Artists Choose their Favorites: Kathleen Coy

Kathleen Coy loves to paint dogs, never portraying them as cutesy or sentimental, but full of dignity and soul. She completed some great commissioned work in 2013, and has been especially on fire this past month with a project of completing 30 paintings of sighthounds in 30 days.

Here are Kathleen's choices for her favorite work from 2013:

Crosswalk  oil on panel  6" x 6" 2013

In my Shadow Walk series (my rat terrier Cloud walking on a leash), I explore composition with dog and shadow, but Crosswalk was the first time where he wasn't solo. I like how each dog is an individual, even though they're grouped together, and I like the energy and nuances of body language in each one.

When Dogs Drive Cars  oil on panel  6"x6"  2013

I enjoy painting quirky still lifes, especially toys. When you paint from photos as much as I do, it's nice to flex some different painting muscles and work from life once in a while. This is a brightly colored painting for me, the toys were childhood favorites, and looking at it just makes me happy. But a little sad, too, like waking from a wonderful dream where the details slip through your fingers, and then they're gone..

I'm excited about 2014 - a new muse hit me hard when we adopted a retired greyhound recently. I’m fascinated with his beauty and the powerful way his body is put together. Dogs are absolutely a subject worthy of fine art, and I will continue to explore the possibilities. That being said, I need variety - people, still life, plein air, horses, buildings... there is just so much beauty in the world.

 Since this is the first post featuring Kathleen Coy's work, I decided to add to the fun by choosing my own favorite:

Pointer  oil on gessobord  6"x6"  2013

You can see more of Kathleen Coy's work at her blog and her website.  

The current theme is Artists Who Blog- Favorites of 2013. Chosen artists have sent in one or two of their favorite paintings from 2013, along with some words about the creation of the work, or about general new directions and goals. There will be a fresh post each day for twenty five days, so check back often.