8″x10″ acrylic, 2013. I last saw Rayne, the recipient of this portrait, with my own eyes in 1996 when he was a sweet, chubby, tow-headed baby. He’s the son of my college friend Amy, and he’s now ten feet tall and about to enter Cornell University! …. Okay I fainted for a minute, but I’m back. A long-time fan of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Rayne collects the books and has always identified with the equally blonde Calvin. So it’s only natural that his favorite toy would be a stuffed tiger! Amy’s family has a lovely tradition of giving each other gifts at random occasions throughout the year rather than all at once at Christmas, so this will be given to Rayne perhaps as a symbol of transition from childhood into the world of college and beyond. Congratulations Rayne!
Tag: tiger
Tiger and Giraffe
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. Well, while I’m waiting for my slow summer to give way to some brisk portrait commission action as folks look toward the holidays (I HOPE!), here is a little study of two classic toys. I found the tiger, along with many other whimsical velveteen animals, for a dollar each at my local Ocean State Job Lot. They are reproductions of 1950’s Dakin Dream Pets, which were originally used as packing material for toy trains! The giraffe was a yard sale find. It’s from Little Tikes, I’m guessing from the 90’s. It served for many years as the “pilot” of my husband’s car, perched on the dashboard with its head smooshed under the windshield. It became a bit deformed from all the sun, and was ultimately surrendered to our toddler.
A Tiger and His Tail
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. I love getting specific instructions with a toy portrait assignment — then I know at least one thing about the painting might be just right! In this case, Jennifer told me that this stuffed tiger’s tail was of great importance, as her 2-yr-old Samantha likes to rub her face with it. Also, because Samantha always spoons the tiger at night, he would best be pictured from the side, as that is how she mostly sees him. The initial study for this painting was made before I got all that vital info — good thing Jennifer let me know! The tiger was purchased by when Sam was 7 months old by her “Mimi” (grandma) at FAO Schwarz in Las Vegas. Samantha just recently discovered that there are actually two tigers — one at Mimi’s and one at home! And in keeping with my recent inclination toward color-scheme tributes, this one seems to have recieved the Picasso Blue Period treatment.
Tiger Study
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. This quick painting is a study for a commission that I am working on, and the final painting will show him from a different angle. My husband has requested that I add some flames to the background of this rough version…I’m considering it.
an early toy portrait
29″x40″, oil on canvas 1996. I did lots of self-portraits in college and grad school because I was always available to model! Here’s one from 1996, and obviously even then I could not resist painting my stuffed animals. This picture features Tigger and a lion called Hubert — he was a give-away at a bank where my mom opened an account when I was a baby. Note the sweet mid-century modern furniture, which unfortunately did not belong to me but was fun to paint.
Don Gato
Baby Sonja has a special cat!
He is made of yarn and not so fat!
His red and orange and stripey (myow myow myow)
And he rocks a purple sweater (myow myow myow)
and in Spanish he’s “Don Gato!”
This painting arrive wired for hanging and framed simply in pine.
$70 plus $7 shipping
(category: Toy Portrait Series. tags: single portrait, cat, acrylic)