean?!...
it was for my artist friend
Melinda Dalke
so I have since corrected it and you really have to see her work so lively and fun!
just a peek:
http://arthelpinganimals.blogspot.com/search/label/Artist%3A%20%20Melinda%20Dalke
she is so committed to helping animals with her wonderful talent!
***
Merriest of Holidays and Healtiest of New Years!
see you soon with new work in
2010
***
STAY TUNED!
:o)

The Season of Love and Hope...

The Beautiful Ones

***

( Sterling and Day-Lee )

oil

Carol Chretien

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had the great fortune of being able to paint these two wonderful dogs as a surprise Christmas exchange gift for fellow Art Helping Animals artist,

Melinda Dalke.

Sterling and Day-Lee are the much loved family dogs of the Dalke's.

Melinda supplied the reference images for the painting.

***

I have also had the great fortune of working with Melinda in the Art Helping Animals fellowship of artists for the past several years.

Melinda's work is incredibly fresh and creative, and highly collected. She works in many different mediums and is a wonderful supporter of helping rescues save Pitbulls with sales of her artwork.

I am the proud collector of several pieces of her work.

***

I wanted to share her two gorgeous dogs with you. I think they have so much love for each other and wonderful personalites.

Melinda Dalke lives in Oregon with her husband and is a founding member of

Art Helping Animals.

~~~~

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF HER WORK

HERE:

http://arthelpinganimals.blogspot.com/search/label/Artist%3A%20%20Melinda%20Dalke

White Christmas....oh yes, Virginia, we will have one!

Can you SPOT my Lizzie in the photo taken this morning of freshly falling snow?

She is looking up the path in her yard that is her track around her little patch of woods.
She usually flies straight out fromt he back door and does a couple of laps around, prancing and barking just in case there is a squirrel or chip munk lurking around.
Not this morning...she stopped short took a look and came back in. LOL!

Hope the winter snow is making you feel Christmasy but lets hope it clears up a bit so we can finish all our missions this week!

We REALLY do look like the Christmas cards we send with those white winter scenes and the New England feel.

If you are traveling in our area...stay safe...or even better ....stay home!

More to come!

It's a Wonderous Season...

A Christmas Carol...
Christmas is coming,

The geese are getting fat,

Please put a pennyIn the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,A ha'penny will do,

If you haven't got a ha'penny,

Then God bless you.

(my nieces would sing this to me when they were little)

It is a wonderous season...the chance to meet the challenges

with Grace and Giving.

It doesn't have to be much but every kindness is amplified.

***

Give what you can to your local or favorite charities

Help a neighbor...

Be an elf...

Light the lives of people you know who need a hand.

***

One little gesture of help that you can manage will go a long way

to someone in need.

****

Please don't forget the animals who depend on us so desperately.

there has never been such need in shelters

as there is today as so many animals are left behind as families

can no longer afford them or even have homes for them.

***

Give thanks for all you have and pay it forward if you can.

Merriest Christmas

Happiest New Year!

PEACE & JOY

CAROL

14 Days of Christmas Gallery...SO FAR!

On the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd DAYS OF CHRISTMAS...

The Artists painted...for the Rescues:

... and on the 4th, 5th and 6th days of CHRISTMAS ...they kept painting and creating...

...then on the 7th, 8th and 9th days of CHRISTMAS...the Art Helping Animals Artists made like busy elves....

& WE ARE NOT DONE YET..... STAY TUNED.... 14 paintings, 14 Days, 14 Rescues

HELPING HOMELESS ANIMALS with FINE ART!

http://arthelpinganimals.blogspot.com

to see the work in detail!

First Look! Coming Soon...

SOLD

"TUCKED IN AND TUCKERED OUT"

New For Willing Hearts Dalmatian

rescue.

A part of our

ART HELPING ANIMALS

14 Days of Christmas painting event.

***

14 days, 14 rescues, 14 pieces of ART

All available to add art to your Christmas while helping homeless animals!

This painting is the only Dalmatian Christmas painting I am doing this season.

I will make it available for sale on DEC 12th

on our AHA BLOG

http://www.arthelpinganimals.blogspot.com/

10x10

oil on canvas

20% will go to the rescue!

150.00

MERRY CHRISTMAS to RESCUE!

DALMATIANS FOUR - finis

My work on this commission is done! I hope you got a chance to see the process from start (blank canvas) to finish...you can scroll down and take a trip through "memory lane" if you have not.

I hope the receiver of this Christmas Gift will enjoy it as much as I loved painting it.

I will be making a donation to my 3 favorite DALMATIAN RESCUES from this sale for Christmas.

Willing Hearts Dalmatian Rescue, Save the Dalmatians, (both are Art Helping Animals supported rescues....AND my own favorite gang of spots rescue...Dalmatian Rescue of Tampa Bay!

Happy Christmas in a Merry Spotted Way!

now....on to rescue painting till the end of the year!

STAY TUNED

14 Days of Christmas - Art Helping Animals!

DECEMBER 1st starts the Painting Event

14 Days of Christmas

that is

A PAINTING A DAY FOR 14 RESCUES

Art Helping Animals Artists

support.

Dec 1st is spotlighting

BONES

BEAGLES OF NEW ENGLAND STATES

***

www.arthelpinganimals.blogspot.com

is our art blog

come join us!

***

a portion of EVERY piece of fine collectible art sold helps homeless animals!

Happy Thanksgiving! and a spotted update.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!
***
Worked on Nikki today along with 2 new rescue pieces that will be part of the
14 DAYS of CHRISTMAS
for rescue....14 rescues and 14 paintings,
a new painting posted by
ART HELPING ANIMALS
artists!
details coming soon.
***
One more pass on the Dalmatian Portraits and we are done!
Right on schedule.
***

Dalmatian Portrait(s) continue ...WIP

Maggie

Brandie
***

Cleo
***

Top: Cleo, L: Brandie, Mid bottom:Maggie, R: Nikki
****
Today's work saw painting on everyone but Nikki.
(far right dalmatian)
Nikki will get the next session and we are very close to done.
Today I scumbled out the background a bit, worked on the other 3 Dals.
Cleo got the most attention with modeling her face and ears
I lost some edges and it softened the lines a bit.
Then the fur and shadows and collars on Brandie and Maggie...
Should be done by Thanksgiving!

This is the largest group portrait I have done it really is 4 portraits in one.
STAY TUNED!
The finish is on the way.

"FREEDOM" new work

SOLD

I was unsure of a title for this one but this morning as I was finishing it up for

BAMA BULLY RESCUE

I decided on

"FREEDOM"

12x12

oil on canvas

(WET PAINT)

original work

CAROL CHRETIEN

***

You know I love ocean scapes...I love the idea of dogs at the beach...they always feel

so free...it is like turning them loose in heaven I think.

That is my perception...because I have never seen an unhappy dog running free at the beach.

This painting will help BAMA BULLY RESCUE when sold with 20% going to the charity.

Art Helping Animals

supports

this rescue!

HELP HOMELESS ANIMALS WITH FINE ART!

email me: carolchretien@aol.com

First Look! Untitled seascape ....

( Seascape with Pitbull )

2nd piece in the works for

BAMA BULLY RESCUE

soon to be finished and listed for sale.

The model for this piece is "Poppy" who is up for adoption

STAY TUNED!

FIRST LOOK! Hope Shines....

SOLD!

"Hope Shines In Their Eyes"

10x10

oil on canvas

WET PAINT!

***

New work for rescue.

FIRST LOOK!

painted alla prima

fresh new piece

this new oil is based on a dog that was in rescue care of:

BAMA BULLY RESCUE

one of the

Art Helping Animals

art supported rescues.

Interested in Purchase?

125.00

email me:

carolchretien@aol.com

free shipping

This is one of 2 for this rescue.

20% goes to this rescue when sold.

Thanks for helping us help these animals with art!

***

Totally blessed and privileged and humbled to do this work.

Updates ...Time is marching on....

Just Want A Home

8x10

oil on canvas

***

Well... this Cocker named Phoebe who I started painting before I had the flu was up for adoption through OLD DOG HAVEN in WA. She is 10 and was in foster care but has been ADOPTED!

She now HAS a home.

And... the painting is still available to help the rescue

(They are just fabulous as a Hospice and Senior dog rescue for adoption)

and if you are interested....

email me! carolchretien@aol.com

100.00

with 20.00 going to the rescue!

***

DALMATIAN PORTRAIT UPDATE...

continuing right along....

Worked on Cleo (Top Dal) yesterday

more to come....today.

Stay Tuned!

First Look! Balls in the Air - WIP

9x12

pen & ink

Work in Progress

hand drawn art

interested ?

email me:

carolchretien@aol.com

ANY piece of my art sold helps animals.

First Look! new directions, new work...

FIRST LOOK! two pieces inspired by sunsets, different approaches.

"GLORY"

10x10

oil on canvas

CAROL CHRETIEN

Minimalist landscape inspired by the colors around me of Autumn.

SOLD

125.oo

email me to purchase

***

"RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET"

(SOLD)

pen & ink & watercolor

12x9

CAROL CHRETIEN

Abstract in a graphic style that is hand drawn on 100lb Bristol Smooth.

this piece sold before I could list it.

similar work is on the drawing board

STAY TUNED!

% donated to OLD DOG HAVEN rescue.

THANKS FOR HELPING ANIMALS WITH ART!

4 Dalmatians in Progress (continued)

and as we continue with this portrait(s) demo....

This morning, FROM THERE (last pass)

TO HERE! (today's work)

And the details done today:
modeling of the faces, defining eyes and adding depth to colors.

So...we are well on our way to the finish...

Tomorrow I will work on Cleo (top dal) and see if I can bring her up to the others...

then the next stage is to go back finish up the shadows details and make any corrections to my satisfaction

and those of the client :)

Then check my edges and put the final colors into the background to make sure everthing makes sense.

The final work consists of letting it be...go back look with fresh eyes and when nothing else can be done to make it better...

sign it!

STAY TUNED

On the Mend...finally!

While being sidelined by the flu bug or cold bug this last week, I spent most of it in bed with my Nyquil and Puffs Plus by my side.
You can only watch so much TV or browse the net so I did manage to make some art (see below)
so I could keep my mind from atrophy.

Butterfly Effect

5x7

pen and ink and watercolor

on

100lb Bristol smooth

100.00

20% to TRUE BLUE RESCUE

email if interested: carolchretien@aol.com

***

Back to the easel this week to continue my 4 Dalmatian work in progress!

STAY HEALTHY!

Stay tuned...keep the Puffs Plus handy.

peace and cheers!

Out of Order

" Rabbit's Wish On the Moon"

***
Just a quick note to say that I have been sidelined by a cold and hope that a few more days will get me back in working order. So many illnesses going around at this time that my wish is that this one is qualifying me for the rest of this year and into the next NOT to catch anything else!



Please take care and I will be back the easel shortly!

Carol

Caught With The Goods - Carol Chretien

SOLD

10x10

oil on canvas

Caught With the Goods

***

A friend suggested I paint an appleheaded Siamese Cat.

Here it is...tried to keep it loose and bright yet painted on a toned canvas.

That is something I rarely do.

***

This morning I started the day once again in the foul gray mood this weather has handed us but made myself sit at the easel with a brush in my hand and work on this little piece.

The afternoon is for SPOTs but this one for TABBY'S PLACE will help kick off the holiday season.

You have to keep ahead of the current or you are swept away...

right now...I am treading water.

Lets see where it flows.

***

RESERVED FOR SALE

125.00

20%to the rescue!

Pumpkin Time Again...And Again...And Yet Again

PUMPKIN TIME AGAIN

20x24

oil on canvas

handstretched unframed

Original oil

CAROL CHRETIEN

600.00

***

I have this painting on my walls, and every year at this time I post it as a tribute to the season of pumpkins and autumn and all the things I love best about living in New England.

This painting of one of our porch pumpkins is a favorite.

I get lots of inquiries but it remains on my walls.

It has yet to find the right buyer I suppose. No loss for me as I enjoy looking at it.

Three weeks in the making, I painted this in a hyper realistic style and enjoyed the thin glazing to get the glow and the colors just right and to my satisfaction.

Should the work sell it will give a donation to a non-profit rescue.

***

domestic shipping is free.

Portrait(s) part II - updates!

Continued from the previous post....
Today was four hours of finding details and molding faces...did a little eye work today.
For me the MOST fun is painting eyes. I just love it. Maybe I will do a canvas of only eyes...not a bad idea!
This top pic is of Nikki she has some qualities of expression like my own Lizz-meister.
And she looks like she could have a tiny bit of the "drama queen" in her personality.
Then I did some facial molding and correcting with Cleo. She is the keeper of the clan.
And a little more eye work but nowhere near where it is going to end yet. :) I was enjoying painting her mouth. Choosing this image was about keeping her smile and open face.

And the most fun today was painting Brandie ...she is a little beauty in the becoming. What a face. I really love her eyes...they are awesome.

I am taking lots of colors from the light background for shadows. When you are painting shadows you find many colors in the reflected light. Now the trick with this is that I am making up the whole sitting so I will tie everything together with shadow and light directions and somehow make it all work.

Being an artist that paints by the seat of her pants I am often very much an observer of my own process and half the fun is not having everything planned out in detail in advance. I would be highly bored and never finish a piece if that were the case.

That is MY way and MY preference to take an idea or inspiration and unravel it or discover it as I go along.

This was the most recent work just finished and I will dive in again tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Anatomy of a Portrait(s) Commission

Four Dalmatians (one is a mixed Dal ) Phase one is about gathering images that you can work into a group composition. Not an easy task but given enough time to contemplate you get ideas!
Next the size of the canvas, 24 x 3o is the one that I stretched by hand.

Figuring out a layout I liked and the commissioner was good with...Great time to get a feel and make corrections. I made lots of adjustments and do it right on the canvas ....I am not a big sketcher...I like to see the canvas in front of me...sort of like "A blank canvas" and try to imagine the design. I wanted good faces, a pecking order that makes sense to the commissioner and of course some accuracy. There is plenty of room for artistic license but you need to be on the money when it comes to the ones who know them best.

Background was decided...a loose rendering of maybe a porch suggested in the background which gives the viewer the chance to finish the story (they are sitting on steps) that was what I was going for ....also the colors are neutral, light and will fade away from the subjects.

You can see here that I switched dogs and put Maggie down in front. The commissioner also asked that I paint her with her ear folded back as she is often seen that way.

Now I have their faces with some life in them and their eyes are more alive...nothing worse than working on a canvas with "Little Orphan Annies" watching you while you paint.

I have cleared the decks of other work and am focused on this piece. It will be ready for gift giving time. I will be updating this posting as I go and you will see the changes as they occur.

As I always say....this is the ugly phase and I warn the clients don't get nervous...it will all pan out in the end.

To this day I have not heard of a disappointment ...I hope to keep that record going.

The commissioner of this painting asked that I share it here so here you have it.

Please stay tuned...as we travel this road together.

Cheers!

Carol

The World is a Stage....

SUN, MOON, STARS

UPDATED!

SOLD

10x10

oil on canvas

Carol Chretien

...

Shakespeare the beagle who is a lovingly adopted

BONES beagle is the model and inspiration for this new painting.

He has the most beautiful face and huge expressive eyes.

He is beloved by his family and one of his favorite positions in life is to be held in your arms like a baby...blanket is optional.

He is advocating for beagles in need of their own forever homes.

In the spirit of Halloween I thought what better way to dress him but in a SUN costume with a halo of stars and moons.

After all he is the center of the universe in his home.

20% of the sale benefitted the rescue

BONES

is an Art Helping Animals supported rescue.

This, That, & The Other....

A few updates:
Yesterday was the closing date for CHRISTMAS commissions! I will be posting a few pics of one large one in progress. This will be a in a Blog post by itself coming soon.

If anyone is thinking they would like to give the gift of a custom piece of art from me in the form of A GIFT CARD (see my website for details) just let me know. www.carolchretien.com


"Christmas Dale" 8x10 oil on panel now available with 20% to NARA rescue. Posted today on the ART HELPING ANIMALS BLOG and the DAILY PAINTER's GALLERY site.

"Rabbit's Wish on the Moon" is a 5x7 oil on panel and framed as shown. Available now 120.00 makes a great gift if you have someone who is wild about Rabbits! Haunting little piece of work with real "yearning" for a hope...email me. Of course 20% goes to rescue...as with all my work.

UPDATE....... UPDATE...... UPDATE! "I Will Bee Happy" SOLD!

20% of the sale went to help sponsor DEBO's care through BONES rescue.

STILL AVAILABLE and "Debo" the beagle is still up for adoption! Just visit www.bonesrescue.org to read about this beautiful boy!

"A Wish on the Moon" is 10x10, inspired by Debo the beagle and his wish for a home of his own. 125.00 with 20% to BONES.

Halfway through October and the Adventure continues...

STAY TUNED!

October Madness....fall cleaning!

(thought this old painting of mine made a nice illustration! circa 1981)

"The Attic"

I should have taken a picture of the IN PROGRESS major cleaning re-organizing that just was a week of my life but it was too horrible to capture in images...I emptied every room.





In reality I was in the process of "letting things go" after letting things GO for about 3 good years.


You know...clutter can build up in every closet, drawer, shelf, cabinet or cranny in the place as you "put things away" while you straighten up and do routine cleaning. In the last 3 yrs I have dedicated my time to paint for homeless animals and work on helping to make ART HELPING ANIMALS the great fellowship it is by being an active member of the team with my fellow artists.


I couldn't put off the house deep cleaning job any longer...it was time and time was up!


I now have a car load to donate to charity...VHS tapes, music, books, and bags of clothes from storage in my closets...I won't mention what is going off to the dump! Thank goodness for those roomy "contractor's bags"!!!!





Any way....as I recuperate from the hard labor of the past week...I'm not getting any younger and there are muscles in my body that are screaming in protest, to remind me of the fact, AND I dropped into bed at 7:30 everynight to die ... the job is done. I have lightened up and let go of old things that clutter not only your SPACE but your MIND and creative processes.





Happy Day.





The Studio will be buzzing once again as I get back to business...Stay Tuned for new work and October fun!


I'd rather be painting!


cheers, All.

October Madness - FIRST LOOK FUN!

"SUN, MOON, STARS"

10x10

oil on canvas

CAROL CHRETIEN

Using "Shakespeare" the rescued BONES beagle as my model, this is the beginning of a fun October painting with "Shakes" wearing a Sunny costume.

When this is finished it will be offered with 20% for BONES rescue.

All paintings posted for rescue on this FIRST LOOK BLOG are available to be

RESERVED while IN PROGRESS.
all are one of a kind originals.

.***

I am rarely doing prints anymore and mostly for 100% donations to orgs rquesting fund raisers. If you see the piece and love it and want it please contact me.

once they are gone, they are gone

carolchretien@aol.com