In Christiana’s library there is a pastel print of a pet portrait of Homer and Saki, a Pug and Chow Chow. Both dogs were rescue dogs who found a happy life together. I was provided many photos on line and Homer seemed to characteristically hang his tongue out the side of his mouth so I included this in the picture. The dogs are well loved as their expression reveals.

In Christiana’s library is a  print of “Sunflowers”. The original of this is also available. This was also a class project. I was trying to loosen up my style to more of an impressionistic look which water color lends itself to. In a painting like this where you have a field of flowers, I highlight a few flowers making them more of a detailed focal point. The viewers eye tends to fill in the rest. This is framed in an 11×14 gold frame.

In the library is “Evening Visitors”. This was the third painting I did of a friend’s home in Unionville. They wanted a picture of parts of their property. We drove around on a little all- terrain vehicle scouting out interesting shots for a painting. I later grabbed the high hot pink rubber boots on our back porch. My daughter, Eden and I brought a camera and headed over there to take some pictures in the snow. I waded through the stream you see and shot the view with their home on a distant hill with smoke rising out of their chimney. I wanted to add deer at the creek so I took a photo of the buck displayed in their living room. My husband Michael titled the painting “Evening Visitors”, referring to the deer encroaching at dusk for a drink from the stream.

In the office you find “Daffodils” a simple botanical flower study, no vase….just flowers and stems. I did this water color at a class with Rebecca Pearl in New Market. One year, I spent my Wednesday mornings there with a fun group of women, many of whom were long time students of Rebecca’s. Daffodils and March belong together. My mother had a friend who always gave her some form of daffodils and pussy willows for her March 26th birthday.

In the library is the pastel, “Faithful Friend,” a German shepherd. I did that at a pet portrait workshop taught by Rebecca Pearl. I worked from Rebecca’s personal dog calendar. The original is framed in my gallery. The markings on that dog are beautiful to me. They remind me of a lion’s gold mane. One mistake I needed to correct on that picture was that I used a 4 rectangle graph to do the proportions but the proportions of the picture were different so it had a squatty looking face. Pastel is surprisingly forgiving. I watch Rebecca move two eyes on her demonstration. She also taught me to put chips of color in the eyes to make them look lively. I use “Faithful Friend” as a sample for pet portraits. It is popular as a matted and framed print and in cards.

Cath Howard
Premier Designs & Seven Sisters Gallery
301-788-6624

I am displaying one piece of art in our office and one in our library. I will be switching them monthly or if they sell. And I will be sending this “blog” entry to tell the story behind them for those of you busy moms that take a moment to read it and to pass it on to your students of art.  If you wish to buy one, pop me an email. Twenty percent will go to Christiana.

In the office this month is a giclee of Assateague’s Wild Trio. It is in an 11×14 white beachy wood frame. I painted this as a final project for a water color class taught by Bonnie Lundy at Frederick Community College. She inspired us to paint our passion.

We annually camp at the Northern end of Assateague where the ponies frequent the beach. This photo was taken by our friend Christine Senio. In the next picture the horse on the right was biting the one in the middle. You see the horse on the left ready to kick. I put the horses down by the water. The idea is wild horses, wild birds and sky, and wild ocean. I have used is as a wedding gift for “a wild trio for God” symbolizing a three cord strand not easily broken.

Next month I will feature its opposite, my most recent of Assateague’s ponies in a serene setting, yet to be titled.

In Christiana’s library is a pastel original of a Westie. The original is for sale but I included prices on it for large and small pet portraits. I did this in a two day pet portrait workshop with Rebecca Pearl. On the first day we did a small dog and on the second day a large dog.

This was done from a photo that a classmate brought in of someone’s Westie. We do own and breed Westie’s so this photo interested me. I was working from a very nice photo. The “chin up” posture of the dog made my job easier. Rebecca taught us that a good artist ought to be able to work from any photo.

I worked some at home on this and when I brought it in the next day Rebecca called it my psychedelic dog. It had an underpainting of blue and purple. It needed a bit more white fur on top which I added. The underpainting creates liviness with color peaking through. The eyes also have chips of various color.

Next month I will display the German shepherd.

Katrina and I headed over to the Gaver Tree farm at 9 a.m. to get my assigned barn. I was amazed to be handed the address of the Trout’s farm right in Libertytown. I had intended to paint the farm as a gift for them since the Trouts sold the farm and set up farming in Kentucky.  I was thrilled to have the nudge to fulfill that intension.

Rather than paint the barn, I decided to do the farm from a distance with a cornfield and cows in the foreground. I put a foreboding cloud hanging above a sunrise lighting the farm. I titled it “The Milk Barn” reminiscent of Eileen, Ellie, Anna, and Allyssa growing up milking in that barn in the early mornings. The house was dark but the lights in the barn were on.

In the afternoon, I returned to the Gaver Tree farm and enjoyed a demonstration done by Barbara Nuss. Anne Snyder displayed the 41 freshly painted and framed paintings on display walls midst bales of hay and handmade quilts. The reception was enhanced by live music that put you in the mood for a square dance.

I enjoyed meeting new and old friends. Among the artists was Amy Browning. We enjoyed getting caught up and talking art. Bonny Lundy also painted a barn. It was her barn painting last year that began my pursuit of lessons with her which I enjoyed in the fall.

It was a great day! I look forward to the event next year.

Glade Valley Nursing Home: Map It

If you have not already done so, please visit Cath’s homepage and consider purchasing a print or ordering your custom watercolor artwork.

Visit: Cath Howard’s Site