Heartfelt October
Latest News:
October has had many bright days. It brought the completion of a larger project, a painting for the Hope For Podencos 2024 calendar. I’m very happy with how it turned out. Hope For Podencos has just revealed the calendar, with my painting , Rosa, featured for the month of August. They are now available on pre-order, until November 24th, in two sizes, at hopeforpodencos.com.
Also this month, the Da Vinci Podenco series of four drawings was completed. I’m thrilled with these drawings and would really like to “do“ something with them. They will probably be released as prints, but I am also pondering other options. Notecards come to mind, probably done on a pre-order basis.
I’m open to suggestions if you have ideas!
In The Studio:
While I ponder product ideas for the Da Vinci Podencos, I’m getting started on a Da Vinci Galgo series. Another elegant, graceful breed, I’m looking forward to gathering some dynamic poses and settling in to draw.
At the same time, I really want to schedule in some time to work on a larger end-of-the-year project. It will be something of a 2023 year in review of the Dynamic Dog Art drawings and paintings. And a video to boot. But since it will all be drawn, it is going to take a significant number of hours to make. That is, if I ever start taking action on this exciting idea I have.
At Home:
I had planned for this section to have its usual quiet-life happiness tone to it…and I’ll get to that. But my happy day was interrupted, in a hurtful way, and my brain just won’t shift back to happy yet. So, please excuse me while I overshare for a few minutes.
In a conversation this weekend with family members, referencing a traditional original painting I did recently, as opposed to a digital painting, I was told that digital art isn’t “real“ art. I explained that I feel that it absolutely is real art. I create the composition, I choose every shade of every color, every line, and where it goes, I decide what texture every brushstroke will have, and I make every stroke. I decide what is light or dark, warm or cool, hard edges or soft edges, and everything in between… And then I make it that way. Many hours of work goes into those paintings.
Their response was that no, it is definitely not real. They proceeded to make arguments to prove it’s not real, they wouldn’t put digital art in the art museum, right?
I was obviously finding this hurtful, to have some thing I love so much and find such passion and joy in be completely disrespected, invalidated, and devalued, then they just looked at each other and said “it’s not real”, shaking their heads and laughing about it.
The thing that is so hurtful isn’t even whether they think it’s “real” art or not. It’s the way they treated me. Instead of seeing my hurt and letting it go, agreeing to disagree, they feel that it’s OK to be condescending to me, mock and ridicule me, treat me like this thing I love so much is ridiculous. Completely dismissive of all my hard work. Years of hard work. Those paintings aren’t real paintings. Once again being treated like what I love and what I do are insignificant and worthless.
Having been treated like this in the past is why I am “Dynamic Dog Art”. I didn’t want to use my real name because I wanted to keep my art a secret from people that know me for as long as I could. And I succeeded for a while. I figured that they couldn’t mock, ridicule, and invalidate me for my art if they didn’t know it existed.
I know this is nothing new or unique. So many artists experience this, or something similar. I know that it’s my job as an artist to not give a fuck what anyone thinks about my art, no matter who they are. We have to be that way, or we will never be able to make the art. I won’t let them ruin this for me.
God led me down this path, it’s a beautiful journey. I’m staying on my path.
I try not to ask for anything from anyone. I don’t expect anyone to understand my art, some do, some don’t, that’s OK. I certainly don’t expect anyone to be proud of me, and what I do, that really would be ridiculous!
I just want to live my quiet, happy life, in solitude (with my dogs), and ignore the judgement of the critics.
I apologize for the detour, I just needed to let it out. Back to the regularly scheduled “at home” section…
October has been pretty calm overall. The new addition to the household, a Chihuahua that came to us in August, has continued to settle in nicely. They play together with such enthusiasm, their joy just fills my heart.
Fall is definitely in full swing and, while summer is my favorite by far, the weather has been quite lovely. Some cool, rainy days, some warm and sunny, the leaves turning bright.
I hope your October has been beautiful, filled with many happy moments.
I hope that in your world, you feel loved and understood.
Thank you for being here, thank you for believing in me. And in case no one has told you lately, I’m proud of you. God bless!
Jennifer