"Helping Paws" Update

I received an email from Eric at Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue letting me know that the donation they received from the sale of the pen and ink drawing "Pick Me!" that I did for the Canine Art Guild's fourth annual "Helping Paws" exhibit - an event to raise funds and awareness with a portion of the proceeds going towards the artist's designated rescue/shelter - would be going towards little Olivia's emergency clinic bill, and I couldn't be happier.

Born December 7th, little Olivia and her seven siblings were rescued along with their Momma Ella from a West Viginia kill pound - a place where, because of their breed, they were unable to be adopted to the public and slated to be euthanized if a rescue organization could not be found to take them.

The dedicated people behind Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue were not about to let that happen.

On Christmas Eve, at just fifteen days old, the pups began to show symptoms of pnuemonia - Olivia's the worst, and she was taken by her foster to the emergency clinic, where they gave her, and the rest of her litter a grim prognosis, telling SPBR that the pups would not make it. Again, the dedicated people behind Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue were not about to let that happen. After incurring a $1,500.00 vet bill for Olivia's emergency clinic two-day stay, she was taken home to have volunteers continue her treatment - oxygen, nebulizer, Unasyn and tube feeding - round the clock. The other pups were put on antibiotics and their condition improved.

Olivia improved daily in their care, and is now happily reunited with her siblings and will be available for adoption in early February.

Read the whole story about this family's incredible journey here: Ella and Eight

If you are able to help, you can Chip In for Olivia's vet bill until January 22nd. Donations after the 22nd can be made by clicking on the link on the left hand corner of Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue's home page: http://www.spbr.org/. Thank you!!

If you haven't visited the Canine Art Guild's "Helping Paws" exhibit, please stop by and be sure to cast your vote for the People's Choice award by January 31st - a monetary donation which also goes to the artist's designated rescue. I would be thrilled to have you place your vote for "Pick Me!" on behalf of Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue!

Pic of Olivia courtesy of Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue

100 Day Initiative

Beginning Wednesday, September 15 I hope you will join me as I embark on this initiative: 100 Days/100 Works.

The main goals of this initiative are to allow myself the opportunity to explore diverse subject matter, develop my skill and technique in various mediums; focusing on form versus scale while developing a body of work that will provide a platform from which larger pieces may be created - as well as maintaining discipline through accountability: namely, to you, the viewer.

Each original work will be approximately 5x7" and will be posted on a daily basis. A separate blog page has been set up, as well as a portfolio at SolacePointe.com.

If you would like to receive daily or weekly updates directly, please submit you request via the guestbook, or email me at betsy@solacepointe.com.

Here's looking forward to what the next 100 Days brings!

Work in Progress

Untitled

Pen and Ink drawing in progress. This is a head study of a pair of Gelderlanders in harness. Strathmore Bristol, 2 ply vellum. Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph technical pen 4 x 0, .18mm. Overall dimensions are 13 1/2" x 11 1/4".

In this series of posts, I will be sharing five pen and ink drawings in progress, allowing the viewer insight to my drawing process, and the opportunity to see as the work develops with each additional layer. I am not currently set up to photograph the work properly, so these images are not the best quality; hopefully they will suffice for now.

Ideally, I would have begun with the rough sketch; however, this is a piece that was already in progress, as are some of the others I plan to add to this series. As many of you know, I do not work on one piece at a time; rather, there are probably three to five pieces in progress simultaneously. This method of working allows me to put something aside and return to it with a fresh perspective, as often, especially when blocking in large areas that require an immense amount of time, the direction of the work is lost. Working on several pieces at once allows me to minimize down time. Setting aside a drawing when that point is reached can be crucial to the finished piece. Pen and ink is a very unforgiving medium, and mistakes are not easily reworked, if at all - though that is one of the things I enjoy about working in this medium: you are committed to each mark you make.

Generally, a drawing is approched very much like a puzzle: broken down into shapes - isolating those shapes and then piecing them back together until the final image emerges. In this image, the largest areas have been blocked in first; each section made up of rows of lines approximately 1/4" long. A second layer has been added cross direction, to the outside horse's cheek and neck.

In the next post, areas of light and shadow will begin to emerge.