Have a Blessed Good Friday!...& Special Thank you!

First of all, let me wish everyone a blessed Good Friday! For Christians this is truly a very special time of reflection and I would just like to take this time to thank God and to thank everyone who has been such a blessing in my life. My family, friends, collectors of my artwork, and many wonderful fellow artists who have been so encouraging, helpful, and supportive!
I would like to send a special thank you to Mrs.DeVincenzo who I am currently working on a commission for of one of her adorable Westie's pictured above (Kadie). Last year we needed to raise a substantial amount of money in order to fly our 2 dogs, both of whom were rescued off the streets of Cairns in Australia, here to Michigan and we could not have done so without the support of so many including Mrs.DeVincenzo. I will always remember her incredible generosity which helped to bring our 2 'boys' home to us in Michigan! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! (You can learn more about our dogs by visiting their blog www.aussiedogsupandover.blogspot.com)
I am excited to get started on this piece as it is one of the largest dog paintings I have done thus far and Mrs.DeVincenzo could not have taken a more perfect and endearing shot of her little girl!

Painting a Pup a Day: Daily Dog Paintings by Lara Harris, "Maggie" the Boxer

Painting 12,"Maggie," 9"x 12",
oil on canvas
(SOLD)

10% of the proceeds will go directly to
Best Friends Animal Society

This is the completed painting of "Maggie," the Boxer. I'm waiting to hear back from the owners for the final ok, and then I will sign and date this piece in the lower right hand corner & wait for it to dry. 10% will be donated to Best Friends Animal Society. Boy what a challenge painting a Boxer can be! They have a rather unique nose & muzzle and their eyes are quite different as well. I also found the shorter fur to be more of a challenge as opposed to longer haired breeds like the Westie, Sheltie, or Golden Retriever. However, this was a great learning experience for myself as I am trying to add a number of new breeds to my repertoire with my Painting a Pup a Day project...and now I can add the Boxer! I now will be starting a Westie Painting for a Charity Picnic on April 26th that is being held by the Westie Rescue of Orange County & Beyond. They will auction off a painting of mine as well as a custom pet portrait, so if you are in the OC be sure to sign up! I will also be starting on a painting of a friend's Pug and an adorable Westie who lives in North Carolina :o) If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project drop me an email at Loveall4Him@aol.com and I can send you my current price list & put your name on my waiting list!Pet portraits make a wonderful gift for friends, family, or for yourself!10 % of the proceeds of each painting goes to dog rescue.

Painting a Pup a Day: Maggie, the Boxer...in Progress

I have been currently working on a portrait of a Boxer named Maggie and thought it would be fun to show the stages of this piece so far. I am finding certain breeds that have a smoother coat with shorter fur to be a bit more challenging than breeds with longer fur, but I think Maggie is coming together quite nicely. I generally start off with a loose sketch in paint, block in color, and then go in for the details. I always start with the eyes, and then work from inside out...the nose, mouth, ears, body, and finally the background. I'm hoping to have this piece finished by the end of this week at the latest, so stay tuned! If you would like your dog included in my Painting a Pup a Day project please feel free to send me an email to Loveall4Him@aol.com and I can put you on my current waiting list! 10% of each portrait goes to dog rescue.

Last of 3 Black Lab Paintings: Meet Bebe!

This is the 3rd and final painting in the Black Lab Trio, Bebe, a Black Lab Mix adopted by Patty Defee in Alabama. It was a true pleasure to work with Patty and to spend some time getting to know her sweethearts! 10% of the proceeds of the trio will be going to A Place to Bark in TN, a no kill foster and adoption rescue dedicated to the welfare of animals founded by Bernie Berlin .
If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project feel free to drop me an email and I can send you my current price list as well as put your name on my waiting list. 10% of each portrait goes to one of the dog rescue groups I work with on a personal basis or thru the artists group Art 4 Critters.

2nd of Three Dog Paintings Complete!

This is the 2nd painting of three completed for my customer in Alabama! Her name is Taffy, just like one of our dogs! I love painting senior dogs, their faces have so much character....it's like they have hidden stories to tell. Taffy's eyes are so soft and expressive. I bet she is a real sweetheart! Stay tuned for painting #3 which will complete the trio! Can't wait to see how all three paintings will look once they are grouped together! If you would like to be part of my Painting a Pup a Day project feel free to send me an email at Loveall4Him@aol.com I would be more than happy to add your name to my current waiting list!

One Down, Two to Go!....

I thought it would be fun to share the 1st of 3 paintings I have been working on this week. This is Ozzy, a Black Lab mix owned by Patty Defee. She owns three dogs, all of them rescues, all of them black, and of course, all of them dearly loved! I am now working on her dog, Taffy....and how cool is it that we also have a 'Taffy'?:o) Stay tuned!

The Canine Trio: Bebe, Ozzy, & Taffy

So, yet again do not adjust your screen! What you see are not three completed paintings, but rather the beginning stages of a triptych if you like. Some may find the way I paint a bit crazy, but hey it works for me so I'm sticking with it! I generally start out each painting with a very rough sketch in paint, and then I block in color as you can see here. Then I go in for the details, usually starting with the eyes which I find to be one of the most important parts of any portrait. From there I work on the nose and mouth, and finally the ears and fur. I often feel a bit like a sculptor when I paint, which may sound a bit odd, but that's how I feel with each painting. I think this is why when I start with a blank canvas I cannot wait to cover it completely with blocks of color. Once the white is covered , I begin 'carving out' the image through many brushstrokes and layers of paint. Stay tuned for the finished pieces!

If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project, feel free to send me an email to Loveall4Him@aol.com and I would be happy to send you my current price list and put you on my waiting list. 10% goes to one of the many dog rescue groups I work with. My work is currently in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Once Upon a Time There Were 3 Little Dogs....

Well after being under the weather the past couple of days I am back in the studio and ready to unleash my creative juices! This is a shot of the very beginning of three commissioned pieces I am doing for a customer of her three adorable dogs, all rescues she has taken in and adopted. There is Bebe, Ozzy, and she even has a Taffy like we do! I cannot wait to get going on these as I think in the end they will make an awesome grouping to hang on her wall! Stay tuned!

If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project please feel free to drop me an email at Loveall4Him@aol.com . I would be happy to send you my current price list as well as put your name on my waiting list! 10% of each painting goes to one of the many dog rescue groups I currently work with!

Cropped Study: Maternal Admiration(Bouguereau) Oil Painting by Lara Harris

Do not adjust your screen! You are right, this is not a pup but a portrait of a mother and her babe...let me explain. I have been busy the past few weeks with my Painting a Pup a Day project, but I will still be making time to do some other pieces such as this portrait study. Now don't get me wrong, painting dogs is my passion, but I also enjoy painting portrait studies, wildlife, and still life. This is a cropped study of "Maternal Admiration," by one of my favorite artists of all time, William Bouguereau. My customer wanted me to change the colors around and I have to admit that I actually like this version a bit better than the original! I will be getting back to painting pups very soon, but I wanted to share this piece with you so you know I am still in the studio painting away!

Painting a Pup a Day: Stay Tuned!

Life has been crazy busy the past couple of weeks and I have been working at getting some commissioned pieces done so I have not yet posted anything new to my Painting a Pup a Day project, but I will be soon! Besides painting dogs I also paint still life, wildlife, and (what I am currently working on) portrait studies! I will post a photo of the completed piece hopefully in the next day or so and then onto some more pups for my project!Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support!Stay tuned!:o)

Painting 8, "Mosby," the Golden Retriever Painting in Oil by Lara Harris

Painting 8,"Mosby," 11"x 14"

oil on stretched canvas (nfs)

This is my 8th painting for my Painting a Pup a Day project of a beloved Golden Retriever named Mosby. He was a young Golden, despite the fact that he had the white coloring around his eyes and mouth, more typically found in older Goldens. He was one of the many Golden Retrievers taken care of by Carol and Skip Free of Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue, a sanctuary for older Goldens and other dogs who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Golden Retrievers have a special place in my heart as we have had the pleasure of having two Goldens in our family throughout the years. Sassy was our first Golden who died of cancer at only 5 years of age, and Cassie, our second Golden, who had to be put to sleep at only 11 due to horrible arthritis (among other health ailments). If you would like to make a donation to Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue click on their name or on their logo to the right. With the way the economy has been, many, many dogs have been abandoned or surrendered to such rescue groups , and more than ever these groups need your help! It costs hundreds of dollars each week simply to feed the dogs under their care. Every little bit counts, so if you can help them out in anyway please do so today!

Painting 7, "Knut," the Samoyed Puppy painting in oil by Lara Harris

Painting 7,"Knut," 5"x 7",oil on canvas panel (SOLD)

photo reference: Heather Caird

(Flickr id:heather bean)
10% of the proceeds will go directly to Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue

This is an original oil painting of Knut, an adorable Samoyed puppy owned by Heather Caird (Flickr id heather bean). It is my 7th painting for my Painting a Pup a Day project. Painting dogs that are white, like little Knut, can certainly be a challenge because you have to train your eye to see colors in the shadows of the fur, you cannot simply paint him all white. Here I've used a combination of creams, greys, and muted blues to develop the shadows and shape of Knut, with a background in darker shades of blue to compliment the shadows. Overall I am really pleased with how he has turned out! This is what Heather shared about her sweet Knut:

My name is Heather and my puppy's name is Knut (with a silent K). He's only 13 weeks old, he's 12 weeks on the picture I've added to the group. My boyfriend and I have been after a Samoyed pup for about 18 months and he surprised me with one for Christmas! I had to drive all the way up to Scotland to pick him up and it took me 6 hours to get there but he's totally worth it!
I've already taught him to sit, give a high five, lay down and stand up. This week we're learning how to roll over :) We also have a pet tortoise called Rocky and Knut doesn't seem to like the smell of him!!


If you would like your pet to be included in my Painting a Pup a Day project,email....and if you would like your pet done sooner rather than later, be sure to ask to be placed on my waiting list!

"Mosby," Golden Retriever Commission (in progress)....and Computer Woes!

("Mosby," Commission in Progress)

So, let me start off by saying that this piece is in the beginning stages, I still have much more detail to add, but the past 2 days have been a bit stressful to say the least.... I had heard from a couple artists friends last week that they were having computer problems and I remember thinking, 'oh I am so glad that is not me'...and wouldn't you know all of a sudden my computer starting having issues this week!? It scared me enough to start going through all my files and saving everything to disks until we could get up to the store to purchase an external hard drive. Thankfully we were able to get one this evening so I will now start saving all my files to it in the event that my computer were to crash. I just cannot believe how much I could have lost...my art files, reference files, family photos, etc. etc. ...many things that you just could not replace. I will now be making it routine to save my files to this hard drive every week or so as I would never want to be in that position. So if you are someone like me, either an artist, or photographer, or someone who just has a lot of important information stored on your computer I would highly recommend getting an external hard drive. You can find one under $100....and believe me it is well worth the money for the piece of mind you will get in return!

Painting #6, "Boomer," Yellow Labrador Retriever Painting in Oil

Painting 6,"Boomer," 5"x 5"x 1 1/2",oil on canvas (sold)

photo reference: Ray Horwath (Flickr id:rayh1995)

10% of the proceeds will go directly to Waggin' Tails Dog Rescue in Michigan

This is my 6th painting for my Painting a Pup a Day project of "Boomer", a sweet-faced Yellow Labrador Retriever owned by Ray Horwath. It reminded me a bit of our Yellow Lab Mix, Jedha who is equally as lovable I'm sure. This is what Ray and his wife shared about their precious Boomer:

"They say that the “runt of the litter” is always the last to be picked, but in our case, he was our first choice.
As you can see from Boomer’s expressive eyes, he is truly a gentle soul. The unconditional love he shows for everyone is amazing. He has never met a stranger….everyone is a potential partner in play.
Boomer (whose real name is Spartacus, Hillview’s Boomer Dog!) has one favorite summertime hobby…..figuring out how to get into the pool, which we wisely gated! Woe to the person who accidently opens the door to the house a little too wide when there’s people swimming. We have found out the hard way, it takes boomer about 1.4 seconds from bursting through the door until splashdown! It takes substantially longer to get a lab out of a pool.
Like all of our pets, Boomer has become a much loved member of the family….complete with sleeping on the couch and bed privileges! We look forward to many more years of love and adventure with “our” Boomer."

I loosened up a bit more on this piece, a goal of mine for this project. I read something recently by one of my favorite artists, Karin Jurick, in which she was saying how she was finding herself almost 'drawing' a painting she had been working on vs. actually 'painting' it. That really struck home with me because I think I tend to do that as a painter. As an artist, I started out primarily drawing, and now I tend to approach my paintings in much the same way I would a drawing, but painting should be a bit looser. The paint should be applied with a bit more freedom...have some movement and life to it, so hopefully I have achieved this with this piece. I hope to paint this way as I continue on this journey, although I have a feeling it is going to take some time...

Painting #5, "Molly", Sheltie Painting in Oil

Painting 5,"Molly," 5"x 7"x 3/4",oil on stretched canvas (sides painted black)
photo reference: Jennifer Barron (Flickr id:jenevabarron)
10% of the proceeds will go directly to Waggin Tails Dog Rescue

This is my 5th painting for my Painting a Pup a Day project, a gorgeous Sheltie named Molly. This is what her Mom had to share about her sweet Molly:

"She’s a year and a half now. She LOVES her loofa dog. She carries it with her everywhere! She also loves her stuffed mouse. She LOVES running, and she loves when her dad snowblows paths in the yard through the snow for her. She is very fond of car rides. But…most of all…she LOVES people, and makes friends everywhere she goes!"

I have to say this week seemed to really get away from me and it seems my project is fast becoming a Painting a Pup a Week project, but I am determined to get more paintings completed this coming week! If you are interested in having your pet's portrait done for my Painting a Pup a Day project feel free to email me at Loveall4Him@aol.com and I will add your name to my waiting list! Thank you to everyone for your continued support & encouragement!

Painting #4, "Luigi" the Westie Oil Painting

Painting 4,"Luigi," 8"x10",
oil on stretched canvas
(sold)

Inquiries to: Loveall4Him@aol.com
photo reference: Stephen Ghigliotty
10% of the proceeds will go directly to
Michigan Westie Dog Rescue

I finally finished my 4th painting for my Painting a Pup a Day project and I am really pleased with how Luigi von Tortellonfish turned out! The background of this painting will probably go down in history as one of my most difficult, but I think the background is what makes this piece so uniquely wonderful! I think for a Westie painting to work you really need to have some interesting colors or objects adding to the overall composition or you end up having too bland of a painting. That is why when I saw this photo over a year ago it jumped out at me. It is by far one of the best Westie shots I have seen to date. Everything is just perfect! There is lots of vibrant color, unique shapes, and even where Luigi is seated is just perfect! Painting this piece was sheer joy from beginning to end!(Luigi's Dad has an interesting blog called Headvoice and a great photostream on Flickr.)

Luigi the Westie...Painting in Progress

I've been working on 3 different pieces this week, and thought it would be fun to post a photo of where I am now up to with my Luigi the Westie painting! It is definitely a challenge with all the colors and different shapes but I am having quite a lot of fun with this one. I haven't actually started Luigi except for a rough sketch, but I figured it would be best to get the intricate background done first. Hopefully in the next day or two I will have this piece finished, so stay tuned!

And in the Beginning There Was Luigi, the Westie....

(copyright photo used with permission by: Stephen Ghigliotty)

...and I should be clear that his full name is actually Luigi von Tortellonfish :o) So, can I just tell you I came across this photo sometime ago and just knew I HAD to paint this little guy someday. True not only is he one of THE cutest ever West Highland Terrier dogs you ever did see, but the colors & composition are just an artist's dream! Granted in starting the sketch today I was thinking to myself, who-boy what am I getting myself into, with all the various shapes & unique colors, but heck I thrive on challenges I reckon! I am actually working on a few pieces at the moment, but just had the itching to get started on this one today....as I said it's been beckoning me to paint it for months now! So, Stephen & Luigi today it begins....hopefully I will do you both justice!Stay tuned!

Painting 3, "Bernie" the Bernese Mountain Dog Painting

Painting 3,"Bernie," 5"x7"x 3/4",
oil on stretched canvas

(sides painted black) (sold)
photo reference: Büşra Merve Özçelik
10% of the proceeds will go directly to
Heart of Michigan Bernese Mountain Dog Club Rescue

(http://www.hmbmdc.org/rescue.html)

This is an adorable Bernese Mountain Dog named of course "Bernie". It is my 3rd painting for my Painting a Pup a Day Project. The owner is Büşra Merve Özçelik, and her Flickr id is mervecan_156. This is what she wrote about her beloved Bernie:

"My dog is so special for me...I was imagining that breed when ı was 5, and 11 years (later) I got my baby. Now she is my everything ..I am living for her... I really admire her, because of her colours, fur, smile, and so many kinds of things like this."

I just love Bernese Mountain Dogs because their coloring is so interesting. I was shocked to learn that they don't have a very long life span, generally only 7 years. But I would imagine the love they bring into their owner's life makes it well worthwhile to own one!

"Rainey", the Australian Cattle Dog

I wanted to share a portion of an email from Rainey's owner, Shelley Lampman, a very touching story of how Rainey became a member of their pack :o)

"Rainey is our fourth Australian Cattle Dog - we're a little crazy about them We adopted her from Heeling Hearts Australian Cattle Dog Rescue. She was surrendered by some people who used her just for breeding then after she'd had 3 litters in her brief 2 years of age (one every heat cycle) they were tired of her and thankfully did one right thing and gave her to the wonderful people at the rescue. The very first thing they did was get her spayed so that she could be the puppy instead of having them. We had just lost our very beloved Rocky and my husband Les had told me that it hurt so bad he didn't think he could do it again and that Rocky's buddy Dusty would be our only dog. My heart really wanted to give another dog a chance at a good life but I was trying to understand his wishes and accept it. Then one morning he said "come and look at this" pointing at his computer. So I looked over his shoulder and there was a picture of beautiful Rainey - Les said "I just wanted to show you our newest family member"! Then he told me Rainey's story and how he had been talking to Brook Hicks who runs Heeling Hearts and felt that Rainey would be a perfect addition to our family. That was almost exactly a year ago and he was so right - she is keeping Dusty (and us) young with her energetic spirit. We are just crazy about her!"
I thought it only fitting to donate a portion of the sale of Rainey's portrait to Heeling Hearts ACD Rescue.