I am no computer wiz, and on an artist’s budget, you have to do a lot of things for yourself. So it has taken me awhile to make it possible to purchase artwork directly off my website.
I have now developed some galleries with original paintings available for purchase, and you can purchase them directly from the galleries. I hope that you like them!
I have been told that my artwork makes great gifts for pet lovers. It also is great for decorating doctor’s offices, veterinarian’s offices, children’s rooms, and other family friendly spaces.
Stay tuned as I continue to develop new galleries with artwork that you can purchase if you desire, or just enjoy perusing.
Update: I have been told that some browsers are not picking up the links to purchasing pages. If your browser is one of them, please let me know in the comments. We are working to get it fixed. Thanks!
Pet Bloggers and Animals enthusiasts around the world are participating in the “Be the Change Challenge” by doing small and big things to help animals who are in shelters or are needing special care.
Some are raising donations; some are volunteering at local rescue organizations; and some are dedicating their time and skills to make the world aware of the needs of animal charities around the world.
I hope that you will consider purchasing one of the T-Shirts or doing something else to help pets in need. They give so much to us–can’t we do something for them?
Here is the code if you would like to put the widget for the “Be the Change for Animals” T-Shirt on your website:
Oh yeah, and we are having a Twitter BlogPawty on April 21 from 7 pm – 1 am (EST) to have fun and raise money for Pets Without Parents. Hope to see you there!
The last couple of weeks have been kind of crazy for me. I have been caught up in the Shorty Awards frenzy and I have been preoccupied with establishing the business side of BZTAT studios.
What a ride! Yes, I remain a finalist in the Shorty Awards, and I am trying to find a way to get to New York City on March 3 so that I can attend the ceremony. More about that later.
As fun and gratifying as it was to have my Twitter following support me so enthusiastically in the Shorties, I am glad to get back to the business of painting and creating things. I never stopped, but I am glad to have it as my primary focus again.
What have I been working on? Well…
I have recently completed two canine pet portraits, which I will detail in future posts here. I am working on another pet portrait of three West Highland Terriers (Westies) and I am about to begin a cat portrait as well.
And I have begun work on the ultimate grand pet portrait, the “Downtown Cats” mural. The mural depicts the most famous downtown cats in Canton, OH—my own Brewskie Butt, Who, Slick and Noah—and will eventually be mounted on the building currently occupied by HEAP in Downtown Canton, OH.
The mock up design that is seen above is what the mural will look like when it is finished.
Currently, it doesn’t look like much, but it has entailed quite bit of work. here are some photos of the beginning stages. Please excuse the photo quality, as the studio lighting is set for painting, not for photography.
Purchasing the MDO boards
Medium Density Overlay (MDO) board is a wood panel that is often used in the sign painting industry. It is recommended for use for outdoor murals. I purchased the boards at a local lumber and hardware store.
Kevin Anderson cutting boards to shape of a window
I am not particularly handy with power tools, but my friend Kevin Anderson of Anderson Creative is a wiz with them. He cut the boards for me into the shape of windows, simulating the windows on the building across from the place where the mural will be hung.
In the studio
Each panel was primed with white gesso and then painted with a dark blue background. All of my paintings begin with a dark layer of color. I follow a process of layering subsequent layers of colors over a dark background, allowing the initial layers to define shapes as later colors are applied.
Masking off and drawing in background
I masked off the window pane shape with painter’s tape and drew a sketch of the background design for my painting reference.
Blocking in the background design
I then began blocking in the shapes of the cityscape design with paint.
Developing background design
At this stage there are 3-5 layers of color applied. many more layers will be applied before it is finished to create rich vibrant color and visual texture.
close-up of background design
All of the materials used in this mural are those that are recommended for exterior use. The paint, board and gesso are all materials designed for exterior use and weather resistance. The final work will be coated with a weather and UV protecting sealant to ensure the longevity of the piece.
The “Downtown Cats” mural is obviously a very large project that will take a long time to complete. Completion and hanging of the piece is slated for July of this year. I will periodically update my progress on the piece as it develops in various stages.
Thanks for following along with me on this adventure!
