WHY NOT PAINT A DOG A DAY? With camera in hand, my fiancee and I started a project called The Downtown Dog. One hundred dogs in one hundred days. Every other week he would photograph dogs at the farmers market and I would paint them. When the project was complete, I created a book and designed a poster that features all the dogs. We donated part of the pro- ceeds from the sale of the books and posters to benefit Adopt-an-Angel, a local non-profit that rescues dogs and cats. The project trained me to be more
efficient and comfortable with the painting process. Although I explore other subjects, dogs are my favorite. It wasn’t until I began painting dogs that I was able make a living at it. Maybe it’s because dogs are what I really love to paint most.
SMOOTH SURFACES I paint using mostly oils on water color canvas or gessoed wood. At the moment, I’m working with watercolors. My favorite colors are those that are not easily identifiable - like blends of browns and blues. You can’t really tell for sure what color it is after blending.
MUSIC, COFFEE & DOGS Painting in the morning with a hot cup of coffee. When I’m painting in front of my easel, Chumley is usually upside down sleeping on his bed that I made for him. Frida is usually on some soft blanket somewhere in the house and Baxter will come in and check on me every so often. The selection of music - something is always on - depends on my mood. Right now, My Morning Jacket on Pandora is my favorite. I also love Sara McLaughlin, Jack Johnson, Ane Brun, some Old Crow Medicine Show, John Prine, Hollow Coves.
A DALMATIANWARNING Ginny, my Dalmatian, was deaf. We taught her simple sign language for sit, stay, leave the room. She was very pro- tective and actually warned us of an electrical fire in our home. A slug had crossed two circuits and was burn- ing in the socket. We couldn’t smell it, but Ginny could and kept barking at the socket until we checked it.
INTRIGUED BY GEORGIA O’KEEFE Her paintings, her life, her independence, and her space.
Clair Hartmann and her three dogs.
HER DOGS, HER MUSES Chumley is a Jack Russell, Frida is a Rat Terrier and Baxter is a Meagle. All three are rescues. Chumley is the old sage. He was found on a highway 10 years ago. He loves nothing more than food - he lives for food. His fur is as soft as a rabbit’s. He is always with me. Frida is the morning greeter. She wakes up happy every morning, excited we’re all still here. She was rescued from a kill shelter on her last day. Baxter loves to cuddle and sit in front of the heater. He’s partially blind and likes to bark a lot. He has peculiar ways of showing excitement. He marches with his front paws and throws his head back when he gets treats. It’s hilarious.
www.TheNewBarker.com
WORKINGWITH JEWELRY My fiancee, Guy supported me painting 10 years and now he needs my help with his business, Tavernays Jewelers. I still paint in the mornings, but my day also includes designing jewelry and helping our customers with jewelry repairs. My favorite time of the day is when I get to go see my dogs everyday about 1:30. We’ll spend some time together before I have to go back to work.
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ClairHartmann.com Tavernays Jewelers is in Wilmington, North Carolina. 910.799.8041
TavernaysJewelers.com
Every cover of The New Barker has featured an original work of art by a different artist since its first issue, December 2006.
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