“The Red Aussie”

Painting/ 26” X 18” Pastel and acrylic on a sanded support

The resource photos for this piece were done in an open field in late summer. The warm, field grasses and wild flowers were a perfect background for the rich red coat of the dog. I put the dog into that situation because I knew it would give me the information I needed for that particular piece.

I am often asked if I can work from existing photos and the answer is always “no”. I only work from my own photos.

I use photos for information only. I take that information and create something unique out of it. Most pieces are combinations of information from many photos. I never show resource photos to clients because….it is not about the photographs.

The exception to this would be if the dog is deceased. I would always ask to see the photos before making a commitment to a client.