Donna's Art News--Animals Etc.

New Year, New Art, New Blog

2011-01-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

It's a new year, time to celebrate new art! My calendar is out for 2011 and can be ordered with or without Bible verses. It includes this year's Christmas card for December, several denizens of the Cape May Zoo and a few of my patients.
http://www.cafepress.com/donnasaurina

I've also started a new blog, sort of a journal of everyday thoughts of God as I make my way through a new devotional of Spiritual disciplines.

http://everydaythoughtsofgod.blogspot.com/2011/01/in-beginning-god.html

It should be and interesting year, I'll keep you posted...

Phillip's Mill Art Show

2010-09-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

This cute face belongs to a capybara who lives at the Cape May Zoo. We'll be visiting him again this fall, but for now his painting is on view (as a matted work on paper) at the 81st Annual Phillip's Mill Art Exhibition. This piece and the Peeking Panda posted this summer were both accepted and will be on sale there.

It is also now possible to order prints with or without matting and framing from my Artspan website http:www.donnasaurina.com. Look for the giclee prints gallery.

My husband and I had quite a time visiting Coudersport, PA last weekend. It's a tiny hamlet nestled among the Allegheny Mountains along Route 6 in mid-northern Pennsylvania. We were there to see stars. Not the movie kind, but the ones that are only visible in very dark skies. Cherry Springs State Park is one of the darkest areas on the east coast.

To get there you drive a roller coaster ride of a trip through the Black Forest state forest. "Are we there yet" doesn't begin to describe the state of my mind (or stomach) as we twisted and turned in the dark. The park was host to 500 astronomers there to hold a star party. Etiquette demanded we use a red filtered flashlight and keep our headlights off. We managed not to run over anyone, but then ruined the effect by having to open the doors 3 or 4 times to get things out of the car-each time turning the dome light on. Do you know how bright those things are in the dark?

It was all worth it. The thousands of stars, meteors and a brilliant Milky Way just dazzled us. We found a friendly amateur astronomer with a really big telescope who showed us all kinds of nebulae, galaxies, clusters and best of all, Jupiter complete with band and spot. Truly a lifetime experience.

Egret Pastel for Ripplesketch

2010-06-14T09:08:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted for Illustration Friday in a while, but this week I was inspired. The egrets and herons I see at the park every day wade, fly and hunt in peace. Imagine how confused and distressed the water birds of the gulf must be now. I don't really care about blame or politics, I just want to see some ingenuity put to the problem of clean up.
This small 2.5 x 3.5 pastel sketch will be submitted to the ripple sketch blog for donation. If sold, the donation of $10 will go to either The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (http://www.imms.org/) or The International Bird Rescue Research Center (http://www.ibrrc.org/).

2 paintings in the Artsbridge Juried Show

2010-06-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Here he is! My "Peeking Panda"a 14 x 18 watercolor on paper in a white triple mat. Painted from photographs I took at the Cape May Zoo last summer. Who could resist that magnificent tail and sweet face? I also had quite a time working on the bamboo. The stems and leaves wound around to give flow and movement in colors remembered and imagined.

This along with "Table for One" were accepted as portfolio pieces into the Artsbridge Sixteenth Annual Juried Show. It's the first time I've had work in this show, so I'm excited!

The opening reception is Saturday, June 5 from 6-9 pm. The show runs from then until June 27 at the River Run Gallery, on route 29 Lambertville, NJ. 609-773-0881. They are open daily except Tuesday from 12 - 5 pm.

Some of my framed works are also on view as part of an ongoing rotating exhibit at the Faith Presbyterian Church office 19 Main St., Yardley, PA (215-942-3533). See donnasaurina.com for more including prints on demand.

Art in the Rain!

2010-03-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

It was a good day despite the deluge. I sat listening to the Mastersingers perform selections from Les Miserable--powerful and sublime, while munching way too many home-made cookies, fruit and other goodies. There was wine, too. A friend braved the floods to join me for the afternoon and it was great to catch up. I even sold some art (woo hoo!)

Some of my work will also be at the Church of the Savior (651 N. Wayne Ave, Wayne Pennsylvania) for the COS Art Festival: April 9-11, 2010. The opening is Friday night (April 9). There is also a reception, private art showing and dinner at 6:15 pm on Saturday with guest speaker Gracia Burnham titled "Lessons from the Jungle". She will talk about her experiences in the Phillipines when she and her husband were kidnapped (and he was killed) in 2001. It should be quite a night! Check out their website for details. www.cosnet.org

Mastersinger's Benefit Music and Art Show

2010-03-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Get out your umbrellas and come enjoy Arts in the Afternoon. An afternoon of art and music to benefit the Mastersinger's. This Saturday, March 13, from 1-5 pm at the Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Bryn Mawr, PA.

480 South Bryn Mawr Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 527-3915

There will be several artists participating in an art show and sale. I will be there with painted river rock animals, painted wooden plaques, small framed acrylics, matted prints and cards for sale. There will also be solo and ensemble musical performances and refreshments. Entrance fee $10. To anyone who is local I hope to see you there!

Illustration Friday: Theater

2009-04-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

In rehearsal, dancers may "mark" steps to review choreography, but in performance they dance "full out". Sometimes I feel like just marking my steps, but then I remember that Jesus calls me to live "full out" for Him. When I do, regardless of circumstances, my life is a dance of joy!

Illustration Friday topic: Poise

2009-03-28T08:13:00.001-07:00

There is absolutely nothing like a cat for demonstrating poise! This is Rahji, one of my patients who graciously posed for me in my exam room one day. Usually he doesn't hold still and is off the table exploring or up on his "mom's" shoulder. The background is utterly imaginary, but fits his exotic coloring and adventurous personality.

2009-02-16T09:13:00.000-08:00

"Laughing Dogs"

A quick pastel and marker sketch for IF topic "Celebration"

I hope I remember how to post on IF it's been a long time. Mostly because of a 3 legged cat we rescued who turned our lives upside down for 6 months. Thereby hangs a tail--for next time!

Wrinkles for IF

2008-04-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Life is seldom flat and smooth. Instead we go from hill to valley and back again. Sometimes mountain peak, sometimes river gorge. Always moving on. Wrinkles are just the map of where we've been. Signs of blessing, hard work, lot's of laughter and not a few tears. Without them we'd be flat as pudding! Celebrate them!

Glories

2008-03-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

It's almost spring!!!!!!! The longer light, warmer sun with still-cool nights, I can't wait. There's something about the smell of the earth in spring, new life, such potential. I always think, not this year, I don't have time, the deer might eat my flowers again. (They chomped down every pansy within 24 hours!) But every year, the garden lures me back--who can resist it's siren call?

P.S. Thank you all for your generous comments, that rich blue is my favorite and I love to push the color envelope.

Leap Minus 5..4..3.......!

2008-03-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

You've heard of "Look before you leap..." but you never know what's looking (and leaping) at you!

Spot Enough For You?

2008-02-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

The leopard’s eyes,
They mesmerize
He reaches out to paralyze
His prey that hides
Behind the slides
And doors of tempered zoo-glass.

A study for "Leopard's Eyes" a work in progress.

Donna's Theories

2008-02-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

Zoie and Jack--"Played Out"

Musings for the Illustration Friday topic "Theory":

Gravity--Gravity gets stronger as the day gets longer.

Matter--Kid’s stuff and cat toys multiply when you’re not looking.

Time--Time accelerates in direct proportion to the amount of work you have to accomplish. Conversely, if you only have a little to do, it expands to fill the time available, so you still don’t get done early!

(Note: The tired kittens demonstrating this week's topic are grown now, but still full of trouble! The above is a commissioned portrait in acrylic of their "babies" for two great little girls of a friend and colleague of mine.)

Saturday Morning

2008-02-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Here's my entry for Illustration Friday--"Blanket": Like any self-respecting cat, Mr. Puff has comfort down to a science and cozy raised to an artform. Here he is in one of his favorite "purr places".

Adventures in Astronomy (Keep looking up!)

2008-01-30T08:47:00.000-08:00

My husband and I had stopped at the drug store and noticed an $80.00 kid's telescope for sale for $20.00. We thought,"Why not?" Took it to the register where it rung up for $5.71! (Somebody really wants to get rid of inventory!) I put it together and for the next few nights had lessons in patience and now need a chiropracter for the crick in my neck. I would sight a planet in the spotting scope--it's right there, I know it hasn't been swallowed by a black hole, then spend seemingly hours trying to find it with the main 100x objective. I might catch a glimpse of the wayward orb whizzing through my field of vision as I moved the 'scope with the lightest of feather touches to search. After much frustration, "try-try-againing" and grumbling, I finally got one! Saturn was there! Of course every time I tried to adjust the focus, it shook like a blob of jello on steroids. But at long, last it worked! Granted what I was seeing looked like a tiny marble with a bit of a miniskirt, but it was Saturn. Through the vastness of space, this object, so studied, so familiar was real to my eyes in the here and now. I felt a moment of awe and wonder and all for $5.71 (plus tax)!

A Tale of Two Bunnies

2008-01-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

A Tale of Two Bunnies...

…Who lived in the meadow
And whose mother said,
“Stay--in the tall, safe grass.”
And she said
“Never stray into the deep, dark woods,
For the fox and the bear and the
Weasel run fast!”

But the stream whispered softly
And the sun was bright
And they said “A little farther,
Just a little round the bend
Just to see what we can see
And we’ll be back by night!”…

Just Getting Started

2008-01-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

So, I don't know what I'm doing yet. The following "Tale of Two Bunnies" was designed for a post to Illustration Friday--Tales and Legends. We'll see if it works.

Member's Show at Prallsville Mill

2008-01-27T12:48:00.000-08:00

A new piece: "Evensong"

will be shown at the 2008 Member's Show at Prallsville Mill

Feb 3, 7-10, 14-16 Hours: 12-5 p.m.