Is
a series of mixed media painting exploring the relationships between
families and their animals
hence the name Famanimalies. |
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Famanimalies
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Is
a series of mixed media painting exploring the relationships between
families and their animals
hence the name Famanimalies.
My husband and I met in 1991 while walking our dogs. Within a year we married and successfully combined his German Shepard mix, Brownie with my Doberman Pinscher, Mary Margaret and two cats, Orange Cat and Chutzpah. This was the beginning of happily ever after life style including cat litter, dog dishes and birdseed.
Subject Matter:
Recently my seven-year-old Doberman Pinscher, Lyra, was lying on my
lap. At that time I notice some gray hairs creeping in to her jet-black coat.
Sadly I had to acknowledge my once baby puppy was getting old. Before too much
more time passed I wanted some artwork that reflected the many memories of my
husband, Doug’s and my varied relationships with our brood of pets. As an
artist this has been a fun and sentimental journey.
Technique:
I have grown
bored with rectangles. I like shape, any shape as long as it’s organic and
not a square or a rectangle. I also like space, actual physical space, as
well as painted faux space. Some of this work is created on thin layers of
painted wood, in other pieces I’m exploring the impact of life-size animals
such horses or big dogs.
Also I like pattern. In some of my work I enjoy the repetition and the
subtle surprise when the pattern changes or better yet when the pattern is
telling a story all it’s own. My intention is to create paintings of my
pets that also tell the story and give the history of how they fit into and
impact our world and the world of the other pets in our household.
 “On The Job” mixed media 17 ¼” x 24” |
Inspirational photo |
 Can you see the brown and white bunny and the black and white cat who is reclining on the laptop computer? |
Orange:
Orange Cat, she is my first. I got her in 1987 before I was married. She has
spent her life being a great cat, greeting with kindness all the additional pets
that have joined her.
A few years ago she began sleeping on Doug’s laptop computer. We would come in to the house hearing it beeping with commands and windows invoked that neither of us had ever seen. We think she could get a job as a Microsoft Test Kitty.
While Orange was a young kitty her best friends were another cat, Chutzpah, and the rabbit, Bun Bun. She and Brownie played chase and slept on the bed together.
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Inspirational photo |
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Lyra,
This is my dog. She is
funny, beautiful and smart. Lyra’s a clown. She tunnels under rugs or
blankets, loving to emerge like a mountain. We watch her antics and laugh out
loud. She either helps me do yoga or mocks me. Either way I
laugh.
She lives with a parrot, another dog, and three cats.
 “Head of the House” mixed media 35” x 28” |
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Dickens & Nancy:
Dickens was an impulse buy. According to the pet shop he would be easy to take care of and easy to leave for the weekend. Swamp land in Florida. I have never had a pet that is so dependent on my attention and dependent on me. He is demanding, loving, affectionate and pain inducing. We are so close I couldn’t possibility paint his portrait without including myself.
He has destroyed every t-shirt I have ever worn. He has a love hate relationship with all the other pets except the German Shepard, Chopin, who he torments. Doug can only hold him if I’m out of the house and he wants out of his cage. He has favorite foods and can recognize a Dunkin Donuts bag and loves to go through McDonald’s drive through.
 "Mighty Mouth" Mixed Media 28" x 20 1/2" |
Inspirational photo |
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Trotzen and Fritz:
These are my parent’s dogs. The boxer, Trotzen, was a Christmas gift to my parents a couple of years ago. They found the Pomeranian a year later. These two dogs have joined three others. My parents taught us to love and respect the different personalities each and every dog can contribute to a family.
The floor in this piece of art incorporates over 60 photographs from the second Christmas Fritz and Trotzen had together. The pattern on the blanket includes photos of each of my parents, their bird and a couple of the other dogs.
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Life-sized cut out horses Dancer
Maggie
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| Nancy L.
Steinmeyer, Artist -- Home page |
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Last revised:
December 16, 2007.
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