Saturday, September 2, 2017

Uptown Girls

"Zoe and Friends", 18" x 30" oil on canvas. Copyright 2017 K. Widger
Four little precious souls!  One of the most delightful things I get to do when I'm asked to paint someone's sweet dog or cat is to meet these little sweeties when I photograph them.  We took about 200 photos of these girls and ended up with a dozen or so that served as reference for this painting.
It is done in shades of gray, with color only on their soulful eyes and pink collars.
From Left to Right:  Shyla, Isabella, Zoe and Layla

Monday, July 17, 2017

Reina in Red

"Reina in Red" copyright 2017 K. Widger, 12" x 12" oil on canvas

This is a commission piece  given by one good friend to another for their birthday.  The recipient's home is decorated in contemporary decor, so we decided to go with this, more graphic rendering of this beloved Schnauzer, Reina. It was tons of fun to paint!

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Khan and the Tiger

Khan & the Tiger, 20" x 20", oil on canvas, copyright 2017 K.Widger

Ever since I saw "Life of Pi", several times, featuring the Bengal tiger called 
 Richard Parker, I have wanted to paint a Bengal.  It's not as easy as you 
might think to come up with a photo of a particular type of animal that
 is good enough to use as a reference, that "says" what you want it to say,
 especially if there are no Bengal tigers in your immediate area, or within 
many hundreds of miles, for that matter.  I am thankful to Artist Reference 
Photos for the use of this one, taken by a generous photographer of a 
Bengal tiger in a refuge.  (I added the Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, 
as a sort of "counterpoint" to the strength and power of the tiger, 
and artists always take certain liberties with photographs, by necessity).  

All the Big Cats are critically endangered now.  Their habitats are shrinking
 daily, their meat and body parts in ever increasing demand for folk 
medicine. I hope to draw attention to their strength, their majesty, and 
their right to exist safe from poachers and those who would profit 
from their extinction.  The next time you see a Big Cat in a zoo or
 sanctuary or preserve, consider that it might be the last Big Cat you will 
ever see alive.  

All of my paintings are available for purchase.  If you see one you are
 interested in, please contact me.  Gallery inquires welcome.  And you can
 purchase prints and other merchandise of most of my animal paintings 

Your comments and feedback are always welcome. Thanks for looking!

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Baby Buffalo

BABY BUFFALO copyright 2017 K. Widger 24" x 18" oil on canvas

Way to go, Baby Buffalo!  I've never been to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA, but that's a place I'd love to be, and where this young man lives.  My thanks to the excellent photographer who supplied this reference photo, Gary Peters.

I enjoyed playing with the orange to purple complimentary contrast, with the green completing the triadic compliment.  If you're interested in purchasing, please contact me here, or through FB at Katy Widger Fine Art.  You can also purchase prints of any size, or many other unique products and gifts with this image, and many others of my Animal and Wildlife Art through https://pixels.com/profiles/katy-widger.html

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The Boys

"The Boys", 18" x 24" Oil on Canvas, copyright 2017 Katy Widger

Biscuit was a sickly little runt of a pup, only 6 weeks old when he was dumped.  Shannon and Tom rescued him and gave him the very best life any blind dog could have ever hoped for!  He's a "talker" who loves to visit on the phone with his grandmom,  and anyone else who'll listen.  Face rubs, butt scratches and tending to his vast collection of beloved stuffed animal "babies" make up the rest of Biscuit's happy days with his family.

His best friend for life, Boomer, is a "typical" German Shepherd Dog in that he never stops "working".  He has to know what is going on, inside and out, every minute of the day, just in case his services are needed.  That green tennis ball is his other favorite thing in his life.  He fetched and fetched, relentlessly, until his teeth were worn to nubs and his mom and dad were exhausted.  

The Boys have never spent more than a few hours apart in their entire lives, and we all pray that it remains so.  Warm, happy days on the beach, good dogs and a loving family makes up the best that life has to offer.  God bless them all!