Paws in Reflection

"Taking a Breather"

8x10 soft pastel on PastelMat

Reference my own

Original and Prints for sale

In one of the FB art groups to which I belong, someone just asked the group what their thoughts were on those who try to tell others what is and is not art. This is my response:

"I don't believe in gatekeeping. I don't believe in belittling creative expression, no matter what form it takes. I don't believe in being judgmental in regard to art. I don't believe in "rules." I don't believe formal training is a must. It does benefit some, and some enjoy it, but the absence of that training does not mean someone is less of an artist. If you're focusing on rules, you might have missed the point of art... As for whether it's happened to me, I've had the occasional experience there. It's rare, but it's happened. And it's always someone who is an artist. None of my non-artsy friends have ever been as elitest and judgmental as some of the artists I've met. And THAT said, the vast majority of the artists I've met are cool about it too. But there are always those few who for some reason feel they have the right to define, dictate, and judge others and art. Now don't get me wrong. I've seen some things I just plain don't like. But I also recognize that art is subjective, and just because I don't care for it doesn't mean its value is less. Someone else might love it, and even if they don't, it is someone's creation and I'll not judge. And THAT said, I sometimes think there are cases where the creator of a piece did it just to have a laugh and watch the reactions."

Now, I'm fortunate to have many artist friends, and all of them are awesome folks who do not get into that elitest snobbery. To Cj Anderson, Courtney Kelly, Dana Reyhons, Brian Despain, Marggot Land, and any of my other artist friends that I might have missed, thank you for being awesome and real and not getting judgmental toward others. All of you are the best and I appreciate you all. Oh, and you all create wonderful pieces of art!

PRINTS AVAILABLE
2014 - Out Foxed - Red Fox

This my brother and sister in law's Newfoundland, Dagean. Their reaction when I gave it to them definitely made this entirely worthwhile!

"Dagean"
8x10 Soft Pastel on PastelMat
Reference from my own pic

SOLD!

So, this is something very different from my normal work. There was a call for space-themed art from one of the local military bases, so I decided to put something together for it. After wracking my brain for what I could do, I decided to step way outside my regular comfort zone and did this piece. I actually did it back in May, but didn't want to post it until after I got it back after it being displayed for about a month.

"Meanwhile...on Triton"
8x10 soft pastel on PastelMat
I pictured it in my head, but then found some pics on Shutterstock to use for reference to support my vision.

"Pearl" has safely made it into her Mama's hands, so now I can post.

Pearl was an extraordinarily special little dog. The older Italian Greyhound was found in someone's yard, and the home owner took her to the local shelter. There she sat, and no one claimed her. Luckily, someone at the shelter contacted a rescue group, and my wonderful friend Cj saw the post. Pearl was about an hour and a half from her, but she didn't hesitate to go and get her, originally with the idea of fostering her.

When Cj got there, the shelter carried Pearl out to Cj. It wasn't until she got the frail, elderly little dog home that she discovered that Pearl couldn't walk. Clearly, she hadn't wandered into that yard where she was found, since she couldn't walk. The best guess is that she was either dumped there or very close and was able to struggle her way that far and no further. Well, Cj instantly knew she'd be keeping Pearl for however long the little dog might have left. After a lot of vet care, and Cj finding ways to do physical therapy with Pearl, and even purchasing a laser for therapy, Pearl not only regained the ability to walk, but she was actually running!

Sadly, Pearl's overall health was still compromised by her early years of neglect, and my friend had her for just one short year before her condition suddenly declined. My friend made the agonizing decision to end Pearl's suffering.

Upon receiving Pearl's portrait today, my friend had many wonderful things to say about it, but the one that touched me the most was, "I can't stop looking at her. She's back with me."

"Pearl" Italian Greyhound
9x12 soft pastel on PastelMat

The following is either a long post or a short essay, depending on how you look at it. Just my thoughts on something I often see in the "art community" at large.

Why do photorealism?

I belong to a lot of art groups on Facebook. I find it valuable and interesting to expose myself to as many artists, styles, thoughts, etc. as possible. This by no means indicates that I agree with all the thoughts expressed in these groups, however. On a regular basis, I see some variation of, “What are peoples’ thoughts on photorealism/realism/hyperrealism? I mean, I appreciate the time and the skill to create it, but it feels cold to me. Why not just take the photo?” By the way, I absolutely adore the “What are peoples’ thoughts” part of these posts. That’s just so cute. It’s meant to push an opinion, and is really looking either to instigate folks, garner head nods and agreement, or both. It’s belittling and narrow, and it makes me wonder about why folks feel the need to put down realism as an artistic style. Although I’m not a big fan of some art styles, I don’t feel a need to deride them. I often reply to these "what's the point" type of posts, although I also often wonder why I bother. But I feel I do have a knack for putting things into words, and can express what a lot of people want to say in response. So, here are just a few of my thoughts on realism:

• Just because some of my work can be mistaken for a photo does not mean that it could be mistaken for the photo or photos I used for reference in developing my piece.
• I don’t just reproduce a photo. Far from it. I improve on it. I enhance lighting elements, bring vibrancy, contrast, etc. to the piece. I edit out undesirable elements (I mean, who really wants the basket of laundry in the background, even if the dog/cat/whatever has the best expression and pose ever?)
• Just because it “looks like a photo” does not mean that each artist’s individual style doesn’t shine through. You could have dozens of artists paint the same subject, and get dozens of different paintings. Even if all the artists were well matched as regards their overall skill, their perception of that subject, combined with how they make their brush/pencil strokes, how they develop their layers, etc. will impact the final piece of art.
• Specific to pet portraits, I personally put a lot of love and a bit of myself into every piece. I consult with my customers to get a feel for the pet’s personality, beyond what I can see in the reference, and I strive to imbue each portrait with that pet’s essence. I want to bring them to life and capture not just their physical attributes, but their very soul. And I want my customers to see that finished piece and see their beloved and unique pet looking back at them. And my clients want that realistic portrayal of their pet and find that the effort to create that image makes it more personal.
• I almost feel a bit sorry for those who don’t get why some of us produce realistic art. They clearly don’t appreciate the passion and emotion that goes into creating something that is beautiful and rich and shows an element of our world in the most gorgeously detailed way possible. There is something in the concept of the collaboration of body and mind in this process that is a privilege to experience. There is abject joy in getting to know that piece of art as it develops from a flat, blank surface to a captured moment in time, using only pigments and tools to make it so.

This is "Lily." She has been safely received by her owner, so I can now post her. Lily was the bestest of pugs and was a rescue that had a rather horrid start in life. But a friend of mine adoptedher and gave her a life of luxury for the rest of her days. "Lily" is done in PanPastels and pastel pencils on 9x12 PastelMat.

"Nom Nom Nom" - 8x10 PanPastel and assorted pastel pencils on PastelMat. Reference used with permission.
The subject here is a little, rescued koala named Indiana Jones. He was still being bottle-fed at the time the reference was taken, but as you can see, he's also started learning the joys of eucalyptus leaves! This little guy will be released back into the wild when he's ready.
The original, as well as prints, of this piece will be available soon. One print will be sent to group in Australia who rescued this little guy.

Thank you to Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue Ltd for the kind use of one of their pictures to use as a reference.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Due to overwhelming demand, I am not able to take any more commissions until I catch up a little. I'm currently booked to the end of 2023. If we've already discussed a portrait and I've told you you're on the list, you still are. I anticipate opening the books back up at the beginning of 2022. If I can get some pieces done faster, I may be able to open back up earlier.

Thank you for your understanding!

Sincerely,
Dawn Leverington
Paws in Reflection

This is Chance. He's been safely delivered so now I can post him. PanPastels and pastel pencils on PastelMat, 12x16.

I've been waiting a hot moment to post this one! Got it done a little ways back, but had to wait until I could get it to its new owner before I posted it.

"He's a Fancy Boy - Blixa" - 9x12 PanPastel and assorted pastel pencils on PastelMat

I belong to quite a few art groups on Facebook. There was recently some comments on one post about college art courses that define what is "true" art and following "rules." I thought, Man! It's a good thing a lot of the old masters didn't subscribe to such a limited way of thinking!