two big cats

"Snow Leopard" : Oil on canvas : 28"x22"

"Cheetah" : Oil on canvas : 28"x22"

the tiger who sparked a fire

"Tiger" : Oil on canvas. 28"x22"

I believe this is the beginning of a new series of paintings. I painted this tiger as part of my final for school, and it has inspired me to start an entire series of animal face close-ups. I'm currently working on two others for school due next week, so I will post them when they're finished.

My intention for this series is to focus on the abstract quality of the markings, shapes, and colors of the faces. Only when they are viewed up close can that abstract quality be fully appreciated. The close-ups also provide a stunning composition and allow the viewer to see the animal in a different light.

Prints of this painting are available in my Cafepress shop!

a new discovery

I just found this really cool site called cafepress.com where you can sell poster prints, magnets, buttons, etc... of your artwork. I've been looking for a low-cost way to sell prints of some of my paintings, and this seems to be pretty ideal for me right now. Basically, I don't have to worry about shipping or having enough prints on hand. The posters and accessories are printed and shipped by Cafepress, and all I have to do is promote.

I just set up my free shop, and I sell posters, tote bags, magnets, postcards, and buttons featuring some of my artwork. Eventually, I will list some of my original paintings in my Etsy shop, so I wanted to find a way to offer prints as a low-cost option.

So, if there are any artists reading this post who are looking for a way to sell low-cost prints of their artwork - Check out Cafepress! You can set up a basic shop for free, so it can't hurt to try it. The prints are posters, not giclee prints, but it's a free way to make prints of your work available.

Now, I will say that in the free basic shop, you can only have one of each type of product (ex: one totebag, one 3.5" button, one 11"x17" poster print), but that hasn't stopped me from having a decent shop :)

It will do for now.

UPDATE: My Premium Cafepress shop: cafepress.com/animalartshop
After having a free shop for a while, I decided to go premium to give me more options. The free shop was great to get me started, but I later wanted to sell more items.

the lioness and her mask

*The lioness was an exceptional huntress. Always searching for a better way to hunt, she practiced daily, striving to find the perfect strategy. She experimented endlessly with much trial and error, until one day, she discovered the ultimate strategy. She realized that the best way to catch her prey was to simply blend in among them. This way, they would never suspect a thing, and she could catch them by surprise.*

The Lioness and Her Mask

Oil on canvas. 28"x22"