Friday, August 29, 2008


Ellie

Oil on board, 10" x 8"
NFS

The dailys are a little less frequent lately, as I continue to work on larger works and commissions.

Here's a recent commissioned piece--an exotically beautiful Ridgeback Hound named Ellie. Ellie lives in Oklahoma and apparently has a passion for frisbees. Among the photos her owners sent me for reference was a short video of Ellie catching one. I'll try to post it on the blog, if I can figure out how to do it.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

This piece makes me want to go hunting. Autumn is near. I bet that home grown tomato was as sweet as it looks.

indiaartist said...

Love it as much as I liked'homegrown'. I'll get back to see more. Warm wishes.

Don Gray said...

Summer's slipping away, isn't it Bill? You're right about that tomato--yumm!

Don Gray said...

Thanks, Manjiree. I appreciate your coming by.

Sheila Vaughan said...

Great painting Don, great dog personality and weird because today I stopped painting bicycles and painted my daughter's dog!! And they could be distant cousins by the look of them!
by the way not sure the video clip is bbc standard yet but it sure tested my reactions

Don Gray said...

Well Sheila, there's no other explanation for it than great minds think alike, right? Thanks for the kind words.

Diana Moses Botkin said...

Beautiful job on this portrait. The dog looks very sweet and intelligent.

martha miller said...

Hi Don

I think that you are tops at dog portraiture! This is such a handsome painting. I love the blue highlights on the fur and that wonderfully painted moist nose! He does indeed look very bright! Nice juxtaposition between this very still and serious portrait and the little video clip of him running and playing!

Ever see David Hockney's series of dog paintings?

Now I'll close with this little prayer:

God,
please let me be the person that my dog thinks I am.

:^)

Don Gray said...

Ha Martha, I love that prayer...so true you can do no wrong in your dog's eyes.

I'm not sure I have seen Hockney's dogs. I'm fairly familiar with his work but just don't recall a series of dogs. Time for a Google search :) Thanks for the encouraging words!

martha miller said...

here's a blurb about hockney's book of dog paintings:

DAVID HOCKNEY'S DOG DAYS
David Hockney

"A charming collection . . . an essential book for the dachshund or Hockney lover." —The Mail on Sunday

NEW IN PAPERBACK

"From September 1993, I painted and drew my dogs. This took a certain amount of planning, since dogs are generally not interested in Art (I say generally only because I have now come across a singing dog). Food and love dominate their lives.

"I make no apologies for the apparent subject matter. These two dear little creatures are my friends. They are intelligent, loving, comical, and often bored. They watch me work; I notice the warm shapes they make together, their sadness and their delights. And, being Hollywood dogs, they somehow seem to know that a picture is being made." —David Hockney

David Hockney introduces his two dachshunds, Stanley and Boodgie, in this delightful collection. The result of both sharp observation and affection, these paintings and drawings are lyrical studies in form and design. A text by the artist gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how to work with models that don't necessarily want to sit still.

Don Gray said...

Thanks for the info, Martha.