Remembering Asia … a painting to honor a special dog!

   I am frequently commissioned to do a painting of a pet that has made such an impact in a person’s life that there is only one way to really honor this special pet.  It is such a privilege to be a part of the process and to do the portrait.  Asia was one of these special animals. 

An oil painting can actually conjure up the feelings that your special pet brings out in you, especially when they are no longer in your life.

I know that Asia has a special story and that her final home was not her first home. I hope to get her story posted as I think that it is important to share.

 

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Cincinnati Art Gallery exhibits Looking to the Light by Dawn B. Dwyer

Looking to the Light by Dawn B Dwyer

I was once told by a Gallery owner that every painting has a story and this painting, Looking to the Light is no different.  It started a little over 9 years ago when I was talking with a real estate client of ours.  We were both telling each other how we had gotten puppies.  To our surprise, they were both born on the exact same day.  Laurie’s was a Yellow Lab named Rebel and mine was a Min Pin we named Ally. When we realized this, there was a special bond and when we spoke we would always ask about the others dog.  Sadly eight years later Laurie told us that Rebel was diagnosed with cancer.

When I heard this there was a sudden urge to go to her house and photograph Rebel.  We had lost a puppy at 13 weeks old and I remember how much I cherished the few photos I had.  So I called Laurie and Billy and asked if I could come over and photograph Rebel so that I could do an oil painting of him.  He was a beautiful lab and I felt compelled to do a painting of him.  They thought their Realtor was a bit nutty, but they said, “Sure come on over if you want.”  They didn’t get it and I didn’t either at the time, but this painting would become a very important painting for both of us.

Laurie, Rebel and Dawn at the SPCA Doggie Dash

Because I was doing this painting for myself there was no rush and in May when it was just about complete, I called Laurie and invited her to see the painting at an SPCA event where I was showing my art.  Everything was done except a little work around the muzzle and the whiskers.

After that day, I got busy with other things and never did put the whiskers on until several months later.  On Aug. 31, 2011 I decided to finally put the whiskers on and then enter the oil painting into a contest. After I added the last whisker, I immediately called Laurie to say it was done and to ask her about a title.  When I called she didn’t answer the phone.  The next day there was an email from Laurie in my inbox.  I couldn’t believe what I read.

She said that when the phone rang she was at home but didn’t answer because they had just said goodbye to Rebel one minute before I called and were actually carrying his body out of her home when the phone was ringing.  She said it was odd, as she was saying goodbye to him that she thought about the painting.  When you look at the timeline, I was putting the last strokes of paint on the painting as Rebel was taking his last breaths. I have my doubts that this was all just a chance happening?

When I first showed the painting in my studio at the Pendleton Art Center, it was amazing to watch how people would gather around that one painting and marvel at how real it looked, it was without a doubt the show stopper.  So I knew this was the painting to enter into one of the most difficult art exhibits/contests, ViewPoint 44.  And now, I am proud to announce that “Looking to the Light” has been accepted into the ViewPoint National Juried Show.  Only 70 paintings were chosen out of hundreds that were submitted from around the country.

I would like to invite you to The ViewPoint 44 Show held at the Cincinnati Art Gallery on 225 E 6th St. Cincinnati, OH 45202.  The ViewPoint exhibition will be available for viewing Monday thru Friday  9-4 pm  Saturday 10-3 pm till August 31, 2012.

Chicago Band Tangleweed To Play It Forward at The Pendleton Art Center Friday, July 27th

Tangleweed to Perform at the Pendleton Art Center Final Friday July 27th

This is REALLY BIG and I am thrilled to share the news with you.  Tangleweed will be peforming at the Pendleton Art Center this Final Friday!

The Chicago based trio Tangleweed will be entertaining at the Pendleton Art Center on July 27^th for Final Friday’s art walk. They have basically waived their typical booking fee with the goal of assisting the PAC in being a hub of vibrant creativity in Cincinnati and to hopefully assist to bring in larger numbers of visitors during Final Friday.

Now you may ask, why would a band from Chicago care about the artists at the Pendleton Art Center. Well, one of the band members is my cousin. He knew that I had recently moved into a Second Floor Studio at the Pendleton Art Center and was trying to think of ways to bring in more visitors. My cousin is Paul Wargaski and he is also a very successful violin maker in Chicago. Paul is the innovator of the Suitbass (A bass instrument that disassembles into it’s own suitcase for travel). Back in 2007 the suitbass was born out of a greater need for compact mobility as Wargaski was the bass player for Tangleweed and they were booking more performances across the country.

The Suitbass was built from a vintage Amelia Earhart suitcase.. Something he calls “Workable Art” which Wargaski will be playing during his performance at the PAC on Final Friday!   “I’m really looking forward to seeing and hearing the infamous Suitbass I have heard so much about.  The Suitbass alone would be worth the trip to the Pendleton,” says Dawn.

Tangleweed’s performance at the PAC will not only help me but all of the artist’s at the PAC and raise awareness to the artist community in Cincinnati.

Various types of artists from several different states are all coming together for this one evening at the Pendleton Art Center with the hopes of helping each other through synergy and ultimately helping all the artists at the PAC.

I will personally will have a guest artist Mindy Fisher from New Hampshire showing her work as well as showing some jewelry and art from an artist living in Mali who Scott Judd (Tangleweed’s guitarist is helping).  It’s basically artists helping artist in more ways than you can imagine.  But we would be happy to share our stories when you drop in to Studio 221 during this Final Friday at the Pendleton Art Center!

It should be a magical evening you won’t want to miss!

Pendleton Art Center 1310 Pendleton St. 

Final Friday from 6-10 pm. 

Second Look Saturday 11am -3pm

Paul Wargaski on bass, Billy Oh on fiddle, and Scott Judd on guitar to complete the group.

About Tangleweed

Tangleweed was originally formed the summer of 2004, presently with Paul Wargaski on bass, Billy Oh on fiddle, and Scott Judd on guitar to complete the group.

Tangleweed has been on the top ten charts in the UK and is a band of three forward-thinking musical reactionaries from Chicago, Illinois.  While the band’s instrumentation is standard bluegrass, their music is anything but with a repertoire both broad and deep.  Their four CDs have garnered critical praise and worldwide airplay, earning the band invitations to appear at major festivals and high profile venues around the country.

Tangleweed combines high-energy performances with impeccable musicianship and a wide-breadth of influences to create a unique sound that is simultaneously modern and old-time.

The band has been hailed in reviews worldwide as a welcome breath of fresh air for lovers of stomping string band music and high lonesome harmonies.

Check out their most recent release “Please Punch Richard for Me” at www.tangleweed.org or  you can go to Pandora.com, and type ‘Tangleweed’ into the search box. You’ll get a station with Tangleweed, Split Lip Rayfield, The Hackensaw Boys, and a bunch of other like-minded neo-traditionalists.

Oh … and let’s not forget there will be

eight floors of Art for sale!

Dawn B. Dwyer, Creating FineAart You’ll Want to Pet! Studio 221

Make sure you come to the second floor, Studio 221 first to say, “Hi”.  

Just take the stairs up one flight.  I will have lots of new art to show because I will have two guest artists this month!  There will be jewelry from Mali and camel hair pillows … oh my!  And the art of Mindy Fisher from New Hampshire.  Her art is whimiscal and fun and she is also the creator of Tangleweed’s coloring book which they will be giving out and also the creator of the music cartoon video  our guest band Tangleweed has on their website.  So lots of fun things to see and do.  I have also worked a little more on my 30 x 40 horse paintings as well as a Doberman Pinscher painting.  So get out of the house on Friday and have some fun with us at the Pendelton Art Center!!!

Commissioned Shih Tzu – Winnie

Commissioned Portrait “Winnie” 14 x 11

“After our Shih Tzu, Winnie passed in November, I decided to commission a portrait of her as a gift to my husband.  I was looking for an artist who not only had a high level of representational skill but also made the leap of capturing the heart and soul of the portrait subject.  As an Art History major and as person with a background in advertising, I had a true appreciation of the difference.  This is why I chose Dawn B. Dwyer.

Thank you for the incredibly special portrait of Winnie. You truly captured her essence.

Dawn, I don’t know if you were aware of my two daughter’s response to the portrait when you brought it over and they had the chance to see it.  They were so moved by the painting that they both cried when you left.

You were a true gift to our family!”           Barb Gehrig  Cincinnati, OH

Dawn B. Dwyer Explains the Creation Process of Making the Official Portrait of Euka, P&G’s retired V.P. of Canine Communication

    This is the process that I did to create the official portrait of Euka.   I will post a few pictures each day till we have the completed painting.  So be sure to check back each day to eventually see the completed painting.

Creating a portrait of an animal always starts with a photograph.  Once I have the photo I will work with it to find the perfect composition.  Euka got to sit on some chairs for this photo because we wanted to be sure she would givet off the essence of feeling important.  By elevating her from the floor it changed her demeanor.

I was also looking for a certain light to make the portrait more interesting.  So there is cool light coming from the window on the right side of the portrait and warm light in the shadow.

Next I did a quick oil sketch to block in the shapes of the painting.

Portrait of Euka Unveiled at Procter & Gamble – Commission by Dawn B. Dwyer

Hours before the reveal at the Procter & Gamble Mason office, Dawn B. Dwyer was photographed with the oil painting, Euka, which was about to be unveiled to the Procter & Gamble Pet Division.  Euka served over 50 dog years as the V. P. of K9 Communication.  During her time of service she was even featured on the cover of Fortune Magazine, in 2004.

A grand retirement party was held in her honor where the official portrait of Euka was revealed.  It was an honor for Dawn to be chosen to capture this magnificent yellow labrador retriever in an oil painting.  The whole experience was a lot of fun!  Dawn will be posting the “Making of the Portrait of Euka”  in the next few days at www.dawnbdwyer.com

You can also see more of the oil paintings of Dawn B. Dwyer on April 27th & April 28th at the Pendleton Art Center.

Dawn’s On the Move At the Pendelton Art Center

Come to Final Friday at the Pendelton Art Center

Tonight March 30 from 6-10 pm

First Floor Studio 112 (Cincinnati Art Club)!

Dawn is on the move and will be there tonight from 6-10pm and Saturday for Second Look Saturday from 11 am – 3 pm .only …

Then starting April 1, 2012

I will be moving to my NEW STUDIO 221 on the second floor.

Visiting the Pendleton Art Center is a really exhilerating evening out, enjoying 8 floors of art and enjoying wine and nibbles along the way! No pressure … just fun! Guaranteed to put a smile on your face after a long hard week of work!

Remember tonight walk all the way back to the CINCINNATI ART CLUB display on the FIRST FLOOR … that is where you will find me, Dawn B. Dwyer as well as other incredible artist from the Cincinnati Art Club!

Dawn B. Dwyer

www.dawnbdwyer.com

“Creating Fine Art you’ll want to pet!”

“Endless Possibilities” at the Pendleton Art Center January 27, 2012

YOUR BEST YEAR EVER … Welcome to 2012! 

Did you know that in ancient Rome, the month, January is named after Janus the god of the doorway?  In fact, it was a tradition to symbolically close the door on old troubles and open another to new possibilities. 

Nice idea!

I thought this painting would be a great one to feature this month because of the story it tells.  It just fits in with the new year and the endless possibilities the new year offers to all of us.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The world offers us endless possibilities. We just have to be ready to act without hesitation when the opportunities arise.  Because sometimes it is just a fleeting moment.  So now and then, we just need to take the chance, remove our shoes and get our feet wet.

Holiday Art Opening at Pendleton Art Center

pet portraits | wildlife | marine life | nature 

I have been working hard trying to get oil paintings completed for Final Friday (Nov. 25, 2011) at the Pendleton Art Center.  Below are some of the paintings I have been working on this past week and hope to have completed for the art opening held at my new studio at the Pendleton Art Center/Cincinnati on the 8th floor.

I will be easy to find, just come into the Pendleton Warehouse Studios and take the elevator straight up to the top floor (8th).  STUDIO 804-B

Final Friday and Second Look Saturday

Not only will you be seeing my work but also 8 floors of Studios will be open to the public.  Studio walks are a lot of fun and held the Final Friday of each month from 6 pm to 10 pm. Studios of the Pendleton Art Center are open to the public, giving guests the opportunity to view creative art space, as well as purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from artists. Second Look Saturdays offer another opportunity to experience the Pendleton and its artists from 11 am to 3 pm.  Below is a link for information about the Pendelton Art Center/Cincinnati and directions.

http://pendletonartcenter.com/cinci_wh_f8.html#whf8804B1

In the works and on the easel  …

Work in Progress 16 x16 oil "Angel in the Night"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making progress but still have a ways to go!

This painting was inspired by a night dive I did.  With only a flashlight in  hand to illuminate the darker water at 60′ an Angel Fish appears with all it’s beauty.

Help ... I need a Title for this 20x16 work in progress.

I really need help with the Title of this piece, so if something comes to mind please leave it in the comment section.  The painting is not complete yet but close enough for you to get a feel of it and an idea for a title.

The Challenges When Plein Air Painting

Here was my subject on day 1

 

Plein Air painting is always tricky and full of surprises.  You never know who you are going to meet while painting, what they will say to you nor what challenges you will face other than the on going moving shadows and changing subject.  In this particular case, I didn’t have enough time to finish my painting.  So I thought I would finish it up the next week if it was sunny.  Boy, was I surprised when I came back.

Oh my gosh ... they drained the Lake!

 

When I returned to finish the painting, this is what I saw.  It was just too funny.  Who would of thought they would drain the lake?  So not only was I dealing with a moving subject as the shadows changed everything, I had to also imagine where the water line would be on the rocks and what the water reflections would look like.

 

Mmm … I think this one will be finished in the studio.  Every painting has a story … there is no question about that.