Art
Mattingly Pet Portrait Commission
by Anne Kostecki
I was contacted by Maria, who wanted a custom pet portrait for her husband. He loved his dog, who had unfortunately passed away recently. We decided on a 9 x 12 inch painting, and I would be working with a full reference photo (dog and background). The background included a large meadow, lined with tall wooded trees with late autumn shadows. I painted the dog first, paying close attention to the texture of the fur and the colors and locations of shadows. The background took a considerable amount of time, and involved many layers of yellow ochre, sap green, and various other colors. I was proud of the final result, and both Maria and her husband Charlie loved the painting: it's hanging on a prominent wall in their house.
