Brunie is complete!

K9 Officer Brunie R.I.P.

Brunie 01-10-2011 to 09-28-1014, Over 15 Felony Apprehensions, 100 plus Bomb sweep/searches.  Brunie was not afraid to make the "call" when needed. Always ready.  Brunie saved many lives in his short time here, including mine and the citizens of the community, especially on August 1st 2013, when he took down the armed carjacking suspect on live TV that day.  As many don't see in the video, the suspect pulled a gun from his waist band and started to point it at us, at that time Brunie did his job and saved my life, the suspects life and others that day.  He was awarded the Patrol Case of the year for 2013 through the NPCA, National Police Canine Association.  Brunie was special to all of us, my wife, kids, family, co-workers.  In the end he paid the ultimate sacrifice, his life, doing his job, on 09-21-2014 he flushed a felony suspect out of the woods that was later arrested on a residence check.  Some where along the search he came into contact with something that effected his neurological system, he became very ill and would not eat or drink.  Brunie went from 76lbs. to 56lbs. in 8 days.  He was diagnosed with Dysautonomia, no cure, just grave.  The decision was made to let Brunie go.  Brunie did his job and did it well.  He served the citizens of KCMO well.  Another moment of good times was when the All Star Event of MLB was here in KC.  We had the detail of sweeping the infield and Brunie  relieved himself just passed Home Plate, priceless.  May he rest in peace EOW 09282014 K9 Brunie!  

Here is his step-by-step collage.

To return back to my website, click below:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

K9 Brunie

Meet K9 Brunie

K9 Brunie was the partner of Jason Brungardt.  Brunie died in the line of duty, such a brave hero!

Officer Brungardt gave me this information on his partner.

Brunie 01-10-2011 to 09-28-1014, Over 15 Felony Apprehensions, 100 plus Bomb sweep/searches.  Brunie was not afraid to make the "call" when needed. Always ready.  Brunie saved many lives in his short time here, including mine and the citizens of the community, especially on August 1st 2013, when he took down the armed carjacking suspect on live TV that day.  As many don't see in the video, the suspect pulled a gun from his waist band and started to point it at us, at that time Brunie did his job and saved my life, the suspects life and others that day.  He was awarded the Patrol Case of the year for 2013 through the NPCA, National Police Canine Association.  Brunie was special to all of us, my wife, kids, family, co-workers.  In the end he paid the ultimate sacrifice, his life, doing his job, on 09-21-2014 he flushed a felony suspect out of the woods that was later arrested on a residence check.  Some where along the search he came into contact with something that effected his neurological system, he became very ill and would not eat or drink.  Brunie went from 76lbs. to 56lbs. in 8 days.  He was diagnosed with Dysautonomia, no cure, just grave.  The decision was made to let Brunie go.  Brunie did his job and did it well.  He served the citizens of KCMO well.  Another moment of good times was when the All Star Event of MLB was here in KC.  We had the detail of sweeping the infield and Brunie  relieved himself just passed Home Plate, priceless.  May he rest in peace EOW 09282014 K9 Brunie!

Brunie was a dog which was donated to the Kansas City Police Department by the Pittsburg Steeler football player Ben Rothlisberger.  

Jason has a new partner named Rico.  Rico was also a donated dog!  He was donated by Deanna DePaco.  (She's my hero.) 

Here is a photo of Brunie but not the one he wanted me to do the portrait from!

So, Yvonne used it to create the card...that way, both photos are used!

No, instead he wants this one!  

Most artists would shrivel up at the thought of painting it, because teeth aren't easy to do.  But I'm welcoming the challenge.  

Here is the initial drawing.

MY WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE! Haha!

Normally I start with the eyes, but since there are none in this portrait, I'm forced to start with the nose and mouth.

I'm already seeing how I will have to put so much attention into that mouth!

One good ear deserves another!

(Although they're not done yet.)

I've also decided to give Brunie a background and here I was testing the colors.

I started to work on his head, and well, as I look at the eyes, I realize, I have to really make them look like they are shut tight!  Another challenge I've never had before, but I'm happy for these challenges, it keeps me fresh and continuously learning.

I will say Officer Jason was the FIRST officer who had the timing right of contacting me as I'm sending out the emails of what I'm working on and his enthusiasm kept me going.  He now also wants me to create his boxer.  

I have a long way to go on this portrait, a LONG way.  But he's coming along.

Here is more info on Brunie.

Officer Jason Brungardt will no longer patrol with his K-9 partner, Brunie.

On Sunday a veterinarian put down Brunie, a Belgian Malinois who had served with the Kansas City police since 2012.

Brunie had dysautonomia, which destroys the autonomic nervous system in dogs. Officers remain uncertain how Brunie contracted the disease. But they think he ingested something toxic on a recent search for a person in Belton. 

The dog’s death left Brungardt emotional Tuesday while discussing Brunie’s passing.

“The bond between officers and K-9 partners is extremely overwhelming,” said Brungardt. “You get to take your buddy home every day. It is the best job on the department.”

On Sept. 20, Brunie and Brungardt responded to a call from Belton police for help tracking someone who fled after a traffic stop. At some point in a 45-minute search, the person left the wooded area where police were looking for him. Officers arrested him later in Grandview.

“Brunie did his job,” Brungardt said. “He flushed the suspect out.”

But troubling symptoms appeared in Brunie the next day. He was dehydrated and lethargic, and had lost his appetite. 

“Normally, Brunie was super high-energy,” Brungardt said, “76 pounds of pure enjoyment.”

But over the course of the following week, Brunie’s weight dropped from 76 to 59 pounds. One visit to a veterinarian’s office soon was followed by two emergency visits. Brungardt stayed with Brunie over one 10-hour session while the dog received fluids intravenously.

“But there was no cure or fix,” he said. “The decision was made to let Brunie go.”

Brunie was a dual-purpose dog who deployed on patrol calls and was also trained to detect explosives. He was gentle when Brungardt took him home to his family, and to his own two dogs.

“But when the switch came on,” Brungardt said, “Brunie was ready to find bad guys.”

That was especially so on Aug. 1, 2013, when he responded to a carjacking. 

During a pursuit, the carjacker turned off Interstate 435 at the Winner Road exit. He fled the car and ran across a field carrying a gun. 

Among the officers pursuing him was Brungardt, who then deployed Brunie.

According to a citation from the National Police Canine Association, Brungardt yelled to the carjacker that he would release a police canine if he did not surrender. The carjacker “then drew a black handgun from the front of his waistband, at which time Officer Brungardt released canine ‘Brunie.’”

Brunie held onto the carjacker’s left hand with his mouth, according to the citation, and “took him to the ground, causing him to drop the gun.” Other officers soon took control of the man. 

Brunie received the canine association’s 2013 Patrol Case of the Year award.

“He saved my life,” Brungardt said Tuesday.

Brunie lived 3 years and 8 months. Such dogs can cost a police department about $12,000.

“But for me he was priceless,’ Brungardt said, “and in the end he made the ultimate sacrifice. He was a public servant, and the public deserves to know about him.”

Website down!

Upsetting news that my website will be down to probably the end of the year.  That means a ton of catch up work in January which I don't need!  So, since I decided to do the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge this coming January, I had to make some adjustments.  I was going to work in pastel, but, since I have so many K9's to do (which I'm shooting to have completed by then anyway...one can dream!), and two upcoming pastel commissions and two oil commissions, I found it only fitting to try something new...and work at my drawing table with pen & ink and possibly watercolor.  As much as I hate watercolor, I'll use it in a pinch, and this is a pinch.  I'm going to try new things.  Possibly loosen up a bit.  Purchased the supplies and it ran under $30, and that is a whole lot less than I spent on the last challenge.  I also discovered that I can ship the size work I'm going to do in a small box the post office carries for $5.95.  I have to work on a price now.  Something affordable so they all sell.  Nothing framed, but yes, matted.  Well, maybe framed if I find the right ones.  

Petra's portrait, step-by-step

There were many pictures of Petra, but this showed her intent "eye of the tiger" look, yet somehow a look of innocence all wrapped up in one.  The minute I saw this photo, I knew it was the one from which I was to create her portrait!

Here is the final portrait.

From the beginning.  Seeing her drawn in, I knew I was going to enjoy painting this portrait.

So I painted in the eyes, and nose, liked what I had, but, something told me I would rework both the eyes and nose more and more.  (I was right.)

This is the awkward stage that I hate to send to the owner/handler in an email because if they don't have an imagination, it could be hard for them to realize, all I'm doing is experimenting with color and testing what works.  I do explain it all, but they must wonder what on Earth is she doing to my dog?

So I keep going, and I like the ear a lot.

One good ear deserves another, yet, I'm not happy with those eyes, they look too much like staring.  I did begin to blend the colors, posted it on Facebook and got some nice reviews.  

I posted this on Facebook and everyone thought it was done...no, no, no!  That whole one side of her face wasn't done, and that was when I realized just how much the color of the paper was helping with the painting to my advantage!  

I pushed on, and reworked the nose, and then I concentrated more and more on the eyes.  I took away the large pupils I had in, and replaced them with glare and reflection, and smaller definition of a pupil and voilá, Petra was Petra!

I was really please with this portrait.  Such a pretty dog, so sad she had to leave this Earth so soon, but I got her down in infamy.  

Below is the step-by-step collage I make to send in an email to each officer so not only can they see it being created with an email step-by-step, but see it all in one place.  I love the mauve colors I chose for a frame.

Response from the officer?  

He wrote to me and said he was speechless.  

End of.  

Meet K9 Petra!

This was K9 Petra, 

and

here is her story, 

direct from her handler (daddy).

Petra came to the Colorado Springs Police Department with the hopes of being a patrol/narcotics canine officer.  She had a handler who did not see Petra's drive to be sufficient as a patrol/narcotics canine.  At times, a handler and canine do not have the bond to be a great team, therefore Petra was given to another handler within our department, who also handles another canine. Petra started to blossom with this handler, and became a canine that had a lot of potential. She did not have all of the tools that they were looking for to have her do patrol work, but the handler and department saw she had a high drive to hunt.  Therefore, she came to me to be trained and worked as a single purpose explosives detection dog. At the time, I was a first time canine handler, and did not know what to expect.  In the canine profession we call this " a green handler".  I was very green! They told me I needed to bond with Petra, by taking her home, and she would become part of my family.  I was still unsure, but within a couple of days I instantly felt the bond we had and she showed such great caring and affection for me and my family. We bonded so much that she became very protective of me, as well as my family! Then we began the training for Petra to be an explosives detection canine. She blossomed so well, she always had her nose to the ground and was always looking for the explosive odor. She was great, she had found her niche within the department and herself. She really made me look good as a brand new handler! I knew that we had created such a bond and felt that she basically stole my heart. I have had dogs as our house pets before, but with a police canine partner, it was different. I spent most of my day with her, and we would have done anything for each other. I finally understood the bond that officers have with their canine partners!  At home, Petra bonded fast with my family. She enjoyed playing with my home personal dog, and she became very attached to my wife and two sons. On our days off, we played ball in the back yard, and did a lot of walks. She had her days off, and that is when I wanted her to relax and be a pet and be home.  Of course on the work days, when I put on my black uniform and she saw me walking to the police cruiser, she would bark, spin around, jump, and was ready to go to work. I think she always had the look of where are you going without me?Unfortunately, I was only Petra’s handler for a couple of months, but it seemed so much longer, we were beginning to gel and become a great working team. Petra inspired me to be a better person, and taught me so many new skills as a police officer, and as a canine handler! When I lost Petra, I did not know if I was ever going to work another canine again, and if I did, how soon would it be before I was emotionally ready. Petra was a jewel, and impacted me so much that I felt she was my only partner I was ever supposed to be with. I took my time to grieve, and played it out in my head that Petra would want me to take on another canine partner, and continue the canine explosives detection program. The canine explosives program, for our department, was started by my sergeant and myself. We are both bomb technicians who saw the need for explosives canines after the Boston Marathon incident. We wanted to start the program and see it grow. When Petra passed away, we put the program in a time out, but realized after some time that we needed to continue this program and make it succeed with the other explosive detecting canine Belka, and my newest canine partner Britta. Britta was Petra’s original birth name before it was changed by her first canine handler. I wanted to pay respect to Petra by giving my new canine partner her original name! Petra would want me and my sergeant to see this canine explosives program grow and succeeded to the end, and that is what we are doing. 

 

I have been in law enforcement for approximately 15 years and have done a lot, and have seen a lot in my career. I enjoy my job and still look forward to coming to work every day; It has been a great 15 years. I can say the best part of my 15 years, is working with a canine, and mostly meeting and working with my girl Petra. I am very glad I was her last handler, and DAD! 

 

 

Shawn

Can this dog get any cuter?

Officer Shawn Mahon and his lovely Petra ready for work!

Rest in peace dear Petra, rest in peace.  

Just when you think "K9 Apollo" is completed, more is found to do.

This was K9 Apollo, a true hero.  

I'm working on his portrait using my normal methods of drawing, blocking in color, smearing, adding more color, working it and working it until I think it's done.  I also use an iPad to help me see things better.  I love that discovery, that I can zoom in to reveal more detail in my work.  It's drastically helped me!  

But, another way I've learned to improve my work is by using the program picmonkey.com

I like to use the collage feature where I can place my work next to the original, and for some reason, all the mistakes pop up, things I thought were okay, need more work, obvious things I should be seeing, come to light for me.  Again, it's helping me improve my work.  

Tools of the trade years ago meant using a magnifier glass, or enlarging a copy, then making the copy in color, even taking photographs or instant photos, but nowadays with the digital age, all you need is an iPad or a laptop to see your work so much easier.  Also, using programs like picmonkey which allows you to line your (what you think is finished) work, next to the original to see even more things that need changing, thus making your work better.  

Try it.  

Use your iPad.  Try Picmonkey, it's FREE!  

Click here to discover Picmonkey.  Play around with a photo that doesn't mean anything to you, you will suddenly get so hooked on that program!  

www.picmonkey.com

To return to my website, click here:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

You know you're busy when...

You know you're busy when you fail to have time to blog.  Since my last post in two months, I've created so many portraits I can't recall them all!  But I do know I did one cat because it's the second cat I've ever done, so that sticks out.

The K9 portraits roll in continuously, and I keep pushing them out, and the officers say the sweetest things after I put their precious partner down on paper.  (Love to make a cop cry.)  But it's a good cry.

I'm looking at more ways to get people to my website.  I believe that will be a quest for a long time!

I am going to approach the new lady at the Visual Arts Center about a possible radio show.  I can't do it at the house because I don't have a land line phone.  This is a dream of mine, and I want to make it come true.

Other than my artwork, applying myself to get a job teaching one day a week at the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda, Florida, there's not much I've done besides my artwork.  But that's okay, I'm focusing on my artwork.  That's the most important thing.

To return to my website, please click below:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

Collage of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

I painted 30 paintings in the last 30 days.

How many did you paint?

MOULIN ROUGE!

Moulin Rouge in French means Red Mill.  The Moulin Rouge is the birthplace of the can-can dance, which was in turn introduced to cabarets across Europe.  Now, it's a tourist attraction but the club's decor still contains much of the romance of the fin de Siècle France.  (Which means end of the 19th century characteristics.)

Unlike all the other paintings I did in this series, I decided to "cheat" a little and work on this painting a little at a time.  I'm so glad I did that, because red, as I know can be a very tricky color, also, painting so small with so much detail in the photo can also prove to be counter productive.  So, here's the first stage.

Then I added some reds and yellows.  I also started the marque below the windmill.

Some time yesterday, I got to this point.  I didn't know if this painting was going to make it, I was intimidated a bit by all the detail that had to yet go in.  Normally I don't mind detail, I crave it, but when crunched with a time factor, pressure adds up.  

But I took my time, and got it finished.  Not only that, I completed the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge.  I'm not one to normally get too stressed out when painting.  I figure, it's just a canvas, either throw it out to start fresh, or work it out, let the paint dry and keep working.  

The part I liked most about this painting was the marque under the windmill, I FUDGED it.  Haha!  I learned from a famous PBS watercolorist Bob Fagan how to create small people...trick is to not give them a neck.  (YIKES!)  But it works.  And the legs are just triangles, do not do feet.  (How do they walk?)  But it works.  Mind you, I'm not into watercolor, yet still, I learned something from him.  By the way, if you remember Bob Fagan, he was the one who did the lighthouses up in Michigan and he did a series on Sanibel painting beach scenes.  When I had my art supply store in Cape Coral, Florida, he used to teach there part time, and the women loved him, he was a lot of fun.  His classes were unique and I listened in on them from time to time, and we had a nice business relationship.  

Here is the original photo from which I worked.  We didn't go see a show, we just had a taxi driver take us there, but to get a taxi out of that place was a hassle.  Still yet, so glad I went and saw it!

Yes, I'd like to do this one larger...but no time soon, I have far too much work to do in the next few months, but perhaps one day!

So what did I gain from participating in this challenge?

1. I learned how certain paintings just are better large, and not every painting can be square shaped...landscapes are for a reason called landscapes...haha!

2. I learned you don't need so many brushes.  When I did keep track of which brushes I used, I see I have the same ones nearly all the time.  And I do like synthetic brushes best.  

3. Somehow Cerulean Blue makes it way into every painting I do...this one not the exception!  I think the only painting I didn't use Cerulean Blue was yesterday's "Honeymoon Rock", which was all in the yellow family.

4. I had fun picking out which photos to work from, and I'm glad I went with this theme of "Around the world in 30 Days" because it brought back the fun I had doing all that traveling.  I feel I did it at the right time in my life.  

5. I found that if I play French music when I'm painting the Eiffel Tower or other French scenes it helps.  Same goes with listening to Cuenca, Ecuador radio stations if I'm painting Ecuador!  When painting surf/coastal scenes, yes, I do play the sounds of waves...it just puts me in the mood...

6. I have a slew of paintings for shows, and/or, I have a slew of paintings to decide if I ever want to make them larger.

7.  I learned how to photograph my work when on a small easel and how to showcase it in a collage to show all sides and they look so pretty.  The paintings looked okay when you look at them from the front, but showing them on angles really enhanced them.  See below:

8. I've enjoyed and learned to make my housework less of a priority.  Sure I still cleaned, but did far less of it than I normally do.  I recently moved and although there are boxes out in the garage calling my name, I've been ignoring them, and I learned, they don't call out to my husband either, so why on Earth did I place such a priority on them?  They can wait!

9. I sharpened my self-discipline!  Well, to paint every day...just wish I could wake up in the morning and get my day going a lot earlier and not be such a late bird.  I did good at the beginning of the challenge, but as time went on, I slipped back into sleeping daytime, up nearly all night.  GRR.

10. I enjoyed posting every day, blogging and sharing this challenge with my new online group, which I also started during this month, which has doubled in membership while I was painting away! Below is a link to my art group on Facebook.

                      https://www.facebook.com/groups/1466582746952439/

Will I do this challenge again?  Well, if I do, I think I'll do it in pastels, as they store easier.  Try storing 30 paintings in a new home.  (I did it, but it's not easy.)

Oh, and I sold TWO paintings, hoping to sell more down the road.  Sometimes people have to think about it!   

Day 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

HONEYMOON ROCK

This is Honeymoon Rock, which is north of Jama, Ecuador.  Supposedly, if you go to that rock, you will have a good marriage.  I'm not superstitious at all, so it didn't matter to me.  But it made for a good painting.  

Here is the original photograph.

Day 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Today we're back in beautiful 

HONOLULU, HAWAII!

Although it may not look like the typical Honolulu setting, rest assured it is Honolulu, Hawaii, at a place called Kualoa Regional Park.  It is south of the Kahana Valley State Park, which if you look at a map of Oahu, the island Honolulu is on, it is at about two, nearly three o'clock if you viewed it as a clock.  WAY north of famous Waikiki Beach.  

You may say, "You go to Hawaii and take a picture of a tree?"  Well, I just found it interesting, besides, we had breakfast on Waikiki Beach that morning at famous Duke's, looking at Diamond head...so it was time to discover.  I was FORTUNATE that my husband STOPPED the car to take a picture!  But, this is only the painting, an inspiration of what it looked like, there is NO way I could represent how beautiful it looked like, at least not in a "painting a day" challenge!  Perhaps if I took more time, I could show how the clouds touch the mountains and it feels as if God's Heaven is meeting the Earth.  

On that thought, here's the original photo.

But I wanted to push the photo a bit, and decided to go with a minimum palette painting, so this was my result.

Kind of cool, isn't it?  Very Ansel Adams type, or Clyde Butcher style!  

Since I only had one day, and was frustrated to be under that pressure since I prefer to do quality rather than quantity, I decided to get a head start on the next two paintings due by the end of the month.  No, it's not cheating, in fact, even if you have a painting started a long time ago and finally finish it, it's consider a painting in a day!  

The limited palette colors I used for the Honolulu painting are:

Titanium White

Permalba Black

Cerulean Blue

(that's it, three colors)

And for brushes I also only used three:

#12 flat shader 

1/4" Angular shader

and a 

10/0 script brush to do all the leaves on the tree...trust me, I had that brush DANCING on the canvas!  

***********************************

So here's the next painting, which is called, "Honeymoon Rock" which is located north of Jama, Ecuador in a town called "Provincia de Manabi".  I guess if you go to that rock legend has it, you'll always feel like you're on your honeymoon.  (Yeah, right.)

I also "pushed" that photo with making it lead more into just yellows.  

Now, for my final painting for the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge...Moulin Rouge, in Paris!

Is it wishful thinking that those grays and blacks be partially dry so I can paint the rest, or am I a dreamer?  The Moulin Rouge is something I've always wanted to see, and photograph myself so I could paint it.  Nice how dreams are coming true.  Funny thing is, nearly no one knows...haha!  

The beige in those Moulin Rouge paintings will be done tomorrow while I have the yellowish colors out for the Ecuador painting.

So to recap, tonight I reminisced about Hawaii, Ecuador and Paris!  I had on Hula music, Spanish and French tonight on my iPhone.  Aloha, Si, and Qui.  BYE!

To return to my website, click below:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

Day 27 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Yes, I'm counting down the days...the challenge is getting to me, but knowing I learned a lot, I realize it was a good thing!  So let me take you on the adventure for day 27, which takes us to Venice, Italy!

Venice, Italy

On our trip to Italy, we went to Venice and well, although the buildings are dilapidated and in need of paint, but the ambiance of the city took my breath away.  Let me tell you ladies, if you like fit men, those gondoliers are FIT...it takes muscles and stamina to push those boats down the canals! 

This painting looks finished doesn't it?  Well, it isn't.  (Besides the lack of a signature, what else is it missing?)  An oar!  Haha!  I didn't realize I forgot to put it in until I took the photo of it!  So here it is, with the oar in the painting.  

All goes to show a few things...everybody forgets things...and well, we all make mistakes...but funny thing is, the painting works with or without it.  I think because as a viewer, you know it's Venice, and you know he's steering the boat with an oar, you don't necessarily need to see it.  That's quite cool.

I didn't use many colors for this painting, I used Permalba's White and Black, Cerulean Blue, and Cadmium Yellow Light...that's it.  Well, I take that back, I did use some original formula Titanium white as well because it was needed when I did the reflections.

Here is how I painted it.  I started with a general sketch.  I went in with cerulean blue mixed with Permalba white, using a flat brush for good coverage.  Then, after cleaning my brush, I mixed Cadmium Yellow Light with the Permalba White.  I wanted a greenish flash experience where the two meet in the sky, and it certainly wasn't hard to accomplish, it nearly made itself!  The setting sun was made with a real pale yellow, painted on real thin.  That's one place I got out the original formula Titanium white...I did a process called, "Fat over lean" which means, I put down a thin layer and topped it with a fat layer of paint.  I added in some gray clouds, and I mean, I simply dabbed it on, not really giving it much thought...and then went in with BOTH whites, one gives great coverage (the original) and one gives it flow (Permalba).  I mixed the two using my trusty "Hake" brush.  I love that thing to blend clouds, I use them in oils and acrylics, although I will be the first to admit, it's far easier in oils.

I went onto the water, looking for patterns, where the colors lied...and to get in that bright white of a reflection, I took out the original formula and applied a thick layer of it with a palette knife.  To use the palette knife, I only load a think "roll" of paint along the edge of the palette knife.  I learned that from TV art, not in school.  So yes, it's good to watch old PBS artists, you never know what you're going to pick up!  

Then I did the black with an angular shader.  I purchased a new angular shader, it was a red sable, which it's said that it's one of the better brushes to use...well, I didn't see any difference from my el-cheapo synthetic brushes...so don't waste your money.  When I got to the part of painting the gondolier, I used a small round to get the head shape and body. 

I finished it off (or so I thought I finished it off), with some dark gray put into the buildings to look like the sun was hitting it.  All along forgetting to put in the oar.  

Not until I started writing this blog did I think of the oar...and that was after I posted the photo.  

Such an amateur...haha!

If I was teaching a class, this is one I'd do to show color mixing, what to do first, second, and so on.  It's one, if I had the ability to, I'd make it into a video.  Of course, I'd need an editing crew!  

One thing about those TV artists is they seem to get the painting done in a half hour...no...no, no, they don't!  It's edited.  The same way the renovations on the Home and Garden Channel aren't done in an hour!  Think!  

Here's the original photo I took.  I only took it with my iPhone...if you can imagine that.  We were going out to dinner and we were going to walk to the restaurant (no, we weren't going to walk on water).  There happens to be a great walking system set up between the canals!  And the concierge at the front desk said, "We can taxi you there."  (In Venice, that means a boat...a taxi is a boat.)  So we took them up on their offer.  (Pay those prices they should!)  It wasn't a gondola though, it was a regular boat and I was standing on the boat leaning on the cabin to take the photo...it was so stunning, I just love Venice...and yes, I'd go back.  

By the way ladies...if you ever get to Europe, don't take a lot of bags, take one small purse, and of course one large canvas throw-away tote for your plane carry-on, because when you get to Venice, well, ANY city in Europe, but especially Venice...you're going to be amazed at all the purses, and the prices are more than reasonable.  My husband purchased a lot of glass.  I got purses.  When we were packing to leave he asked me, "Do you know how many purses you got while you were here?"  I said, "Oh, I guess three or four."  He said, "NINE dear, NINE!"  But my nine purses weren't as much as his glass...so there!  And yes, all the glass was shipped home which cost (the purses all fit in my luggage, I'm an expert at packing and stuffing a suitcase), so I came out ahead.  

Would I ever go back?  MOST DEFINITELY...it would make a great girls vacation.  After all, we could check out all the gondola drivers!  

This oil painting is 6" X 6" gallery wrap painted black on the sides.  $30 plus shipping.

I must wait for the paint to dry before I can ship it out.  

To return to my website, click here:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

Day 26 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"TILLY!"

Today's painting takes us down under to the continent of Australia!  A few years ago my husband and I went to Australia, and one thing I wanted to do was to hold a Koala.  Well, first place we went was the Taronga Zoo, in Sydney (later Princess Kate and Prince William went there).  But you may not hold Koala's in that "state" or "Providence" of Australia.  (What the big deal is I haven't a clue, but somehow Kate and Wills got to...they must have connections...haha.)  

Here's the actual photo I worked from...taken at the Taronga Zoo.  (I know I made a ton of mistakes...I'm pressed for time and yes, I'd like to paint a Koala again!)  

Here's a pic of me at that zoo.  In fact, this may be the same Koala, I'm not sure, there were so many!

And yes, you guessed it, I LOVE Koalas.  

It was hotter than hot that day as you can tell.  This was in the gift shop, and I was determined to get a picture TOUCHING a Koala if nothing else.  So I opted for a stuffed one.  Little did I know what was to be in my future!

So when we went to Melbourne, we went to the Melbourne zoo, but they didn't have a petting area for the Koalas but we learned a lot about them.  I think if I come back I'd like to be a Koala...for many reasons.  

So now we go to a small city named Kurunga...went on a train ride, which was cool, saw "Baron Waterfalls" which were very photographable, but I wanted to pet a Koala.  (When I have my mind set on something, I have my mind set.)  Well, guess what?  Yup...I got to hold a Koala and so did my husband and her name was "Tilly."  

Again, a super hot day, and remember I live in Florida and I love heat, but the weather down under was horrendous.   My husband also got to hold Tilly.

He loved her so much he wanted to take her home.  (Thank goodness the animal controller reminded him she wouldn't get through customs.)  But she was adorable...she would look right at you and she was gentle and very loving.  Although we heard different from the Australians, the contact we had was in a controlled area and it was fun.  This little Tilly didn't want to leave my husband's arms...I think it was love.  Haha!

You'd think we'd have ended there with zoos...after all, we'd been to three already on our trip...nah...we had ONE more to go to...the Australian Zoo, home of the crocodile hunter!  And this is where I got to pet animals I never DREAMED I'd get to pet...like this Bengal Tiger...and yes, it's real.    Ever hear that expression "Eye of the Tiger"?  Well, I got to see it and experience it.  The reason I could get so close and pet the tiger (I even held it's tail), was there was a zebra off in the distance and well, as nature takes it, Tigers love Zebras...yum...(Yuk!)  

I also got to pet...

a Kangaroo!  (Oh, they are so soft!)

...and I got as close as I could to an emu.  Everyone told me I was crazy...like as if that would stop me...haha!

I've fed giraffes!  (Same place Kate and Wills did...isn't that cool?  But we did it first!)

I once petted a cow in Ecuador...well, actually I fed him carrots...and he was such a piggy!

My husband's a big animal lover too, as you can see, pets and their people do start to look alike.  This was my Shar-pei named Carmella.

While in Australia, Ken stopped to pet a cow.  To his surprise, the cow WANTED to be petted, and petted and petted!

No matter where we go, the animals flock!  (Get it...flock?)

No, we really weren't pointing to penguins, it's a fake photo (the only one I have), but we did see them on Philip Island in southern Australia for their nightly Penguin Parade (google that...it's so cool).  We were forbidden to take photos as they are the smallest penguins there are, about the height of a Barbie doll.  Very unique...but...I did get pics of penguins at the Taronga Zoo...swimming, and at the Melbourne Aquarium walking around on snow and ice...pretty cool animal!

When we were in Australia at the Taronga Zoo (yes, that is the real background, isn't that a great shot?), Ken got to hold this gigantic bird.  The handler told us its eyesight was so good, it could see a rodent all the way over at the Opera House if it was there.  Simply amazing!

In New York City, we took a horse and buggy ride around Central Park.  I'm not much of a horse lover, but this one was nice...I think he really new how to pose!

At the Australian Zoo, we got to pet the oldest living tortoise.  Wow, are they ever unique, when you touch them, they feel you, even on their hard shell.  (Needless to say, we love zoos while vacationing, but the best ever was the Australian Zoo, by a long shot, and trust me, we've been to a lot of zoos.)

This was one of my favorite animals of all times, it's called an Echidna.  We got to pet it (in one direction only), and feed it a mixture of raw hamburger meat with fillers.  It's little tongue tickled my hand, I giggled like crazy.

Okay, one last photo...taken close to home at the zoo in Tampa called the Lowrey Park Zoo.  

For those who know my family, know who this one looks like...hahahaha...

I'm so bad...accurate, but bad...haha.

Hope you enjoyed my journey of zoos I've been to.  I just had to paint a Koala...very unique and soft and fuzzy, but quite heavy, far heavier than I ever dreamed they'd be.  Oh, by the way, at the Australian Zoo, we had free reign to the hospital Steve Irwin designed to see all the hurt Koalas...some were just coming out of surgery and were zonked out...they get his by cars all the time.  So sad.

I highly recommend if you ever get to Australia, don't leave without going to the Australian Zoo.  Even if you're not an animal lover, the place is amazing.  And go all out...get the biggest "Grand Adventure" like we did so you get insider access to pet animals only others can watch you do, get driven around in a golf cart so there's no long walks (trust me, it's the size of a good sized city), you get your own tour guide, and best part, they give you a photographer for the day and they print out some photos for you to take home immediately and the rest are put on a disc...and they even feed you all day, it's so worth it.  Pricey, but it's one of those once in a lifetime experiences.  I hope you get to go sometime.  

To return to my website, click below:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

But...if you wish to know what colors and brushes I used, read on!

The colors I used for "Tilly" are:

Permalba White and Permalba Black

Indianthrone Blue

Burnt Sienna

Cadmium Yellow Light

Vermillion

Red Rose

The brushes I used to paint Tilly are:

3/8th Angular Shader

#4 Filbert Bristle (it was ratty)

5/0 Round (small)

#2 Round

Liner

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed painting this and long to paint it again.  Larger though...and as a landscape style canvas.  I think it makes such a difference when you like what you're painting.  

See you tomorrow!