'Eat breakfast with local animal artist on Sunday' - July 24, 2008

The New Girls private collection

Seacoast Online - July 24, 2008 6:00 AM

KENNEBUNKPORT — Kennebunk animal artist Carol Santora is the visiting artist Sunday, July 27, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Nonantum Resort as part of its Breakfast with the Artist series.

Santora paints local scenes including boatscapes at Cape Porpoise, her favorite painting spot, Maine's lighthouses and the marshland, but she is best known for her expressionistic and whimsical animal paintings and pet portraits. Whether they are favorite farm animals, the exotic great cats, North American wildlife, or one of the canine locals, Santora is passionately drawn to paint them.

"Painting animals and wildlife has been my passion since childhood," she said. "Their faces captivate me, especially the inquisitive expressions and soft eyes of cows and dogs, and the majestic independence of moose and big cats."

Each painting begins with a foundation of thorough research that includes site visits to farms, wildlife parks and rescues all over the United States. She works from her own photographs and sketches. Santora's work is grounded in representation, yet she is not bound by that. Using soft pastel, she expresses her passion for her subject with excitement and energy by pushing the boundaries of color.

Santora's paintings can be seen at the Northlight Gallery, Kennebunkport, at the Carver Hill Gallery, Rockport, at her home gallery on Fletcher Street, Kennebunk.     Comments

Sacred Steer - Monday, July 21, 2008

Sacred Steer 6"x6"

Today I finished this painting I started a few months ago.     Comments

Mia Wants to Paint! - Sunday, July 20, 2008

Mia wants to paint

Carol and Mia	Mia at the Easel

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Bailey's Buddy - Saturday, July 19, 2008

Bailey's Buddy at Camp Oceanwood plein air pastel 11"x8"	Mia plein air pastel 12"x9"

Today was a paint-out fundraiser, "Paint the Bay", to establish a transportation fund for residents of The Pines, Ocean Park, an independent living, retirement community.
Across the street from The Pines is Camp Oceanwood, a Christian youth camp and conference center where they teach horseback riding. There are several horses in residence, all in their own fenced area, except for Bailey and Scout, or as I called him Bailey's Buddy.
I also started another piece of Mia who really liked my pastels!

Scout and Carol	Carol Painting Mia

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Out of the Mist - Thursday, July 17, 2008

Out of the Mist pastel 10"x7"

Today I destroyed a few paintings in the studio and found an older cow painting. Before I tore it up I decided to experiment with it. My artist friend, Pat Jeffers, asked me a few days ago if I ever thought of painting a 'spirit cow'. Here is the result!     Comments

Plein Air practice... Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Today I went out painting with an artist friend to Drakes Island, Wells. Although I am not a landscape painter, I had fun doing studies of the beach and marsh as the tide rolled out, and watching an egret as it appeared and disappeared behind the marsh grasses hunting for food.     Comments

Gretchen and The Breakfast Club - Saturday, July 12, 2008

Gretchie soft pastel 8"x12"

The Breakfast Club soft pastel 6"x14"

This morning I did a pet portrait demonstration at the Hounds Tooth Inn, Kennebunk, of my dog Gretchen. This afternoon I worked on another beltie cow painting...     Comments

Lazy Afternoon - Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Lazy Afternoon plein air pastel 10"x16" sold

I went to Cape Porpoise Harbor today to do a painting for "Capture the Coast' auction to benefit the Wood Island Lighthouse, Biddeford. The auction will be Sunday, July 13 at the Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport.     Comments

Family Portrait - Sunday, July 6, 2008

Family Portrait 6"x12"

I have been working on another painting of 5 cows from my visit to Wolfe's Neck Farm. The center cow had her eyes on me and kept popping her head up as I painted their portraits.     Comments

Christmoose Lights - Thursday, July 3, 2008

Christmoose Lights 12"x12"

I was up early this morning to put the final touches on my Christmoose Lights!     Comments

My Spirit Horse - Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Royal Charger 6"x6"	The Guardian 6"x6"

I have wanted to do more paintings of my Power Animal - the horse. I painted my first one, Spirit Horse, back in November.     Comments