DARA DODSON FINE ART

I have finished the ducks.  I named it "FAMILY OUTING" ON ST GEORGE ST.  I actually took a picture of this mother Mallard and her three babies on St. George St. one day.  She drew quite a crowd, especially when one of her babies strayed into the street!  She stopped all traffic both car and pedestrian when she ran out after her baby and scolded the little one QUITE LOUDLY all the way back to the sidewalk! Everyone enjoyed watching mama as she then shook her tail and the family unit  headed on down the sidewalk together,  heads held high! We could all learn a few things from animals.  They are good parents and teach valuable life lessons to their young ones.  I think it would be reasonable to say that young duck learned something that day and it was easy to see that those babies were having the time of their lives! It was also interesting to note that the other two babies stayed glued to their spot on the sidewalk while mamma went after the stray.  Animals definitely ha…

Well, I finished the painting called "Vilano Sunrise" and changed the name.  I now call it "FIERY REFLECTION" .  It is part of the Scenes of St. Augustine series..  # 15 to be exact.  # 14 is also below.  It is called "BACK BAY"

     In talking to other artists here in the area, we have all come to the conclusion that, at least in our area of tourism, smaller paintings sell better! So small it is, at least for now.  It makes sense though.  People want something that will fit in the suitcase to take home.  And what better souvenir than art! Especially a painting of the location you visited.

     It has also been suggested that I add another page to my gallery.  This one is of the current paintings on display and where they can be seen.  So I will do that today.  It will be called :                "CURRENT DISPLAYS AND LOCATIONS"

     Below are some of the paintings I've done recently.  Enjoy!




     Below is the preview of the painting …

I still haven't finished the "Vilano Sunrise" painting.  I've been busy working on a commissioned painting.  This is an 8 x 10 of a girl on her horse.  The girl was a teen I think when the picture I am working from was taken.  She is now a woman who is a horse trainer.  She was recently badly hurt in a fall and will be laid up for approximately one year.  Not good, especially for a single mother!  Anyway, hopefully the painting will cheer her up and remind her of happier days.  She is a close friend.

     The first picture is of the background I did for the painting with the sketch of the horse and rider overlaid on the dried background.  Then I went in and started filling in the sketch with the dark base color.  The horse is a palomino so the base color is a darker reddish brown. Then I started bringing in the lighter highlighted areas to bring out the curves of the horse.  This is where you need to know the anatomy of the horse or have a REALLY good picture,…

I also wanted to show more paintings, but I didn't want them on the same post.

     I took three paintings over to the St. Augustine Beach Art Studio for the Nov./Dec. art show.  My husband and I went over yesterday to view all the works being shown.  Mine compared nicely to the others there.  Some of the other artist's paintings were priced quite high at $4000.00,  and others were reasonably priced.  And of course some was quite good, others not as good.  That's how it is with art associations.  As long as you are a member, your art can be shown.  Some shows however, are juried, meaning they are prejudged as to whose work will be accepted.  Those shows are always a higher quality show.  Thus if you are accepted, it is an accomplishment in itself!    Anyway I took a photo of the three paintings hanging and it is below.  Enjoy!






     Also, I want to mention something about having a stock of artwork available to show.  All the research I have done says that an artist s…

I finished the painting!  And it's not bad if I do say so myself!  I showed a picture of it to my art teacher and she said OMG, that looks like it belongs in a museum of 13th century art!  WOW!  What a compliment!  I did work hard on it and my nephew-in-law did a side-by-side picture for me so I could compare (that really helped) and after a few tweaks, I counted it finished.  Hope you like it.  Let me say here that I painted this from another painting to challenge myself.  It is a very detailed and complicated painting,  but I have applied to do remote art work and wanted them to see what I could do along the line of work they need.  I will never sell this painting.  That would be copyright infringement.  I may donate it to our religious organization, or if they don't want it I may give it to some close friends.  That being said,  here it is below.  Enjoy!

I took my paintings "SAN SEBASTIAN RIVER" and "SEASHELLS"  down to the Art Association for the show...only to see a posting that it has been delayed until December!  Oh well,  hurricane Matthew messed up their schedule. Better that than the building!  It's funny, the Art Studio at the beach didn't have any problems.  And they are right ON the beach!  Go figure.  I took 3 paintings over there for the months of Nov. and Dec.  "LANI  LOVES.." , "TROPICAL DREAMS"  and 'SUNRISE ON ST AUGUSTINE'  are all in residence for now.  They told me people who visit there like to see seascapes and St. Augustine art.  OK, I can do that.. No Problem! The members there are more laid back than the St. Augustine Art Association. But, by no means less professional!  They SELL more art, and that's important to us artists!  They get more traffic because they are right by the beach.  The St. Augustine Art Association IS in the historic district…

Well, I thought I was done with my large painting of the San Sebastian River.  I took it to class today and had it critiqued.

     The good news was everyone loved it!  Mary Hubley, the teacher said it was good and I could leave it alone and count it done if I wished.  OR.. I could tweak it a little and make it even better! Of course I want it better!  They all agreed that my two flying birds needed to be done away with.  I could leave them out altogether or change them to more accurately depict the Ibis bird.  I eliminated the flyer on the right and replaced it with a third nesting bird and added two babies in the middle nest.
On the left I eliminated the flyer and put another flyer in front of the trees that was coming in for a landing by the wading bird.  It looks much better.  They also suggested (but not necessary) that I add wispy clouds all the way to the top of the canvas.  That also meant of course that I had to add them in the water reflection at the bottom of the can…