Fine Art by Penny Stewart, aka The Crafty Lady

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One of my favorites - a pigmie goat I painted.
Don't worry, she's smiling!
For sale on DPW

Tuxedo Cat Pet Portrait 8 x 10, Sergeant Pepper

These dogs were really fun to paint and putting them in tuxedos just added to the fun.

She's All Ears, and full of love. 18 x 24 size.

Lily is a purebred apple-head chihuahua and the sweetest dog you could ever imagine. She hates Chester, and Bebe hates her, so what goes around comes around. Now she knows what it's like being the one who gets picked on. She used to bug Bebe all the time but puppies are like that. She is not a puppy now, but she was in this photo.

Photo above, Painting to the left. This is Bebe, when she was a baby. She is my Chihuahua Doxy mix, sometimes called a Doxiwawa, or Chiwinee. I'm not sure how to spell those names, but her portrtait was really fun to paint. She only weighs 5 lbs and is very old now. The picture was taken about 15 years ago. All of these paintings are done in acrylics on 8 x 10 canvas boards, ready to frame.

Poncho is another Doxy Chihuahua mix, but much more doxy and larger. He probably weighs about 17 lbs and is blind and deaf. But he is loved. I think he is older than Bebe, but I don't know by how much.

Chester is a rescue dog. I did the portrait with lots of thick gesso, so there is texture in the fur/hair. We call him Chester the Molester the Pesterer. He is a handful. But then, he is still a puppy, about a year old. He had been hit by a car and was limping, so I named him Chester, after Matt Dillon's sidekick on Gunsmoke. Then I learned that his name was Festus, Too late now. Anyway, he doesn't limp any more. He is usually giving me and the rest of the herd only minimal aggravation. But I love him. The other dogs? Well, maybe not.

Lucki, My friend Shirley's dog, is a beautiful miniature Schnauser, but they never had her ears or tail cropped, so you can see the large rabbit like ears which don't exactly fit her head, but give her plenty of personality. She has such a sunny disposition that I painted her with lots of sunshine in the background. This portrait was a "before the groomer" shot.

Mollie is my neighbor's dog, and this is her baby picture. She is very grown up now, and her ears are straight up and perky. But she is so mellow, quiet and gentle, which seems to be her personality from day one.

Shellby is my daughter's dog and one of the cutest Shelties in the world! She is so expressive. I think this portrait says she is waiting for Santa!

Penny Stewart, Artist and Decorative Painter

ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Penny's Pet Portraits by Penny Stewart

My philosophy of life includes enjoying every moment and living in the now. Animals do that naturally. Creating art releases my soul and frees me from the daily humdrum of life. I think less and become present in the moment, merging with my subject on a higher level, sort of like when I do Tarot readings for humans, but talking to animals instead. They don't have to speak out loud, but I hear them. My interests vary considerably in all areas of life, especially in art. Subjects for paintings exist everywhere, and finding my niche has required some experimentation. Every time I painted an animal, people noticed and commented on the realism. I listened to my peers, my critics and my inner voice. "Paint animals!" One of my favorite sayings, which has always proven to be true in my life is, "Do what you love and the money will follow." I love to paint animals. In fact, I love to paint, period.

I have been working with local animal rescues, shelters and non-profit organizations. I truly want to help, but I live in a very small place right now, and adoption is not an option. Instead, I use my talents to raise money and awareness for the cause. When I paint pet portraits, my goal is to reveal the unique personality and individuality of each animal, hopefully expressing their thoughts at the time of the photo. People, including me, love to caption my paintings as if they can read the animal's mind.

For Pet portraits, acrylic works well for me because it dries quickly. The wide range of vivid colors appeals to me and it allows me to create thick texture like oil, or, by adding water or special mediums, I get a smooth, easy flowing softness like watercolor. Since I tend to paint very fast, and often have several projects in the works at one time, I need the fast drying time. My original rendering of a subject probably takes 3 hours or less. Then I refine and fiddle around with it. Sometimes it's best if I quit before the second stage, but I never know that until after the fact. Every painting represents a learning experience for me. Each portrait, even if I only see a photograph of the animal, becomes a relationship to remember and draw on at a later time, pun intended.

Paint, Paint, Paint. It's a beautiful world and lots of fun too.

My Daily Paint Works Site

Painted Pet Portraits by Penny Stewart