Siberian Tiger

Siberian Tiger
These tigers are so incredibly beautiful. I think the ones they had at the fair, you could go in and pet. I didn't do it because I'd be the lucky person, the one in 10,000 the tiger decided to eat. But I would have loved to be able to have the experience of petting this girl. She was really something. Her handlers loved her to death. They were so proud of her. She's an expectant mother. I hope she and her kittens are at the fair next year!

Robert keeps telling me I need to paint something besides horses, some of the time. I've never seen the need or had much desire to paint anything but horses, but I've been following his advice nevertheless. He is a very smart man. That's why you see me doing other animals and subjects these days.

He's probably right as I sold 22 paintings this last month. That is some kind of record for me in sales. Every night when I went to sleep this month, I thanked God for those sales. At some point in your artistic career, if you never sell anything, you begin to doubt your sanity!

At any given point in time, when I'd pray about this, the answer that came back to me was so simple, God would say, "Keep Painting". No more, no less, just, Keep Painting. So that is why you see me paint and paint and paint like a crazy woman.

This painting I just did of the tiger was very complicated. My reference photo was taken at such a crazy angle, it made her head seem very large and out of shape, and her body seemed very small and distant. I had to look at that photo, and make all kinds of corrections as I drew this tiger on the aceo card. I think it turned out in spite of all the beginning problems. I worked on this card most of yesterday along with the other three I finished. This was the one that took the most time.

I also wanted her coat to seem very soft and plush, she did not have long fur like I imagined she would. The handler said these cats shed four times a year and they never do grow the long fur. I thought that was interesting.
donna