5/27/10

How Strong Is It? No Really . . .



Just for my own information I soaked one of my mounted watercolor paintings in a bathtub of water, and left it floating on top overnight. Not even a smidgen of paint soak off into the water, nor did any of the paper loosen from the canvas.

So, I then drowned it totally with water, filling the back side with water as well. The entire canvas was weighted down and under water, again leaving it overnight. This time, paper did begin to bubble up from off of canvas backing where it was beginning to loosen. But it took the water actually penetrating through the canvas, back to front, for paper to move.

This photo is what was left of the original watercolor paper, which had been mounted onto Gallery Wrapped Canvas, after I worked at stripping paper off. And believe me, it did take work . . .

P.S. Painting I used for this test had already been ruined during process of painting. Just decided to mount and test for the purpose of seeing how strong these Watercolor's mounted onto Canvas actually are.

5/24/10

Newest Mounted Watercolor: "LILLIES & LILAC'S"

This is an Original Watercolor Painting on 140 lb Arches Watercolor Paper mounted on 1.5" deep Gallery Wrapped Canvas, which is the latest custom method Watercolor presentation.



"Lillies & LiLac's" 12"x12"x1.5" Watercolor
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5/12/10

Save The Dals: Letter Of Thanks



We are pleased and honored to have received this letter of thanks from Save The Dals organization, which relates to donated funds received from sale of Painting, shown here as well. This is a heartwarming story of a man and his dog. . .

Years ago I had Painted this Dalmatian, named "Fiasco", but immediately lost contact with his owner, Mr. Bradly Kathol, who was known by my neighbor at the time, but neither of us at that time knew his name. And then we moved . . . and though from time to time I would use the Painting in shows, it never sold. Then the economy turned bad, and I was ready to place the Framed Dalmatian up for sale once more, at a much reduced price. However, something in the back of my head kept nagging . . . find his owner! I had even talked with my prior neighbor, who still lived on our old street, but no longer saw the same man walking his dog on our old block!

So I turned to our local newspaper for help. They placed an image of my Painting in that next Sundays newspaper, along with the story of the lost Dalmatian owner. It did not take long and I received an email. Mr. Kathol's brother had seen the Sunday paper and recognized not only the dog, but the carpet on which Fiasco was laying in the painting!

Local artist seeks owner of dog in painting
Does this dog look familiar?

Wichita artist Vera Dennen is looking for the dog's owner, whom she met in 2004 or 2005.

Dennen said she met the man while he was walking his dog in the 4100 block of English.

"I had seen him walking his dog several times by our house," Dennen said. "It was such a beautiful, striking dog, I asked him for a picture and asked would he mind if I painted it."

The man gave her a photo of the dog and his contact information, which she lost, Dennen said. She has since moved to another part of Wichita.

Dennen would like to find the dog's owner so she could share the painting with him and provide him a print.

"This work was not solicited by the man walking his dog, so am not concerned with a possible sale here at all," she said. "If it was my dog, I think I would like to see it."

If you think you recognize the dog in the painting, e-mail Dennen at vera@veradennenstudio.com.

—Diane McCartney

Read more: Click Here To Read Paper
Anyway, it tuned out that Fiasco had passed away two years before, and the very grateful owner insisted on paying for the already framed painting! I was just sooooooo very happy that my beloved Dalmatian Painting had finally found the home where it belonged, that nothing would make any sense but to place a full price donation in the hands of Save The Dals, for their wonderful and extensive work in behalf of this breed.

And here is their letter of thanks, which I shared with Mr. Kathol.

5/9/10

Collaboration between V & V: "Red Moon Rising"


"Red Moon Rising" 3 canvas 18"x 24" each

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The very first collaboration between the two V's! What fun this has been. I had painted the blossom's and tree, but the painting seemed to lack 'punch! On a whim I passed it on to my daughter, Veronica, saying ". . . try your hand at saving it!" Which she did! And quite beautifully as well, I might add.

Not too bad having realism in painting and a flare for the abstract living under one roof. Plus, Veronica's husband, Cory, has become quite the one for coming up with innovative names!

5/5/10

Veronica Strikes Again: BLOCK PARTY

"BLOCK PARTY"
2 Canvas Acrylic: 36"x24"x3/4" & 18"x24"3/4"

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When this girl of mine paints a winner it really comes across strong. I am loving these coming from Veronica's Pool House Studio . . . maybe it's the sound of lapping water that so inspires her! LOL! I know that I still miss the sound of lapping waves in early morning. Got so spoiled living on either coast (and I do mean 'right on' either coast), nothing like the sounds of surf when just waking up.

Anyway, we are placing this one on eBay as well, and really do not expect it to be there very long at all. Unless I really, really miss my guess, it should be gone in first 10 days of offering! Will be interesting to watch anyway . . .