Of all the dogs I’ve painted, the long hair breeds have been the most challenging for me. And I have to say, the Golden Retriever was one of the hardest dogs to figure out! Their long flowing hair, with the sometimes sporadic shift in direction, skillfully hides their body structure.
You see, I usually develop my animal paintings by looking at each individual animals unique body construction. I like to see the shapes their muscles create, so that I can define them. I use the muscles to determine where my lines begin and end, and to deconstruct the body into exciting new combinations of shapes.
Golden Retriever Art by Barbara Rush
For my Golden Retriever painting, I had to research how the breed moves and base my design on the direction of the hair instead of the muscle. I envisioned the movement of the hair as it swished with the motion of the dog.
My art is inspired by Cubism, but more Geometric, so I call it GeoCubism. It’s like inventing a puzzle each time I paint a new animal. Especially with the dogs…unlike my horses and cats, where regardless of the breed they have similar body types, each dog breed has a very specific shape and sometimes many different colors.
Golden Retriever colors, for instance, come in a wide variety of shades of gold: from almost White, to Light Golden, Cream and Red, all in varying degrees of being GOLDEN.
Of course when I pick out colors for my paintings, I don’t usually use traditional breed colors, because I love to explore fun and exciting combinations of bright colors. Sometimes I will put hints of the dog’s natural colors in my paintings, but for the most part, I’m exploring fun and colorful ways to show off the dog breed to its full unique fabulousness.
You know I think of dogs as ROCK STARS! How many people do you know that get greeted by strangers wherever they go? A stranger asking to pet your dog is like a person asking for a Rock Star’s autograph!
Barbara Rush is an internationally renown, Roswell, GA artist. She created her GeoCubist style in 2004-2006 after a visit to a Cubist exhibit at the High Museum (Atlanta GA), and has been painting and selling art since 2007. A master of color and movement, Ms. Rush, uses her artistic genius to create unique paintings of animals that delight animal lovers around the world.
Visit www.BarbaraRush.com.for more information about her work. If you live in the Atlanta Area and would like to view the Artscaping (as seen on 11ALIVE NEWS) in her yard, please request information at br@BarbaraRush.com
When you take the adventure of a lifetime, everything about it should be special…including the vessel. Click BLUE TEXT BELOW to read the article in magazine format…with pictures:-)
It was December 25, 2020 when I saw I had a 16” x 20” print sale in my email box. I thought it was rather interesting that someone would buy a print on Christmas day. Little did I know just how interesting it would become.
I filled the order, shipped the print, and then followed up to make sure my customer was happy. She replied back that she was ecstatic and the print was beautiful and asked…“By the way have you ever done any boat graphics?”
I have to say out of all the things I have placed my art on…from scarves to mugs, to jewelery and tote bags…I had never thought about placing it on a boat. But, I replied, “I haven’t ever done any boat graphics, but, I am a graphic designer, in addition to being a fine artist, so ABSOLUTELY! let’s put my art on your boat.”
So the other challenge was that the boat, which is actually a 47” yacht, was in Chattanooga. So I contacted a few sign companies in Tennessee, and started “Photoshopping” my art on photos of their yacht, to determine the placement. Originally the Parks had wanted my art on the back of the yacht, on the transom wall, but the addition of a dingy would hide the art, so they opted for the upper sides of the yacht.
Now as an animal artist “Who captures the essence of your favorite animals!” I have sold thousands of prints and paintings, and merchandise, and traveled to hundreds of art festivals… and I get it…we LOVE our pets! They are our four-legged family members! Especially the dogs. Dogs are like rock stars! Everyone wants to meet, greet, and pet your dog. We all love them!
The Parks are no exception, they love their four-legged family members and are taking Haka the Australian Shepherd and Tux (their 20 y.o. cat) along with them on this adventure of a lifetime. Nicole Parks said her husband, “Bill has been owned by one Australian Shepherd or another since the early ‘90s. We’ve had Scout, Adama, Basil and now Haka in our lives. Aussies are free-thinkers—smart, loyal and fun.”
As for the yacht’s name, they said, “Our Ranger Tug was the first Blue Merle, named after our Australian Shepherd, Adama. Tropical Storm Zeta destroyed our truck that we used to trailer our Ranger Tug, so that set in motion the purchase of the yacht. We’ve intentionally worked to take every challenge and make it an opportunity. When we got our new boat, we put a big flip chart in our living room and we would add possible boat names as they came to us, but we just couldn’t find anything that fit better than the Blue Merle II.“
What made them think of putting my art on their yacht? Nicole says, “The piece is just such a perfect match–both for the boat’s name and for our dog. It looks exactly like Haka! The vivid colors and sense of whimsy drew us to the painting. We closed on the boat just before Christmas and I purchased “Awesome Aussie” as a Christmas present for Bill, knowing it would have a place of honor on the boat. Little did we know it would become our boat graphic too!”
As the Parks and I talked, I learned that they planned to do the GREAT LOOP in their new yacht. The 6,000 mile, GREAT LOOP is (according to GreatLoop.org): “…a circumnavigation of the eastern U.S., and part of Canada. The route includes the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the New York State Canals, the Canadian Canals, the Great Lakes, the inland rivers, and the Gulf of Mexico. “Loopers” take on this adventure of a lifetime aboard their own boat.”
Ever since the Parks heard about the GREAT LOOP, a few years ago, from other boaters, it’s been on Bill’s bucket list to take the year long journey.
They have been boating since 2009. Bill says, “ We started small with a 19-foot Rinker, then moved to a 27-foot Ranger Tug.” And when asked if he is going to be Captaining the yacht the whole trip, Bill said, “Nicole will learning as we go. By the end, she hopes to have enough time in to seek her Captain’s license.”
When asked how it makes you feel to take such a grand adventure? They replied, “Alive!!! Bill has Parkinson’s and we simply don’t know what the future holds. Between that and the pandemic, we decided not to wait any longer to live our dreams. We’re so grateful to have this opportunity.“
How does having my art on the outside of the yacht make you feel? I know you wanted to make the art a statement piece…how do you want people to feel when they see my art on your yacht?
“It’s so fun!!! Everyone who sees the art remarks on how beautiful it is, so it’s a great icebreaker. Art like this is usually on a big cruise ship. When people see it, we want them to smile and feel as joyful as we do. It’s just a happy piece of art. Supporting local artists is important to us. And we both love animals, so it’s a natural extension of that.”
And in closing, “I have to say that my intention, as the artist, “dovetails” with the Parks’. I want to make people happy when they see my art, and I am so happy that the Parks have provided this opportunity to share my art with people over 6,000 miles. I believe that Nicole Parks Coaching not only empowers women to become their best selves, but encourages us all to live our best lives…even through life’s challenges.”
Article by: Barbara Rush
Barbara Rush is an internationally renown, Roswell, GA artist. She created her GeoCubist style in 2004-2006 after a visit to a Cubist exhibit at the High Museum (Atlanta GA), and has been painting and selling art since 2007. A master of color and movement, Ms. Rush, uses her artistic genius to create unique paintings of animals that delight animal lovers around the world.
Visit www.BarbaraRush.com.for more information about her work. If you live in the Atlanta Area and would like to view the Artscaping (as seen on 11ALIVE NEWS) in her yard, please request information at br@BarbaraRush.com
Watch LIVE Saturday Nov 28 at 2 pm https://www.facebook.com/barbara.rush.fine.art/ while we look at my art from my nephew’s Black Pearl Travato! See how my art has traveled all 50 states and crossed the Arctic Circle 4 times! We are live for 30 minutes if you have questions for either of us:-)
Art isn’t just for homes…you can take it with you!
As a pet owner, or an animal lover, there are lots of ways to observe National Animal Safety & Protection Month. But probably the easiest thing to do is to make sure your four-legged family member has ID so s/he can be returned to you! Pet owners can make sure their four-legged family members are micro-chipped so that if they get lost they can be easily reconnected with their family. But the best form of identification is a simple collar, or harness, with a tag that has your pet’s name, and your contact information on it. So if your pet runs off…your neighbor can call you:-)
Last week as I was sitting at my desk I saw a pit bull run into my yard with no collar. Not having a leash or collar myself, I called my friend’s daughter across the street and asked for her help in capturing the dog. We soon captured and harnessed the sweet little gray and white Pit Bull and then we needed to figure out how to find the owner.
I live in a suburb of Atlanta and we have lots of deer and this year’s fawns are just beginning to lose their spots. Not knowing the personality of the stray dog I wanted to protect them from the dog, and I wanted to make sure the dog didn’t get hit by a car. I also wanted to get the dog back to its owner. So I posted my find on NextDoor Neighbor and tied the dog in my front yard, in the shade of my Dogwood tree (hey that’s kinda funny:-), with plenty of fresh water within her reach.
Did you know that you shouldn’t offer treats to pets without asking their owners? My friend’s daughter actually worked at a local dog boarding facility over the summer and she said that dogs, just like people, can have food allergies. So I did not give the sweet pit bull any food… or treats…just fresh water.
Dallas The Pit Bull
The lost pit bull did have a bit of separation anxiety, so I worked on cleaning my garage out so that I could be near her while we waited for her owner to find her. Taking breaks every few minutes to check on her and pet her to let her know she was okay. Lucky for both of us, it only took about an hour for the owner to drive by and see his dog tied to my tree, in her borrowed harness.
This was a happy ending, I got to have a cute sweet pit bull to pet for a few hours, the dog was safe, the fawns were safe and the owner got his daughter’s dog back safely. It’s also a great time to check your pet’s collar and tag to make sure it is the correct size and in good condition. If your pet is prone to escaping its collar you might want to invest in a harness.
So this month please participate in National Animal Safety & Protection month and check your dog’s collar and if s/he is micro-chipped make it is still scans at the vet office.
Barbara Rush is an Atlanta based GeoCubist Animal Artist and Animal Lover. Her art graces the walls of her animal loving collectors, and corporate collections, from Miami to Canada, Atlanta to California, and in many countries around the world. For more information about the artist and her art please visit www.BarbaraRush.com
Hey Animal Art Lovers! Sorry I’ve been busy for the last month or two! But I’ve been working hard for you! I have a 36 page calendar that I am adding the final touches to so that I can send out the announcement! It’s all about those four legged little rock stars we call dogs. It’s big it’s bold and it’s so much fun you won’t be able to sit still. It’s glamorous and can you believe…shhhh…there are even coloring pages in it:-)
I’m so looking forward to setting up my tent tonight in preparation for the National Arts Drive. If you are in the Atlanta area, and have a mask:-) come on by my yard to see some fresh hot art! I’ll be around noon to 7 pm.
Join me during the National Arts Drive June 20, 2020
It doesn’t matter if you are a two-legged or four-legged child you LOVE your MOM! Show MOM how much you care with an artful gift featuring her FAVORITE FOUR-LEGGED CHILD!
I can still ship prints and Original paintings for your Mom through Wednesday May 6, order by 3 pm. Or, if you are in Roswell, GA or nearby… you can shop in my front yard:-) Just email me for my address, I have lots of prints and original paintings in stock and you can maintain 6′ distance while shopping in the open air. Bring your hand sanitizer, or use mine, to help keep the Covid19 kooties away:-)
Send me an email at br@barbararush.com subject: I Wanna Shop in Your Front Yard:-) and I will send you my address so you can come on by. You can also bring MOM to my yard on Sunday just please wear your mask, maintain social distance and wash your hands:-)
Jelly Bean is my latest painting and features a brightly colored dachshund of Infamous stature. If you have a four-legged family member you know they are all ROCK STARS! Whenever I’m at an art show everyone is looking to get an introduction to your dogs and cats:-) They all want to know if they can pet your dog, or cat and the name of your four-legged. This Mother’s Day celebrate your little rock star that make s you a four-legged mom:-)
With lots of Love to the four-leggeds and their moms,
If you live near Roswell GA and want to walk by just email me at br@barbararush.com and I’ll send you my address. I’ll be continuing my Artscape display on sunny afternoons.
As one art festival after the other shut down it made local artist and past Historic Roswell (GA) gallery owner, Barbara Rush a little sad to think about how many art enthusiasts and artists were affected.
From her art studio window, where she painted while “sheltering-in-place”, she watched neighbors and local people walking past her house on their way to Big Creek Park. Obviously everyone was going stir crazy from sheltering-in-place and everyone needed a little outdoor time.
That’s when it occurred to her that she could give people another excuse to get outside, yet still observe the social distancing mandates…she could hang some of her art out in her front yard for the enjoyment of her neighbors, friends, and passersby to enjoy.
Art festivals are important community events. They provide people with an opportunity to do something that uplifts, inspires, stimulates conversations, while being outside. There’s nothing like the combination of a beautiful day, fresh air, and ART!
One thing lead to another and before long she created a small display with art spaced a significant distance from each other so that people could use social distancing while looking at her art. She was right, it was just what the community needed…a splash of color and a little more joy in their day. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many thank yous, and slower traffic as people cruise by in their cars to look. She also answers visitors questions about her work, through her face mask, while maintaining a 6 ft distance.
Barbara Rush is a local Roswell, GA artist, and past Historic Roswell Gallery Owner (2007-2018). She created her GeoCubist style in 2004-2006 after a visit to a Cubist exhibit at the High Museum (Atlanta GA), and has been painting and selling art since 2007. A master of color and movement, Ms. Rush, uses her artistic genius to create unique paintings of animals that will enliven the walls of your home or office…like a breath of fresh air.
For more information about her work please visit www.BarbaraRush.com. If you live in the Atlanta Area and would like to view hew Artscaping please request information at br@BarbaraRush.com
Infused with Grace by Barbara Rush the official icon for Mayfaire 2020.
This beautiful painting is a tribute to the four varieties of swans living in Lakeland: mute white swans, black swans, black neck swans, and coscoroba swans. When you visit, you will see the swans in beautiful black, white and grey, I used the three colors of the swans and added the beautiful teal, lavender, purple and grey blues, setting it on a lovely lake-like background.
Lake Morton, is home to over 70 swans that are the descendants of a pair of swans from Queen Elizabeth II’s world-famous collection in England. Over the course of the weekend, as I sat with my art at the show on Lake Morton, several of my customers told me the story of the swans in the lake.
