Quiet Contemplation...In a Capricorn way...

This is pretty much where I am at the moment.

I have been reading my horoscope the last week or so and it seems that by that measure I am finding myself reevaluating all my methods of operation. Mercury is in retrograde and things seem to be spinning backwards.

I am working on refining my website and reworking my schedules to help me get into that place where I can be my most creative. What does it all mean?

Every year my resolutions (some say you should not make them as you set yourself up for failure) seem to involve 3 things: the search for CLARITY, better ORGANIZATION, and BALANCE.
Here I am again. So THIS year I am calling them "ASPIRATIONS" (thanks Stella!) and looking at what steps will get me there. SO Capricorn.

I just read that one of the traits of a Cap is that you want to SEE the net before you leap...but if you don't see it... YOU want to make it yourself. LOL!

Seems what drives me is that I need to have a purpose. I need to make a difference. That is very much me. "You can see the wheels turning" is what one of my instructors once said to me in a post class discussion. Another told me to STOP! working on my work. I was obsessing I guess on some type of perfection. I can't seem to just cruise if I am doing something worthwhile.

Ah well...I am finding ways this month to make life more colorful for my Mom as we repaint her living spaces in new and refreshed colors!

I have a call out to my MUSE....waiting for the call back! ...I hear distant laughter I think.

I hope your day is going in a forward motion but ...if you are in the retrograde spin ...look within, and, if you see me...WAVE! :)

The painting above is available and listed on eBay as we speak.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Angel-Art-CHRETIEN-quiet-contemplation-oil-on-board_W0QQitemZ110458820613QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Paintings?hash=item19b7dbd805

Two Sides of the Coin...

Standing right behind the house and looking out toward the east is the cove of the river that is the scene I see from up in the studio. This is the beginning of the New Year with a fresh, clean and sunny point of view.
Now flip around 180 degrees...

... and look west from the previous image and you see my studio up in the trees. The last window on the left is where my easel is and that corner is the south side, so on a day like today it is pretty warm and bright. I have removable frosted panels in the windows to cut the bright glare and still let in the light.

Letting in the light in this darkest season of the year is what we do here at Casa Chretien. We aren't very fancy or have many things but it is a wonderful home base to create from.

I count my blessings everyday.

Today I am still getting all the loose ends together and prepping for a month of creativity. I hope you can join me on this 2010 Odyssey...Let the games begin!

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to their NEW YEAR!

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