Friday, March 6, 2015

Home Front Heroes

Mixed-Media/Watercolor Paintings of Service Dogs and Pets of Veterans

(And some very close friends.)


Olley Cat
This was my very first watercolor painting, which I painted  in the summer 2014. Once I realized I had a knack for it, I tried painting my service dog. Then I had the idea to paint the dogs of my friends from our Soldier's Best Friend training group. Between September and November 2014 I cranked out 30-something paintings and decided to have an art show. My very first!

My Sweet girl &
Service Dog
Sierra
My Sweet girl &
Service Dog
Sierra
Service Dog

My Sweet boy
Olley Cat
My Sweet boy
Olley Cat
 Postcard 4x6
Matte Varnish
for a friend in the Netherlands

 Postcard 5x7
Matte Varnish
for a friend in the Netherlands

Baloo & Indie
Baloo & Indie
Baloo & Indie
Cisco
Cisco
Service Dog


Molly

Molly


Ava

Ava
Service Dog


Bear
(great dane/shepherd mix)

Bear
Service Dog
(great dane/shepherd mix)


Angel
Rest in Peace 
sweet one

Angel
Rest in Peace 
sweet one


Joy
Rest in Peace 
sweet girl
Service Dog

Faith & Hope
Therapy Dogs

Rocket
Diva
Toby

Moses
Service Dog
Sasha & Kuma
Randy
Service Dog

Sarge
Service Dog

Mac

Max
(Sorry for the bad photo- I just couldn't get the right lighting for this one)

Mia
Service Dog

Sierra
Service Dog

Tyson
Service Dog

Sprite
Suni
Rest in Peace
sweet girl

Boxer

Lily
Jersey
Cosmo
(a work in progress)

Below is a list locations to adopt a dog (or cat) of Service Dog organizations in Arizona.  I included contact information for them as well. 

Power Paws Assistance Dogs www.azpowerpaws.org Ph:480-970-1322
All Ways Pawsitive Pet Behavior & Training www.allwayspawsitive.com Ph:480-529-7947
Handi-Dogs, Inc. www.handi-dogs.org Ph:520-326-3412
Foundation for Service Dog Support www.servicedogsupport.org
Leashes for Living www.leashesforliving.com Ph:  623-393-8481
Soldier's Best Friend Ph: 623.218.6486 admin@soldiersbestfriend.org 

To adopt a dog in the Phoenix, Arizona area:
(This is where I found my sweet girl. One day she was on the euthanasia list and the next she was saving my life learning how to be the most amazing, super service dog ever.)

Or you can see where Soldier's Best Friend gets their dogs:

Or you can try the oldest & largest No Kill Shelter in Arizona:


Questions? Please feel free to email me @ 

xxowleyesxx@gmail.com 

Would you like a watercolor painting of your pet?
All I require is a well lit, high resolution digital photo of your pet.
As for the pricing of my work, it is negotiable depending on your circumstances. All certified service dogs,therapy dogs and pets of veterans will get a discounted rate, however I will require verification of their certification or your time in service. Generally, I like to meet with my client to discuss size, color and concept in order to set up a contract because pricing is determined by size, cost of materials, time taken and target audience.  I also come up with concept sketches and color swatches for the clients approval before completing the project. .
$50 for an 8x10 + shipping
$75 for an 11x14 + shipping
$150 for an 18x24 +shipping
+$20 per additional pet
(up to 4 per piece)

 Agreement between Artist & Collector as follows:
1.     The Artwork :Collector is commissioning artist, Joy Hickok to paint: Size:_________________ Color:___________________       # of Pieces:________________________________________

2.     Concept: The Artist will paint: ______________________________

3.      Payment Schedule: A non-refundable deposit of 50% is required before artwork commences. The payment is due in full upon delivery of artwork. Out of state and International commissions can pay via PayPal.

4.      Payment Amount: The artist and collector agree upon $______.00 USD selling price. Collector will pay any taxes due.

5.      Copyright: Artist retains the copyright to all works commissioned by Collector that was created by Artist, including all reproduction rights and the right to claim statutory copyright. No artwork may be reproduced or altered without the written consent of the Artist.

6.      Right of Refusal: In the event that the Collector does not wish to purchase the commissioned artwork, the Collector may refuse. In that case, the Artist will retain the refused artwork and the non-refundable deposit. This is free of any claims or interests of the Collector and the Collector will not owe any additional fees to the Artist.



How to Care For Your Watercolor Painting

So, you just purchased/received a beautiful, new watercolor painting, now what?  There are really just a few important things to know about your watercolor painting in order to keep it bright, vibrant, and unblemished.



1.      Get your painting framed with a glass protective panel. This is important, a regular frame with no glass will leave your watercolor vulnerable to dust, smudges, water damage etc.  Did you know that watercolor can reconstitute itself when water is added?  That means the paint can shift, lift, drip etc. A glass front will protect against water damage.  It will also keep the dust off.  You can’t just dust a watercolor painting as the paper is sensitive to marks and is a delicate surface.  A well framed piece will also help keep out insects that can damage the paper.  It is very difficult to repair a damaged watercolor painting, so keep it protected.

2.      Avoid direct sunlight.  Watercolor paintings are sensitive to sunlight. The colors can fade, and the paper can become brittle. The recommended level of light for displaying watercolors in museums is 50 LUX, and it is only recommended for short periods of display.  You can measure the light levels with a simple camera meter.  However, I simply recommend keeping your painting out of direct sunlight and avoid shining a spotlight on the work.  Remember, you bought the piece to enjoy it, so don’t fret too much.  Just be prudent.
3.      Hang the painting away from household pollutants and high humidity areas.  Don’t hang a watercolor over a fireplace, near a stove, or in a bathroom.  The soot from fireplaces can damage a work of art.  Also, the shifts in humidity that occur in the bathroom or near a stove can cause moisture to build up inside the frame.  Eventually, you may have a mold problem and have to take the work to be professionally cleaned.  Try to find a location with more consistent humidity levels.

4.      If the work does need to be repaired, find a professional.  You can usually find a good conservator by calling your local museum for recommendations.  If you did happen to purchase your work directly from the artist, you can also try contacting that person and ask if they would mind trying to repair the damage themselves.  (Depending on how extensive the damage, if it an OwlEyes Art© production, I may be able to repair the problem area or possibly replicate a duplicate.





That’s it.  Beyond that, just sit back and enjoy your watercolor painting!