Jaguar Fierce!

 Love seeing some of my work on a new line at shopvida.
Here my painting on a top Jaguar fierce!

Fierce!

 Fierce!
can be added to your art collection at or see more at: 
 http://shopvida.com/collections/voices/products/fierce

Thy Brother by JoAnne Helfert Sullam

   Fun stuff!

A work of Art Pet Portraits

A work of Art Pet Portraits


In recent years animal art has increased in value and popularity. Dog art in particular has fetched record amounts at auctions and is still gaining in its’ status.
 Owning a portrait of your pet can be rewarding by providing an everlasting memory of your beloved family member. While at the same time enhancing your home’s personality.
Here is some food for thought when considering a portrait of your pet. 

   

CoCo Graphite pencil JoAnne Helfert Sullam

Think of your pet portrait not only as a beautiful rendition of a truly beloved and pampered pet, but also as a work of art to cherish for all time.
Remember you are getting an original work of art and in this world of mass-production it is nice to have a one of a kind just like you’re favorite furry friend.
Whether it is a painting, sculpture or a simple sketch.
Do you have a particular place for the portrait in mind?
Where you display the artwork will help you decide what kind of medium you might prefer, also consider the size of the portrait. It can make a difference in how your pet is represented and where best to place it in the home.      

The size of a portrait can be a matter of taste, but consider the size of your pet as opposed to the size of the portrait of your pet, a very large painting of a Chihuahua will make quite a different impression than a life size portrait, but the contrary can be said of a large dog such as a Great Dane which can work quite well as a small painting.
Also take into account the wall space that you have available. If you have more windows than wall space in your home or an open floor plan you might want to consider a sculpture instead of wall art. There is also a new trend towards minis; some artists are offering miniature bronze sculptures that can be quite charming as an accent piece.
If you do decide on wall art, knowing in advance where you will hang the work can be valuable information. Especially hanging works on paper, such as a watercolor, drawings and pastels, which direct sunlight, can cause fading. Measuring the space will help determine what the dimensions of work should be and the medium you select. 
Altogether this information can guide you through the decision making process.



                                                             

Howie acrylic on canvas by JoAnne Helfert Sullam

Different mediums

 Paintings: the surfaces can vary from canvas, board, paper and even wood and can be in oil, acrylic
watercolor,pastels, colored pencils, graphite drawings and pen and ink are typically done on paper and are usually matted and need to be under glass.
 Graphite drawings and pen and ink are black and white although pen and ink can
 be done in brown sepia.
 Sculptures can come in a variety of metals and fired clay's and or finished in bronze. 

Jessy Sits bronze by JoAnne Helfert Sullam

 
  And there is also photography.

 Baby Jessy photo by JoAnne Helfert Sullam

You want the art to fit in with the décor of your home and be a noteworthy depiction of your pet.

And don’t forget about the garden it can be the perfect place for a sculpture of your pet. A bronze is a beautiful addition to the garden if you have the budget for it.
Having a portrait of your pet can be exciting, and an artist can create a wonderful work of art with your help in understanding what you know so well about your pet.

 So before speaking to the artist, consider this, what is unique to your pet’s personality?
 What do you love about them? 
How do you want to remember them?
 Is it a certain expression or a simple gesture that you would like to capture? 

You can then share this with the artist, insuring that your pet will be well represented and you have a work of art that will be a family treasure. 
And this is my latest pet portrait, dog with tie.

Dog with tie 

        https://www.etsy.com/listing/269799107/pet-dog-portrait

 

puppy mystery book

Only $18.95

I can Personalize this book and will be offering illustration from the caricature in the book.

I did this video as part of a program and book reading for a school we took Hammie the hamster and showed the video before I did a reading of the little puppy book I wrote.I thought it would be fun to have a video and meet Hammie as part of reading and the kids loved it!

The year of the Horse… Of Course!

The Dream Painting  was a 10 years journey  to complete

Although I was born in the year of the dog, I am feeling the year of the horse...

This year for me is a return to horses and has taken me on a new journey and a lesson of a different kind of horse.

Me with my Zebra Polo Pony

It began this year with A Polo pony I painted, that is forever frozen in a pose with the stripes of a zebra... 

 In the Chinese culture there is a zodiac calendar system, which began with the Han’s dynasty (206-220BC), It is a 12-year cycle that names each year after an animal.

I love that idea and I have always found the horse to be an intriguing creature and although I am not Chinese I am very aware that it is the year of the horse.

Built Ford tough statue on display at he Augusta Airport

                           http://www.augustaregionalairport.com/ArtistsExhibitions

 I started out painting horses because that was the only way I could have one.

I couldn’t afford a real horse or even a picture of one

 (that’s what I would call a painting before I went to art school) so I made my own.

This new year of the horse is where I came back to these beautiful creatures with the help of one the galleries(Chisholm Gallery) that represent my work, three polo pony statues commissioned, and now an up coming Equine Art show, that I will be a part of and the hunter jumper, Horses in the sun show back in my town; I find myself literally in a year with horses and I didn’t know how much I missed being around them and painting and sculpting them.

 

Leap of Faith  my first bronze

I didn’t have any real knowledge of horses, what I knew about them I learned from books, movies and from the horses I would pet in passing when I was in NYC near central park.

 That is, until I rented an old carriage house and fell in love with a horse that slept below me.

I owned only his heart and he owned mine, with my deep love that I had for him.

I learned so much about horses during that time and loved being able to ride or groom him and I didn’t even mind mucking out the stalls, I would do anything to spend as much time as I could with him and the other horses.

I spent time at the racetrack and then watched them jump over hurdles, and pull carriages and twist and turn on a dime, chasing a ball in a field playing polo.

When I left that part of my life behind I spent more time with wildlife and although this took away from painting and sculpting horses they are always on my mind and in my heart.

What more could I learn?

Two People born in the year of the horse such as Teddy Roosevelt and Sir Isaac Newton, both had a great curiosity about nature and is something I can relate to.

But what they learned I would never. What I know they couldn’t and if I am confusing you now well maybe it will cause you to question and think.

What life becomes and where life takes you should cause you to pause. Just like the horse-even a thought can take you anywhere. It has taken me to places and allowed me to become someone that I never really thought I would be. 

To think of where the horse has taken us as culture and what do they receive in return?

 Our love and admiration- sometimes and sometimes less then nothing and they still give us all they have to give.

one of the 3 polo ponies I painted

To share some of the qualities of the horse, can bring out the best in us and honor this year of the horse, whether you were born in the year of the horse or you simply love horses.

 What’s not to love?

 To have more of their traits, such as… patience, enthusiasm for life and pride in doing a good job; is some of what I learned and it is something to think about, as I paint all the pretty horses. 

                                   See you at the show!

  

Mothers Day Flash back 80s

Happy Mothers Day!

Flash back 80s style
 For spring and Mother's Day gift.

I am offering this original silkscreen print.

Untitled 22"w x 28 "h
 2 in pink

Created in the 80s
This original silkscreen that I have kept in my private collection is now for sale.
I have 4 of 10 signed 22”w x 28”h (that I am willing to part with) for $200.00 per print.Each one is unique and the colors vary, also will fit in a poster size frame and is sighed yours truly.


I studied at the same place as Andy Warhol- SVA in NYC and used the same printing studio to produce these original silkscreen prints, which were  inspired for a love of spring.
 Happy Mother Day

Untitled 22"w x 28 "h
 2 in Blue

Email me or call me if you are interested.

joanne@joannesullam.com

Live Long and strong...

                                      Some New links on  www.wildmother.org

Wild Mother on Earth Day

Hey All,

Wild Mother  is ...  on Earth Day 2014.

Check out the links to love page as for the rest of the site- Not all there yet but it is a work in progress 

lets make the world a better place!

http://www.wildmother.org/ 

Wild Mother is dedicated to this planet and all its inhabitants. Our mission is to create solutions for our mother Earth. We base this on our two words that make up our name.

Wild adjective

Living or growing in the natural environment; a natural state

Mother verb [with obj.]

(often used as noun) brings up with care and affection: the art of mothering- Look after kindly and protectively

With that in mind wild mother sees our planet as a community family and as all families there are those elements that do not function and don't always get along or agree. But mother reminds us that we need to share and learn and be part of a healthy community and family.

Wild Mother  approach to environmental concerns...

The question is what can we do to help and make things better for everyone?

We take a positive encouraging approach to a holistic way of living.

How do we plan to do this?

Wild Mother will use media to get the word out and share information and what everyday people and organizations are doing to make the world a better place.

 Using this website to help people find information and connect with issues that are important to them and through the Internet people will be able to share their own solutions and ideas.

And we will do our best to make protecting  our planet fun!  

 Founder of Wild Mother,

JoAnne Helfert Sullam

http://www.wildmother.org/ 

Puppy Love and how to be a rock star

 Me and my friend the wolf Atka

(Mommy where do dogs come from? ) 

Puppy Love and how to be a rock star

A few words on puppy love…and being a rock star.

Everyone loves a puppy and who wouldn’t want to be a rock star.

So you want to take that puppy home and love it forever and ever and ever.

And now that you have a puppy  (your biggest fan) when you go out with your new puppy, you two are now the center of attention. Out the door and down the street, when you go to the park, you  and your puppy are rock stars!

You will hear  “OMG, How cute! Can I pet him or her?” and when that adorable little puppy looks at you with those sweet, innocent eyes that say,

 “I love you and I just want to be with you always”.

 You may think “can it get any better that this?”

But then… go home and sooner or later the honeymoon is over.

You’re still a rock star when you walk out the door with the little one.

But when you are home alone with your new BFF little fan….

One of the biggest rocks stars with his fans

Singer Roger Daltrey in the countryside with his dogs on his estate in Sussex, 1978. Photo by Terry O'Neill

Now lets stop here for a moment and; remember that admirer that you thought you wanted to date because he or she was so friendly to you and you could do no wrong and they looked at you with such love in their eyes and maybe you thought I could spend the rest of my life like this… until, he or she started calling you up at 3 in the morning and said “I can’t live with out you!!”

 (Bark, whine. Bark.. Bark. Whine… whine.)

Then you think what was I thinking? What did I get myself into?

But, how could you know? You were blinded by this, so cute, unconditional love and “I am such a rock star”.

Now what?

You just made a 10 or even 20 year commitment with a doody and a chew everything barker, who whines all night when you have to be up at 6am!

So where am I going with this?

I have seen this so many times and spent years rescuing and placing unwanted pets.

It makes me sad and after many years, the styles and music have changed and I now have to wear glasses: But the little puppy situation has not changed and who, through no fault of their own, grow up to be untrained, unwanted dogs.

I wrote a little story about a new puppy “Little Puppy & The mystery of the doody in the hallway” to be funny about an unfunny subject but also to give a voice to the critters that live with us who try to be “good pets” and to illustrate that they have feelings and needs too.

So, I want to share some basics for when you get a new puppy and let me just say that there is great info and plenty of experts on the subject and I have worked with some of the best, so you can go further than what I am offering here.

That being said...

Here it is… worth repeating for the- puppy loves you and rock star feeling you or someone you know will have some day.

The first thing I tell people is to picture your life in 1, 5 years or even 10 or 20 with your dog.

What does that look like?

If it fits, great, if not, rethink either the breed or the timing in your life.

The second thing to think about is walking the dog.

I know this seems obvious, but I hear this a lot when people come to me for doody training advice: “I am too busy to walk the dog, he has the whole back yard.”

Yes, this is true you have that backyard but dogs need to be exercised and mentally I believe that they need to use that great sense of smell as a “social calling card”.

Also the first day you bring your pooch home matters

As in any relationship there should be ground rules.

If you let someone (the puppy) sleep with you on the first night then they will want to sleep with you every night and will not understand why they can’t.

I know the first day is hard, you feel bad and you want to show them how much you care, but when you start out with a crate they may still cry the first night or two but it will shorten the time the puppy needs to adjust.

The same goes for potty training and feedings. Just like having a baby (part of your fan club) you do want to keep it on a schedule and just like having a baby you would never leave them unattended, the puppy should go to his “crib” when you are not watching them.

Dogs, “they say” (I not sure who “they” really are but “they” are usually right) come from wolves which are den animals which means they dig a hole in the ground and keep the pups there until it’s safe for them to come out and the puppy will understand this, and if the puppy has regular outings and is properly cared for your little fan will never feel that its create is a cage.

I tell people to think of your little puppy as you would a toddler in the house and when he or she turns into a dog they are still kind of like a child that tries to understand and wants to please you but they do have the limitation of; well being a dog and need a little TLC and understanding.

 

A page from my Little Puppy book 

One more thing I would like to share with you; is that dogs have a different language than us and we can meet somewhere in the middle of a common language. I think it’s important to try and learn some of theirs, after all, would you go into a long term relationship with someone from another culture with a completely different language and expect them to only learn your customs and language?

Find a mate (you new pup) that’s right for you and your lifestyle and if you do take home a little bundle of joy, with an investment of time and patience, you and your pooch will always be rock stars to each other.

Here are a couple of links.

Your fan,

JoAnne

 About dogs IQ

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32349079/ns/health-pet_health/t/dogs-are-smarter-toddlers-iq-tests-show/#.UzMTXOvlEjU

This one’s fun:

http://www.talkingpets.ca/en/speakdog.aspx

Some basics on doggie talk:

http://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-With-Your-Dog

 check out the latest edition to the family...