Anne Leuck Feldhaus Adventures & Art

Gifts for the Dog Lover...

We how have wonderful gifts here in the shop from $5-$48 for every Dog Lover on your list! Notepads and Magnets, Ornaments and Coasters, Holiday Cards and Prints...great gifts for everyone from your dog walker or groomer to your great Aunt Ethel! Not in Chicago? Many things are available in my CafePress Shop.
For the Pug Person in your life!   And Coming Soon: Pillows and Pet Feeders! It's beginning to look a lot like...

Showing my age...

When I'm super busy one of the first things I neglect along with exercise is my daily sketchbook...This page is a reflection of how I account for every missed day. I should have done this drawing on November 19th but in fact I did it last night, November 28th. If only I could squeeze all those days of not working out into one session.

So Alice, Izzy, Woody Allen and Diane Keaton all made it onto the paper in one way or another as I sketched while watching Annie Hall last night...many years since I've seen this movie and funny to hear Woody Allen refer to himself as being 40 - I was 10 when this was made. Now I'm older than he was back then! Can I count the tennis racquet as exercise?

Cat Lovers Gifts!

Gifts for the Cat Lover! These items are all available at my Studio Storefront but many can also be purchased on-line...coasters, mugs, ornaments and magnets are all in my CafePress.com Shop here and here.

Beautiful new Limited Edition Pet Feeder Tables in my shop. If you want one I am happy to ship to you! The small Cat Feeder is $138. Stationery Notepads and Notepad Gift packs from $5 to $25...I will gladly ship these as well. Ready to Hang! 8x8 Float Frame Cat Prints..just $48 each. Available on Etsy! And if you are looking for something REALLY SPECIAL, I suggest the Custom Cat Portrait Gift Certificate...these are available in a variety of sizes and media options starting at just $250!

Big Dreams and Ideas!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving...we had 2 really enjoyable days in Green Bay with Rich's family. It was so nice to escape for a bit, we relaxed with lots of laughter, good food, family and fun..always a joy to see our niece and nephews! They are such great kids, clever and silly and very compassionate with old Izzy...Alice had a ball with them and chocolate lab Stella. So now I'm back with a clear head ready to tackle all the holiday orders that I am so grateful to have in this magical little studio.

Read on, I'll be sharing lots of gift ideas with you over the next few weeks...

These just arrived from my printer, a customer is giving them as a wedding gift..they are from my "Folks You Know" series...I am happy to customize previously created designs with different colors and text for you. They are wonderful 'his' and 'hers' gifts and perfect for holiday gifts too! They are available as 8x8 Float Frame Prints for $48 each, 10x10 Float Frame Prints for $75 or 12x12 Box Frame prints for $98...all ready to hang and protected with a UV filtering laminate. You can see more in my Etsy Shop.

 If you live in Chicago please stop by...I have some really fun new holiday gifts and stocking stuffers...and coming next week pillows! These are also available in my CafePress Shop.

Good N Plenty Pups!

Kim Frieders and Kelly Velasco...with Kelly's newest addition to her collection: Good N Plenty Pups! They came by for our adoption event after a day of shopping at the DIY Show... I would have loved a chance to get over there and see all the handmade goods. I love visiting with these gals, they always brighten my day. Kim has a new art studio in Dundee...hope to get out there after the holidays for a visit.

Puppies, Art, Community, and a Sunny Day...

We had the perfect day yesterday for our adoption event with the Anti-Cruelty Society at my studio...plenty of sunshine and temps in the 50's...4 very sweet dogs arrived around noon- that's Camry above, she was the spunkiest of the group.
This is mother/daughter duo, Sunfire and Sunbird, they were rescued in Tennessee by artist, Bernie Berlin of A Place to Bark. I've mentioned Bernie before, as I've been involved in a few different projects to help raise money for her rescue efforts, the most recent the Party Animals Book and auction. These girls were so sweet and awfully timid. They were nearly adopted together, really hope that couple will contact Anti-Cruelty and take them after mulling over their decision this weekend. That's Sunbird on my lap and very sweet girl Theresa, they would all make such dear companions. There were wonderful volunteers and folks from Anti-Cruelty on hand to chat with all the people who came by to meet the dogs. Such a great sense of community and caring combined with the joy of being around such endearing pups...! The day was so reflective of all my hopes for combining my art and this space and community with my desire to give more exposure to and hopefully get more homeless pets adopted.
If you would like more information or to go meet any of these dogs, please contact the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society.

Lazy Smiling Yellow Dog...

This "Lazy Smiling Yellow Dog" Mega Magnet is going to the Bronx...a gal visiting the shop saw my Crazy Smiling Black Dog magnet and asked for a little customization. I hope to get some Mega Magnets listed in my etsy shop soon as well as several other great holiday gift items that just came in....I'll show them to you tomorrow!

Tuesday...Hol-ified

Tuesday's owner asked me to design a Holiday Greeting Card that incorporated the Pet Portrait that I painted of her dog Tuesday, last spring. I love how it turned out, it helps that there was already a lot of red and green. If I did a portrait of your pet and you are interested in something like this let me know and I'll send you the details.

A happy new collector!

Last weekend I got to meet Shellie Olson, who came to the studio with my pal and amazing artist, Cathi Bouzide, or as I call her the "Corn Lady". Cathi gave this Pink Poodle Print to her sister Shellie as a gift..because she is a fan of the color pink and dogs of course!

Puppies! Anti-Cruelty Adoption Event at my Studio on November 21st!

Have you been thinking about adopting a dog lately or maybe getting some bold beautiful new art for your walls? On the 21st you can do both! We will have pups from the Anti-Cruelty Society on hand for you to meet, a Raffle for Art and Gifts and 20% off all of my Original Paintings!

Painting again...

This is one of several commissions that I'm working on. The original 7"x14" painting titled 'Field Days', has since sold so I am recreating it much larger at 24"x48". I created the first one at the 2007 Fields Project Artist Residency, the same year I created my Flower Frolicking Dog Field Sculpture. That experience definitely inspired the painting, that and staying on a farm with beef cattle. It's an amazing program...and I've been fortunate to have particpated 3 different years. You can check out photos here....and here.

 

...And as long as I'm sharing,this is the painting that I created at the residency in 2008 chronicling my entire experience with the field sculpture the year before:

Pink on Pink...

My art fair pal Jill Miller of Hooey Batiks tagged me (facebook) in this great photo of her dogs, Emma in the foreground and Fausto...I was confused and then noticed a painting I did MANY years ago up on the shelf behind them. She said it's titled "red trees and pink sky" dated 2000. It's pink on pink on with red...haven't done that in a awhile..I'm inspired! Check out Jill's beautiful batik work on Etsy, here's a sample:

October 2009, what I didn't have time to blog about...

 

It's been mostly work the last 3 months but we have managed to sneak in a little bit of R&R. Labor day weekend, Rich bought us an old Schwinn Twinn Tandem bicycle on Craig's List, we've only been able to take it out on 4 occasions but every time it's been great fun and a challenge! We have to go out to the suburbs to the forest preserves to ride, it's too tricky with all the intersections in the city...so we had some beautiful fall days, these photos were from early October. (I told Rich it was one of the most romantic gestures he's made in our 18 years together...that he would want to share a bike and ride that close to me after all these years!) We are going up to the Racine area to ride tomorrow...good reason to work so hard today.

My dear friend Kate Strong came under the darkness of night a few weeks back and generously planted these perennials outside my shop so I will have them next spring...hope this means I get to stay for a 2nd year! (Kate had been planning to do this since June as a "studio warming gift" she is the busiest artist that I know - she does shows nearly every weekend between April and December and production in between. She still insisted on doing it..I'm grateful and look forward to seeing them next April or May).

And my clay class is already half over. This is Shorty...it's great to be back in class with all those amazing women. We have a great time on Monday nights at Lill Street.

And my dear old Izzy is slowing down, it's heartbreaking. This past week has been especially difficult for her to get going in the mornings...just doing our best to be patient and keep her comfortable, she gets lots of massaging. She's still eating well and excited for treats but getting around is getting harder and I'm afraid the sparkle in her eye is waning.

Alice on the other hand is still our comic relief. She is very compassionate and patient with Izzy. Her chest has grown enormous in the last 2 years, I like to think it's because her heart has grown bigger.

 

These last two weeks have been so incredibly beautiful with all the fall leaves, it is my absolute favorite time of the year. But as of today the trees are getting bare and daylight savings time is here...so mixed emotions, the good part is I will be closer to the time zone my body works best in. (In a perfect world I would live in Pacific Time).

So good by October and Happy Halloween to you!  

Raffle Winner...!

Charlotte Goldman was one of our Raffle Prize Winners from the Grand Opening, she came by to pick it up the other day and was thrilled when she saw her prize...I love a happy ending!

Rusty...

 Doing Rusty's portrait was bittersweet, between the time Rhonda ordered the portrait and I started on it, he passed away...so very sad. So now this Portrait has become a colorful reminder of her very best friend. Rhonda was in town last week, we both got teary when she came to see it, I sent her on her way with a magnet that I had made as a little gift for her to keep until the print arrives to her in California. When I did the sketches I created a younger Rusty, solidly colored and the senior Rusty with the lighter face, I am humbly adding younger Rusty to my portfolio of breeds as the Golden Retriever. Bittersweet.

This is the first order I received for the larger Pet Portrait Print size...it really came out beautifully. I just ordered another to put in my window display with Jack's portrait...this is a good comparison of the two sizes, Jack's Box Frame Print Portrait is 12x12 ($250) and Rusty's Float Back Print Portrait is 18x18 ($350). My deadline for Pet Portrait Orders for guaranteed delivery by the holidays is November 13th...so if you are considering this as a gift please place your order soon! Gift Certificates are also available.

When the party's over...

I'm so grateful for the wonderful turn out we had for my Studio Grand Opening last Friday night! I battled with myself all summer as to when I should have said party...but with juggling all the art fairs and the stress of figuring out this new space I decided to take the good advice of my wise friend Anna Millea and wait until fall when all my outdoor shows were over for the season.

I am glad I did...it was perfect and great fun seeing many of my collectors from over the years and friends and making many new ones. I had amazing help from Amanda Shell of Whirly Girl Designs and jewelry artist, Michelle Rubin. I received lovely surprises: gorgeous flowers from my Mother and my Brother, a wonderful gift of appetizers from Mike Green of the Village Tap (across the street), and treats from Rudy of Rudy's Bakery next door to my shop. The Chamber and other businesses on the street have made me feel so welcome here in Roscoe Village. Here are some photos from the evening...

 

 

Since signing the lease I have learned so much and it has not been without a lot of growing pains...last spring I referred to the back room as the Crying Room! I am happy to report that I have not used it for that since July...things really seem to be turning around. I am so grateful to have quite a long list of commission orders to fill, so time to get to work! Hope you enjoyed the photos, you can see several more on my Flickr page....and many thanks to Natalie Samp who took them!

 

 

Bid now on Art Auctions to Benefit a Place to Bark!

Last spring Jill Beninato of Sit, Stay, Smile Pet Photography invited me to be a part of a zine called Party Animals: it features the artwork of 21 different artists from across the country. The proceeds from the sale of this zine will directly benefit the animals at A Place To Bark animal rescue. All work was donated by the participating artists and the original pieces are up for auction right now and end late Monday night...the 20th! This is my piece up for auction HERE and it is actually the first painting that I created in my new Roscoe Village studio back in May:

This is all especially meaningful not only because animal adoption and rescue is near and dear to my heart but most of Bernie's dogs are rescued in Tennessee and she transports them here to Chicago to the Anti-Cruelty Society to find them homes. I had the pleasure of meeting Bernie last summer - her commitment and mission to rescuing animals is pretty awe inspiring.

So please check out these auctions, they end late Monday night depending on your time zone. Remember ALL proceeds go to benefit animal rescue sanctuary A Place To Bark. You can help buy purchasing the Party Animals book and/or bidding on the Art Auctions.

Below is a list of the artists who participated please visit their sites and their auction pieces.

Jill Beninato www.sitstaysmile.com
Bernie Berlin www.aplacetobark.blogspot.com
Suzi Blu www.suziblu.typepad.com
Rebecca Collins www.artpaw.com
Wendy Crumbley www.2dogstudio.com
Ingrid Dijkers www.ingriddijkers.com
Manon Doyle www.hoochiepoochiestudios.com
Sarah Fishburn www.sarahfishburn.com
Rice Freeman-Zachery www.voodooandzen.com
Heather LaHaise www.heatherlahaise.com
Melissa Langer www.pugnotes.com
Maija Lepore www.maigirlz.typepad.com
Anne Leuck Feldhaus www.annesart.com
Tamandra Michaels www.heartdogstudios.com
Kim Rae Nugent www.kimraenugent.com
Linda O' Neill www.abbycreekstudios.com
Nancy Schutt www.gooddogart.com
Jill Marie Shulse www.jillmarieshulse.blogspot.com
Kelly Snelling www.soulhumming.typepad.com
Carla Sonheim www.carlasonheim.com
Kathy Weller www.wellerwishes.com

You can get your copy of the zine here and remember, ALL of the proceeds go directly to helping the animals at A Place To Bark!

And I promise, Grand Opening Photos coming soon...it was a wonderful evening! :)

Top 10 Things to do this Weekend!

I was thrilled to find out that the Grand Opening Party for my studio made Crain's Chicago Business Top Ten List for things to do this weekend in Chicago! Now if some of you were on the fence about coming....this should settle it once and for all. : ) The libations are chilling and treats await...T minus 4 hours! Putting raffle gifts together for the drawing tonight...Need details? Bring your friends...

Another Billboard + Cake

Billboard #2 for 2009...on I-285 or was it Peachtree Industrial Road in Norcross, GA

 

Press & show swag...

Lovely ladies in the show shirts that were for sale...they nearly sold out

 

Having my cake and eating it too!

With Nick who informed me that he saw my poster in a restaurant and wanted to meet me because he was my 'biggest fan ever' ...totally warmed my heart!

There were so many wonderful volunteers..almost 200 and they were all wearing these blue t's with my poster design...a little surreal after a whole weekend of it but I loved it.

I like how they put the dog on the back...

My wonderful husband (who did ALL the driving!) in the elevator of the Hotel Preston outside Nashville...thank you Priceline..very nice place!

This Crayola Dress was in the lobby of the Preston, they had great artwork.

 

A photo from the road...it was so golden and beautiful as the sun was starting to set through the trees.

 

 

Moose...

I created this Pet Portrait for my friend Laurie (who bought a peapod painting from me several years back...she works at PeaPod!) this was a gift for a friend of hers who recently lost her dog, Moose. He loved tennis balls and was quite a character, I had the pleasure of watching this video of him which kept me smiling as I worked. I was honored, as I always am, to make a happy memory piece for his owners...I hope they like it!

 

Shop for Schools!

 We are open here at the shop today from 10am-8pm to support the neighborhood schools. The school of your choice* will recieve 20% of your purchase here and at other participating shops in Roscoe Village. (*see participating schools and businesses listed above) Have a great day!!

A colorful weekend....

It was a gorgeous and fun filled weekend at the Lakeview East Art Fair. With my pals Eva & Barbara (Weenerware) - all sporting our favorite Eva May hats! Good weather, lots of people and steady sales!

Heading home after a wonderful reception provided by the Chamber of Commerce...they really know how to make artists happy!

My lovely customer Jane with her fancy bird, they match my art perfectly!

...heading to Norcross, Georgia in just a few days for the last outdoor show of the season!

Save The Date...!

Please mark your calendars for October 16th! I don't know where the time has gone - our Grand Opening Celebration Party is just around the corner. We'll have lots of libations, good things to eat, and Raffles to Win Free Art and Gifts. Opening this Storefront Studio Space has been a really big step for me and I look forward to celebrating with friends and customers old and new! I hope you can join us, please RSVP if you think you can come.

Art + Wine Thursday + Sale

I hope you can join us Thursday night, September 17th! If not, you are welcome to peruse my website and inquire about paintings you may be interested in... I will be happy to offer you the 30% discount through 7pm on Friday.

It's been a non-stop couple of weeks of work here with art fairs and more ahead of me...trying to enjoy while also dealing with the learning curve of having this new space. I learn something new every day and am trying to remember that it's okay that I'm making lots of mistakes because that is how we learn, right? Still difficult to not constantly judge myself, especially when it comes to marketing my events...juggling the social media thing I realize how dis-jointed my messages are and when I planned the studio events I didn't take into consideration that I would be amid several art fair weekends nor did I think things out thematically. A perfect example adding the 30% off sale during tomorrow's reception...would have been nice to have that on the postcard and in my initial e-mail blasts and on my website! Okay..enough of that, time to get to work...vacuuming, cleaning and re-hanging new work for tomorrow!

Birthday Surprise Pet Portrait!

Sarah said it was the best birthday gift ever! Michael surprised his wife by secretly ordering a Pet Portrait Box Frame Print of their dog Hedley a few weeks ago, they stopped in tonight (unbeknown to her to pick it up)...she was very surprised - it was a wonderful moment!

Contact me if you would like to order one of these for yourself, a friend or family member. It's about a 2-3 week turnaround time from the moment you sign off on my final sketch so give yourself plenty of time if you need it by a certain date...and really, it's not too early to start thinking about the holidays...wouldn't it be nice to have the shopping done early this year?!