My Blogging Cat or Why Tech Support Prefers the Mouse

Creating a blog post can be a challenging activity. Some days the words and ideas flow easily. Other days - not so much. Either way, I always have to cope with my ever eager, computer blogging cat.
Today I'm posting a picture of my feline tech support, Sullivan.

The minute I sit down to work, Sullivan shows up to assist.

Between hogging the view of the computer monitor and making a grab for the mouse, Sully manages to dodge all attempts to dethrone him from his post. Pushing a cat is like pushing water. I've learned to sometimes "go with the flow".

Although determined to persevere in his computer activities with the monitor and mouse, Sullivan has learned that pawing the keypad and deleting posts results in a very loud, annoying scream that is to be avoided at all costs.

It's an acceptable compromise between two strong wills. Now if I can just get him to take up Daily Painting...

Dolphins paint. Elephants paint (See comments by California painter Ed Terpening on post for Aug 20). And today I found a site that exhibits art work created by cats (http://www.monpa.com/wcp/galleries.html). This gallery even has a section on "how to spot forged cat paintings". I guess you wouldn't want to buy an original painting by a famous cat artist that was forged by a dolphin...

Now if I can just get my blogging cat to paint...

This post is for my husband who will enjoy seeing his favorite cat online while he remains hospital bound. Cheers, Dana!

"Portrait of a Sculptor" In the Studio After Pouring Bronze

"Portrait of a Sculptor" is a variably wiped zinc plate etching of a young sculptor hard at work in the studio. It's another example of the unique effect that can be gotten by using values of one color in a work of art.

The monochromatic treatment of the subject gives the portrait an expressive, timeless quality I don't think would have been accomplished if I had used a full color palette.

This portrait was included in a Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibition at the historic Old City Jail in Charleston.

"Portrait of a Sculptor"
Sepia zinc plate etching
Image size: 13" x 10"
Price: $350.00

Dolphin Picassos?

Yesterday David commented on the painting "Dolphin Watchers" adding remarks about dolphins in a research center in Fla. called Dolphins Plus (www.dolphinsplus.com) who paint.

I checked the site and read about two dolphins who have been "playing with paint and expressing themselves in a new way"- with artistic creations.

The dolphins enjoy being given brushes with paint which they hold in their mouthes and make deliberate designs on an art board. They swim back to look at their creations between strokes which vary from "broad slashes to carefully crafted circles."

It's an interesting story and another sign of dolphin intelligence. Check it out!

"Dolphin Watchers" Spotting Wild Dolphins in Charleston Harbor

Few creatures inspire as much pleasure and excitement as dolphins. Today's painting, "Dolphin Watchers" captures the moment when three figures on the beach near Fort Moultrie spot wild dolphins in Charleston Harbor.

As they shield their eyes from the afternoon sun, one figure points to the spot she's just seen the dolphins surface, another strains to see these beautiful, playful creatures, as a third tries to capture the memorable moment with her camera.

"Dolphin Watchers"
Oil on canvas panel

"Bradley" An Intaglio Portrait

I have recently had the pleasure of talking with Clare Penny, a portrait artist working in Scotland. Clair and I have been discussing the many challenges of portraiture, including painting accurate skin tones in our works. We've also been talking about our tonal portraits.

Clare has an interesting one color portrait on her website www.clarepenny.com. of a laughing girl. See a link to her website in the "Recommended Links " right side column. She also has just completed a wonderful portrait entitled "Sianainn" that you'll want to see.

I'm posting a monochromatic (one color) intaglio portrait I completed awhile ago, to show how using values of one color can create an interesting portrait.

Portrait artists have long used monochromatic drawings as preliminary studies for commissioned portraits. In many cases these studies have become as popular and valued as their more formal works.

I'd love to hear from other portrait artists about their tonal portraits or tips they find helpful to create great skin tones in their paintings.

"Bradley"
Sepia intaglio etching
Price: $350.00

"Cool Waves, Hot Day" A beach painting by Charleston Artist Katherine M. Schneider

Now that both bite victims are are thankfully recovering from their injuries, I can focus again on my seascape painting.

Today's painting is of seaside fun in the surf with a blue boogie board. What a great way to beat the heat!

Charleston's beaches are a popular spot now that we're in our second week of a record setting heat wave.

"Cool Waves, Hot Day"
Oil on cradled panel
11" x 14"
Price: $375.00













Two Shark Attacks Reported at the Isle Of Palms Today

Two shark attacks in one day are highly unusual for Charleston. I was painting at the beach on the Isle of Palms today because it was the coolest place to be outside in this 98 degree record breaking heat. Thankfully, I didn't see the attack on a 9 year old boy who was playing in the surf about 2:30. I did talk to a witness who said he saw a lot of blood in the water around the boy. The boy appeared limp and in shock as his father carried him from the water. Please say a prayer for this boy and his family.

A short while later about 4:30, a 30 yr. old man was bitten on the ankle a couple of miles up the beach at Wild Dunes. The local ABC news coverage reports that he is in surgery and doing well. Please keep both of today's bite victims and their families in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

I talked with Renee Williams of Ch. 4 (ABC) who was doing a live remote broadcast at Chas. County Park. She told me the last reported shark bite in Charleston was in 2003. The last death from a bite here was in 1883. The beach was closed for a while after the attack, but swimming resumed later in the afternoon.

I'm a long distance swimmer and former "surfer girl" who has swum in these same waters all my life. Occasionally I have been "bumped " by large fish and have always known that I was in their territory when I entered the water. Caution, not fear is always appropriate when in the ocean.

l have seen many sand sharks in these same waters. They are rarely aggressive. We have many varieties of sharks in the Lowcountry. Most of the time we are more of a problem to them than they are to us. However the recent heat may have been a factor in the 2 attacks today.

Today's painting will be posted later due to all the activity surrounding this highly unusual and unfortunate shark attack in the water at the Isle of Palms.

"A Lack of Communication" A Slice of Life Painting by Charleston Artist Katherine M. Schneider

Cell phones and concrete surfaces don't mix well. My cell phone was a recent victim of a fall onto concrete. The result? A major lack of communication.

Just one of those days, a slice of life that made it's way onto a panel as a post card size daily painting.



"A Lack of Communication"
Oil on panel 6" x 4"
Price: $75.00













"Portrait of a Reporter" by Charleston Artist Katherine M. Schneider

Contemporary portraits are taking on exciting, unexpected new forms. Modern portraits often show elements of a person other than a face that express a person's personality as much as a traditional likeness can.

The Post and Courier ran an article about Daily Painters in which my artwork and blog were included. The cover story "Art of the Deal - All In A Day's Work" by Kyle Stock generated much interest in regional art blogs. (Check out the link to this article in the sidebar "Recommended Links" The Post and Courier Article...)

Being interviewed for the article and seeing reporters at work in the darkened expanse of a busy, city newsroom were the inspirations for today's painting.

"Portrait of a Reporter"
10"x 8"
Oil on birch panel
Price: $125.00