Animal Instincts: Gallery 6000 Art Exhibit

"The Boss"
Artwork by BZTAT

Although my artwork explores many themes, painting animals is my greatest joy and passion. Animals connect with our spirits in a way that humans cannot, and that phenomenon is a constant wonder to me. Animals also have a way of revealing the most human qualities in us, a paradox that continually amazes me.

Knowing that animals are a favored theme in my artwork, you can imagine my excitement when I was asked by my friend and fellow artist Tom Wachunas to be a part of an animal themed art exhibit at Gallery 6000 at the the Kent State University Stark Campus!

I created 5 artworks for the “Animal Instincts” exhibit, each one exploring a different element of style. The works range from whimsical playfulness to a more pop art style of pet portraiture. Two paintings take on a deeper psychological exploration, one in a paradoxical whimsy; the other through a colorful exuberance balanced with a somewhat cryptic title. All are painted with acrylic paint on wood.

“The Boss” (see picture above)—Anyone who lives with cats must learn quickly who is the Boss, and it certainly is not the human of the household. This painting of the ultimate Alpha cat of my own household, Brewskie Butt, takes a humorous look at the feline-human dynamic that “cat people” know all too well.

"Predatory Instincts"
Artwork by BZTAT

“Predatory Instincts”—This work takes a playful look at one of our most basic instincts. To some extent, we are all predators at heart. In this picture, the cat spies the fish, his typical object of desire, yet it is not clear who will be the winner in this scenario. Will the cat capture the fish and enjoy a tasty dinner, or will he doom himself to ridicule as he fails in his attempt to overpower another? All too often, our predatory instinct becomes our undoing—not our nourishment.

“The Look”—In recent months, I have developed a somewhat new style in order to capture the essence of actual animals in commissioned pet portraits. The new style has been described as Pop Art by some. It is a little more hard-edged and descriptive, yet still non-literal. Most of these paintings still have my characteristic bright colors, however, this particular painting did not lend itself so well to that. I kept the colors more monochrome because the painting dictated it. The animal depicted is a friend’s Border Collie named Rosie. (Rosie's"human" has requested to purchase her painting at the conclusion of the exhibit).

"Anonymous"
Artwork by BZTAT

“Anonymous”—This work is reminiscent of a smaller painting that I created for an earlier series entitled “Anonymous Feline Spirits”. The earlier series has 4 cat images painted in a similar ghostly fashion with a limited palette. All of the works reflect upon the callousness of communities that fail to invest in spay-neuter programs to control feral feline populations, instead euthanizing healthy animals needlessly. It is a very sad commentary on our society that we chose to eliminate animals instead of helping to manage them in their habitats in effective ways. I grieve for the anonymous spirits of these lost animals.

“Survivor”—As a child, I grew up next to a horse farm, and I drew many pictures of horses in my youth. This work, however, is my first formal painting of a horse. I have been inspired by equine artist friends in the Canton Arts District, and I wanted to challenge myself to take on an image that was new to me.

This particular horse has a story of survival that has moved me deeply. The horse depicted is an actual animal that twice fell into the hands of people who mistreated and neglected her. Twice rescued, she has required considerable patience and compassion to restore her to health and beauty. Her current owner understands her well, as she too has a story of survival that is moving and inspiring. Both have amazed me in their zest for life, emerging from the direst of circumstances to not only survive, but also to thrive. The will to survive is, perhaps, the most astounding of animal instincts.

Kent State University Stark is proud to host the Gallery 6000 exhibit, entitled "Animal Instincts". The exhibit, which is open to the public, is displayed in The University Center (Professional Education and Conference Center), 6000 Frank Avenue NW in Jackson Township.

The Animal Instincts exhibit will be on display from September 1 through November 20. Each of the displayed pieces is for sale.

Kent State Stark will host an opening reception on Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Please RSVP to Rebecca DeHart at 330-244-3518 or rdehart@kent.edu. The reception is free and open to the public. Representatives of the press are encouraged to attend.

Animal Instincts features the distinctive visions of four artists who are passionate about the animal kingdom. While each artist has a unique visual approach, all four communicate not only a clear appreciation of the character and beauty of the animals they depict, but also a personal sense of stewardship.

Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography.

Custom Portrait: Painting of Three Dogs in a House

Recently, I started painting on site at Canine Action Sports Dog Training Center on Thursday evenings. Since people seem to enjoy watching me paint, and I enjoy painting dogs, it is a great place for me to meet fellow animal lovers who are interested in my work.

One of my biggest fans is the owner of the center, who commissioned me to paint a whimsical painting of her three dogs, Mattie, Rosie and Tasha.



Having seen a drawing that I had made previously, she asked if I could do a similar image with her dogs in the windows of the house. She also requested that the piece be done on a textured wood that adds to the whimsical effect.

My models from the left: Mattie, Rosie and Tasha

I began the painting as I always do, by painting the background black and blocking in colors for the basic shapes. I use a process of building up color by painting many layers of varied colors on top of each other, always leaving some trace of the underneath layers.

As you can see in the last image above, I ended up changing the base of the house, to make the black dog seem a little more plausible. The thinner house base made her head look too big for what we imagine to be her body hidden from view.

It takes many hours to paint a painting such as this, ranging anywhere from 15 to 25 hours and more, depending on the difficulty. This one was a bit more difficult, as it required some detail and had 3 animals featured. As you can suspect, every artist has intense thinking going on during the process, sometimes reflecting joy and confidence; sometimes insecurity and trepidation. It is all a part of the process.

I sometimes "tweet" some of these thoughts on Twitter as I am working. Here are some of my random thoughts that were captured in tweets as I painted this painting:

@BZTAT I'm looking at this painting and thinking...Even a whimsical painting requires some degree of plausibility, and I am not there yet.

@BZTAT When ya gotta sing, ya gotta sing, or in my case, when ya gotta paint, ya gotta paint! (in reply to a message from a musician)

@BZTAT thinks she is really not made out for detail painting. Just sayin'.

@BZTAT I am working on a piece with more detail than I am used to at the moment, and it's making me cross eyed!

@BZTAT is painting on the wild side--wearing clothes that, thus far, do not have paint on them. (That changed real quickly...)

@BZTAT Sometimes I think I really don't know how to paint. I just slap the paint on, and on, and on...until it finally works.

Despite the insecurities, I eventually worked through various dilemmas and finished the piece to my satisfaction. My patron has not yet seen the piece; I hope that she and her pooches enjoy it!

BZTAT with a young fan painting on location
at Lehman's in Kidron, OH

Now, on to the next portrait--a dog named Boomer, who recently went to the Rainbow Bridge. I feel very honored to paint this very special portrait.

Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography.

Thought for the Day

Artwork by BZTAT

"If you can't decide between a Shepherd, a Setter or a Poodle,
get them all ... adopt a mutt!"
- ASPCA

Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography.

Go Orange for the ASPCA!

Brewskie Butt, the Official Spokescat for Art Adventures Studios, is going orange for the month of April! Why? Because orange is the signature color for the The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.

The Brew is a big advocate of animal protection causes, and he hopes that his fans will keep the critters especially close in their hearts this month. As many people have been forced out of their homes recently due to economic hardship, many animals are losing their families and finding themselves homeless. Other animals are becoming the innocent victims of human hardship, with animal abuse being on the rise. Please consider supporting animal causes in your community to protect them and keep them safe. Thank you!

Life is an Adventure!

The Brew and BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Happy Birthday Brewskie Butt, Official Spokescat for Art Adventures Studios!

Brewskie Butt, the Official Spokescat for Art Adventures Studios, is hosting a 24 hour online Paw Pawty for his Twitter Critter pals and anyone else who would like to celebrate his birthday! A Paw Pawty is a way for all of theBrew's Posse on Twitter to have some fun and games and to help raise money for animal charities at the same time. There will be contests and games throughout a 24-hour period with prizes from a variety of great sponsors. Attendees will be encouraged to donate to @RomeoTheCat, who raises money for animal charities across the United States.

Special art from Art Adventuures Studios will be given out to members of Brew's Posse of Twitter followers during Brewskie's Paw Pawty!

Start Time:
Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 2:00pm

End Time:
Monday, April 6, 2009 at 2:00pm

What's a Twitter Critter? It is an animal that "tweets" or blogs on the microblog site Twitter. There is a whole subculture of animals who Tweet on Twitter, as well as people who love animals. It is a very positive and supportive group that chronicles the lives of pets and other animals and is dedicated to making the world a better place for critters.You do not have to be on Twitter to enjoy the Paw Pawty. Simply go to http://tweetgrid.com/search?q=pawpawty and watch the critters live stream of Paw Pawty posts! Of course, to win prizes, you have to have a Twitter account and follow the following critters:

@Brewskiebutt

@Emmythecat

@Romeothecat

@Duke Richard II

@oscarthecat

@frugaldougal

Information about the Paw Pawty will be updated here and at frugaldougal blog.

Please join the Brew, the ultimate PAWTY ANIMAL for this very special event!

Note: Times listed are EDT (New York, NY). Check http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ to see conversions for different time zones.

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Thought for the Day

Love the earth and sun and animals,
Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
Stand up for the stupid and crazy,
Devote your income and labor to others...
And your very flesh shall be a great poem.

Walt Whitman

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

"The Adventures of Brewskie!"--Brewskie Butt's First Blog

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...

Finally! BZTAT (my person) is letting me blog on the Buzz From BZTAT!!! It's my very first official blog that can be more than 140 characters (Twitter limit). I am so excited!!!!!

For my first blog, I thought I would tell you about my best pals, Noah and Who--the coolest cats around! OK, I'll tell ya about Slick, too, but I don't get along with her as well.

Here's Noah:


Noah and I have been pals for a long time. He was at my house when I first arrived. Noah is a HUGE cat! We think he is a Maine Coon cat. He's lots of fun to wrestle with, and he likes to snuggle too. He got his name from an early life experience he had. When he was born, he was kept in a plastic tub in a basement with his cat mom and kitten siblings. The basement flooded, and all the others got up to higher ground. Noah, though, as the story goes, was left in the tub, and was found floating around in his little Rubbermaid ark. Luckily, he was rescued, and he, too, got to higher ground. He came to live with my human mom, BZTAT, not too long after that.

This is Who:



Who is Noah's brother. He was in the flood too, but he got out of the ark before Noah was stranded. He came to live with Noah and BZTAT for a couple of weeks when he was little, then he went to live with BZTAT's mom in a retirement center. He was the king of that place, let me tell ya! Who is a large cat, too, although not as big as Noah. He is probably a Maine Coon cat, as well. Everyone says he is a strikingly beautiful cat, as he has a very unique face and swirly patterns in his fur. I just know he's lots of fun to play with! He came to live with us in February 2008 when BZTAT's mom went into a nursing home.

Who got his name from the "Cat Who..." book series by Lillian Jackson Braun. I never read the books, but I guess they are about cats that solve murder mysteries. BZTAT likes to sing the CSI theme song to him, "Who are you? Who? Who?" She sometimes calls him "Who-dini" cuz he can be a trickster. She calls out "Yoo Who...." when she can't find him, and calls him a "Ya-Who" when he's being silly.

This is Slick:



Slick is older than the rest of us. She's 13-1/2 years old (We're all 4-1/2). She's still pretty active, though. She is a calico, and half of her face is a different color than the other half. I confess, I get very jealous of her, cuz she and BZTAT have such a special relationship. I have a special relationship with mom too, but Slick was around during the legendary Beezie-tat's era (story for another blog), which gives her special status. Slick gets growly and hissy when I chase her or try to bump her off the cat tower, and mom always protects her. That's why she's my nemesis.

Slick was rescued from an oil spill on the Tuscarawas River in Navarre, OH. That's how she got her name. She didn't get any oil on her, but was brought in with a bunch of ducks and geese that did. She had an injured paw, but was fixed up by Dr. Jeff just like new. To this day, Slick gets nostalgic when she hears geese fly overhead.

My person, BZTAT, as you know, is an artist. She made all of the pictures of us here. She says that, if it weren't for us cats, she would have nothing to draw or paint. I think she would find something, because she does paint other things, but we sure do enjoy being her models. The picture at the top of this blog is my favorite picture that she has made of me. Make sure that you check out her website, her Cafe Press Shop, and her Zazzle store for all kinds of cool art and other stuff. Had to put that plug in, ya know, cuz I am her spokescat and all.

Thanks, mom, for letting me blog! Look out for more "Adventures of Brewskie!" in the future!

The Brew

Follow me on Twitter @BrewskieButt and on Facebook!

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.