Animal Art Portfolio

This piece is carefully constructed - the soft lighting, the wintry backdrop, and the closely cropped equine profile amplifies the gentler, melancholic aspect of aging. This is my equivalent of a portrait of an old woman in a rocker, absentmindedly holding her knitting while deep in the realm of good memories.

"Winter Woolies," 10" x 18", acrylic on gallery stretched canvas, private collection.

To stand in front of this lifesize triple horse portrait is quite the experience - as I painted it, I've felt as though I had three quarter horses of my own hanging out in the studio.

"The Troublemakers," 20" x 38", acrylic on deep profile (3") stretchers, private collection.

This painting is a nice summary of the things I've been working on this past year: the movement of light and color around an object and paring familiar subjects down to bare emotion.

"Stretch," 16" x 42", acrylic on canvas, available for purchase.

This painting carries a soothing, meditative quality that is perfectly balanced with the painterly brushwork and harmonious color.

"The Red Collar," 14" x 24", acrylic on gallery stretched canvas, available for purchase.

I have been studying light, and learning how to capture its nuances with layers of translucent glazes. This painting epitomizes my love of bold color, but also showcases my (newer) appreciation for the harmony of grays and neutrals.

"Breeze," 16" x 30", acrylic on canvas, private collection.

This filly couldn't have had more sass if she tried. Dancing in the paddock on an early spring day, I caught her going through her paces, with the sun striking a young and confidant profile.

"Charmed," 42" x 28", acrylic on canvas, private collection.

This is a contemplative piece with a whimsical edge. The sun is warm, the air buzzing with the sound of lazy flies, and the wind has just started to touch the edges of the grasses.

This painting has been juried into the 2006 Our Town Exhibition at The Community House in Birmingham, Mi. It received first place at the Landscapes exhibition at Flint Street Gallery in Lake Orion, Mi. And it was juried into the Richeson 75: Landscapes and Exteriors International Competition in Kimberly, Wi.

"Swish" is published in the Richeson 75: Landscapes and Exteriors International Competition show catalogue. It also has appeared in the Winter 2008 issue of Horses in Art Magazine.

"Swish," 22" x 28", acrylic on canvas, available for purchase.

The birth of a foal is always an extraordinary event - but it becomes even more so when it's the result of your first ever breeding. This was the case with my friend (also an artist!), who owned both the mare and stallion, and was eagerly awaiting the baby's arrival. She was kind enough to share a host of photos with me, well documenting Bebe's firsts. I opted to paint mother and daughter on silk, as the surface has such a beautiful lustrous glow to it, which would enhance the lighting and add a delicate quality to an already tender scene.

Good Morning Bebe, 22x20, acrylic on gallery wrapped silk, available for purchase.

Cats and sunlight - need I say any more?

Sunbather, 16 x 8, acrylic on canvas, private collection.

I have yet to meet a feline as regal as this one - her carriage and coloring were beyond spectacular. And those eyes - they reeled you into the World According to Lilly. The inspiration photo had the shallow depth of field that I carried into the painting - I like how the out-of-focus right side of the painting pushes your gaze directly into hers. It also gave me a chance to do some watercolor like wet-on-wet painting on the canvas.

LillyLuLing, 18x16 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, private collection.

There's not much one can say about this painting - Thyme seems to speak for herself very clearly.

Thyme's owner (www.redrivervizslas.com) graciously granted me copyright to her photo, which translated into a stunning larger than life painting. In return, I am donating profits from the sale of prints to the Vizsla Club of America Welfare Foundation.

"Chauffeur," original 36"x48", acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, available for purchase.

Open edition of giclees, image size 11" x 14", printed on artists paper, $60. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Looking at this painting, you can hear the snorts and snurgles emanating from the sweet face. To further emphasize that, I concentrated the bulk of detail and color around her eyes and mouth, loosely painting her body and the backdrop, and blurring the edges of her body.

"Pug Grin," 18"x18", acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, private collection.

This tiny boxer pup stopped frolicking for a moment, felt the warm sun on him, and then collapsed for a nap. This painting caught that delicious moment between consciousness and sleep, further underlined by the contrast between light and shadow.

I also tried an exercise in color control with this painting - restraining myself to a handful of paints instead of my usual gleefully mad pile of pots and tubes. I wanted to re-create that old master sort of palette - somber and rich hues balanced with the strong lighting.

18x28, "Caravaggio," acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, private collection.

This is the first of many more pieces starring Finnigan, my new little muse, and like it's namesake, this painting is bursting with personality.

I "toned" the raw canvas before beginning the painting - this involves painting the entire surface with a boldly colored undercoat, which then "peers" through the resulting layers. Finn was toned in a bright red, then drawn on in violet paint - this provided a great backdrop for building up depth of color in his markings.

14x16, "Blue Heeler on Red (Finnigan)," acrylic on canvas, collection of the artist.

I had far too much fun with this "black & white" painting.

I wanted to capture his gaze, but also really emphaze the drama of his markings. And, of course, I couldn't help but accentuate all the pastels I saw reflected in Spot's skin, underneath the fur.

Paintings like this make me want to pinch myself. It's almost a crime that I get to do this for a living!

Spot, 26x30 , acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, exhibition piece, private collection.