Anne Leuck Feldhaus Adventures & Art

Bad Ass Art...

It was great fun to create this composition encompassing all the lovely animals at the "Bad Ass Sheep Farm". I had the pleasure of visiting the Hendricks Farm over the Holidays when I was visiting family and friends in Wisconsin and meeting all these adorable creatures. Very helpful to capture the spirit of this commission. In the painting: their chickens...(sorry I don't have names) Dogs: Joy and Bo, Jack (Sparro) the  kitty cat, Jacob Sheep Ewes: Rachel and Rebecca, Romney Sheep: 769 & Pitchfork and last, but not least, Penny..the (not so) bad ass! Oh...and the bees, they even make their own fabulous honey...from the Division of Angry Bees! Such lovely people and an idealic little farm, thanks Beth Ann & John!

Penny!

Jacob Sheep Ewes, Rachel and Rebecca...love their markings!
Raw Honey, brought to you by the Division of Angry Bees!

Joy...



Beth Ann getting ready to serve up a bad ass lunch!

Personality Portrait...

This was a commissioned surprise birthday Gift...a "Personality Portrait" featuring all things "Steve".  A big idea man with a love of tennis, golf, travel, good tequila & Vegas! Click to see more Personality Portraits at AnnesArt.com.

"Day of the Dead" inspired narrative pet portrait...my favorite!

...just helped my fabulous new client, Claire, pull off a wonderful surprise for her partner, inconspicuously hung a narrative portrait of their dogs in my storefront window:
 
...her priceless response when she noticed it:

...i'm still smiling, this was such a fun project and the joy and surprise with which it was received, heart warming. ...and I love, love, loved creating the Mexican 'day of the dead' inspired details. It's my new favorite pet portrait! Do you like the subtle little angel/el angelito & devil/la diablita details? and the leaves and vine motif...with scalloped edges...this is going to carry through into some new paintings!

painting the birdbath...part 3: re-line & deliver!

A week ago last Thursday night I finished painting the bird bath for the HCS Family Services 'In Bloom" public art project at Oak Brook Center.

..it was an evening of re-lining to bring the images back into sharp focus!

It got to be a late night...

...the bottom/underside took way longer than I expected, finally finished at 3am!

Made last minute touch ups in the morning then signed it with my top secret tool...

...time to deliver it to Westmont to Remes Auto Body for the protective clear coat, Rich generously took the time to help me transport this thing once again.
...was very glad to have these gentlemen unload and carry it off the truck.

Can you tell it's late afternoon on a Friday? These guys were very jovial! I just received an email all the pieces were installed today at Oak Brook Center and the big award ceremony, ribbon cutting and sculpture walk is next Thursday, May 19th...kind of exciting!

painting the birdbath...part 2: glorious color!

Here's the color portion of this story...spent a week deliberating if I should have 3 different color schemes/tiers and in the end stuck with it. In the past I would have done a coordinating border like the black and white bones I did in the 'Suite Chicago Dogs' set....but since this is one single piece and that was 4 separate pieces opted to try something different. It might look a little odd here, but wait until you see it with the black outlines painted in....stay tuned!

 

 
Actually going home to finish it tonight as I have to deliver to the autobody show in Westmont that is doing the clear coating...wish me luck!

painting the birdbath...part 1: chalk and black paint

The weekend before last, I finally started putting some art on the crazy fiberglass bird bath! I started by drawing on the composition with purple chalk - I had started with a title of "Canines'n Blooms" and a brief color rendering, but couldn't really figure it out until I was working full scale. Chalk is great, easy to erase.

I then went in with black paint and it suddenly started coming to life... 
This is great fun, I know I don't look thrilled here...but I was! ; )

I've captured most of it on video so stay tuned for the high speed painting synapses! Do you like my bike seat laptop video tripod?

And the underside...which few will see, was going to do bones, then all leaves, but settled for the swirl...I think it's a good solution: Almost forgot to show you my rendering...inspired by my 'dog park debacle' series of paintings:

Stay tuned for part 2: color!

...and it won't fit through the studio door!

Drove out to Westmont yesterday to pick up the fiberglass hibiscus bird bath I've been commissioned to paint for the In Bloom Public Art Project on display at Oak Brook Center this summer...I knew it probably would not fit in the truck with the topper. Luckily an angel stepped in and was able to help us hoist it up to the roof and we bungeed it down. Made for a suspenseful ride back into the city on the expressways. Upon arrival at my studio, it came down off the truck easily, but no matter how we angled it, just would not fit through the door! It's currently sitting in my entryway...I had thoughts of painting it out there but am leery of vandalism, so will most likely port it home to my garage to paint. Stay tuned!

Happily Ever After...

This Custom Narrative Commission Print was a gift for newlyweds Katie & Tim. It features their Chicago neighborhood, Lincoln Square, their house, their beloved beagles: Nigel & Zoe, their love of travel and Mini Coopers (he races) and the site of their recent wedding ceremony: the Natural Bridges of Santa Cruz, in California. They received a Gift Certificate and were able to collaborate with me on the design for a most meaningful and vibrant work of art!

Katie & Time came by the studio this afternoon to pick up "Happily Ever After". And on that subject, they are currently fostering Kaylee (see below) a very sweet Beagle here in Chicago that needs a home. Please contact the number below or visit FoundChicago.org if you think you could give this wonderful dog a 'happily ever after', too!

 

Family Portrait...

The Walter family, from left to right: Tim, Isis, Meredith, Violette & Lee - with their custom family portrait. I had a lot of fun creating this for Lee who surprised Meredith with it, on her birthday. We included all the things they love including a favorite vacation spot, doggie beach, film, music and their beloved adopted pets and adorable daughter, Violette.
This is a ready to hang 20x20 Float Frame Print with a UV protective laminate surface. Let me know if you would like me to create a custom one for you!

Bear...My first Bernese Mountain Dog portrait:

Another sweet dog from the neighborhood...I think Bear may be the largest dog I have created a pet portrait of...definitely my first Bernese! Many more commissions to show you that I've been juggling over the last few months while also doing art fairs around the midwest and several new ones in the works, stay tuned...

Sam..."has superman genes in his DNA"

My clients Jim & Carol commissioned me to do another portrait for their newest member of the family...Sam! Who, I'm told, has quite the a personality "...he is a crazy retriever, a good game of fetch can last hours if you let it, he thinks every toy in the house is his and will pile them up on his bed to prove it, he's the life of the party and isn't afraid to show it, he has superman genes in his dna (can leap tall buildings or sister dogs in a single bound) 6) he's going to be a little too helpful in the garden..." Sounds like lots of fun to me! This is the 4 foot portrait I did a few years ago of their other dogs, Bud, Waldo, Meenie and Ella:

Recent Pet Portraits...Rudy & Murphy

My most recent Pet Portrait subjects, Rudy (Yorkie) and Murphy, live in sunny California.

Murphy is my official portrait of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

If you are thinking of a Pet Portrait for a Mother's Day or Father's Day Gift get your order in soon as my Art Fair Schedule ensues at the end of this month!

Sister Prints...

Over the years I have done some kids and family portraits, but stopped for awhile as kids are usually pretty challenging for me to capture (not having my own). My wonderful clients Brian & Gretchen asked me to do these for their new nieces both of whom were adopted from China, Gracie most recently this past December and Molly back in 2007. The kids are so adorable and it is such a happy ending story, it was a pleasure creating the images for these prints.

6 foot commission...signed, sealed & delivered!

 

  On Thursday I delivered this 6 foot commission that has been in the works since last fall. My clients are a wonderful couple from the Roscoe Village neighborhood. It was a fun collaboration, taking their list of things/places they love and then developing a composition around these elements. It becomes a very personal and meaningful piece. I can't wait to see photos of it hung, they have a gorgeous home and the colors are so complementary. I've included photos of the painting at different stages as well as the final sketch that was selected as a basis for the original piece of art.

I love this process and felt great working so big! Let me know if you would like to discuss a special custom painting for yourself!