Pet Portrait of Wilson, quite possibly the most charismatic dog in Washington

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Pet Portrait Painting of Wilson the Golden Retriever by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of Wilson
oil on aluminum
11″ x 14″

I was asked to make a painting of Wilson as a surprise Christmas gift and I loved the assortment of high quality images that I was given to choose from.

Photography is a skill to be mastered just like any other, and his owners have certainly been working hard to perfect their craft. Wilson is a willing muse and he is quick to give the camera his winning smile when asked. He is clearly a very happy and well loved pooch and I enjoyed the opportunity to capture him in oils from images taken when he was out hiking, one of his favorite things to do.

Check out his Instagram account where you can see an assortment of adorable photographs while you follow him on all sorts of adventures.

From Andrew

“I wanted to…let you know that the painting was the perfect gift. Olivia absolutely loved it! I can’t thank you enough for the work you did on it. It goes without saying that you have some very happy customers (Wilson included!)”

Trio of Rabbit Portrait Commissions

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Miniature painting of house rabbits, Setting Sail, by Rebecca Luncan

Setting Sail,
oil on aluminum
4.25″ x 3.25

Remember when I said I had a dozen more mock up’s for rabbit paintings?

Thanks to Nicholas Dorman, painting conservator at the Seattle Art Museum, I was able to squeeze a few more paintings of rabbits into my busy schedule last year. As you may know, I currently split my studio schedule equally between personal and commissioned artworks and these paintings were a combination of the two!

The paintings were commissioned for his wife, whose maiden name is Rabbitt and their two children, whose middle names are also Rabbitt! I sent him all of those rabbit mock up’s that were on the back burner while I was working on a new monthly miniature project and he picked his favorite three. I feel so humbled and honored that he wanted to add some of my paintings to his collection when he gets to travel the world with the museum to conserve so many amazing paintings.

Setting Sail, pictured above, was inspired by a pose my rabbits struck in the studio. I like thinking of this one personifying Nick and his wife contemplating their adventures. Nick’s art history background influenced the other two paintings he chose for his son and daughter. The paintings were inspired by historical works by Hans Hoffmann and Matthias Withoos. I replaced Hans Hoffman’s hare and Matthias Withoos’s mushroom with my house rabbits who share the art studio with me.

Take a look at my Monthly Miniature: Rabbits gallery to see my rabbit miniatures.

 

Miniature rabbit painting, A Rabbit in the Forest, after Hans Hoffmann. oil on aluminum by Rebecca Luncan

A Rabbitt in the Forest, after Hans Hoffmann, oil on aluminum, 4.25″ x 3.25″

Rabbit Painting

A Forest Still Life, after Matthias Withoos – March, 2016, oil on aluminum, 4.25″ x 3.25″

 

From Nick:

Thanks so much! I love the paintings…They really are beautiful.

From his wife:

We absolutely love the rabbitt (rabbit) paintings! Thank you so much!

Animal Portraits in a Mini Art Exhibit!

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animal portrait rabbit art miniature drawing on paper by Rebecca Luncan

Eleanor, pencil on paper, 3.3″ x 5″

The holiday season brings mini artwork!

Come by Ghost Gallery to see hundreds of pieces under 12″ made by artists from around the world. There’s an enormous variety of artwork made using different styles and mediums. Go to their website or to Capital Hill neighborhood in Seattle to see them all in person! I’ve been doing lots of drawings lately and have given them some of these animal portraits to add to the mix.

animal portrait calf art miniature drawing on paper by Rebecca Luncan

Lucy, pencil on paper, 4″ x 4″

Farm Animal Painting Exhibition

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Portrait of Silkie chicken, Emperor Vox, oil on aluminum, 8" x 8" by Rebecca Luncan

Admiral Vox, oil on aluminum, 8″ x 8″

A selection of never before exhibited paintings from the Into the Country series are on display at Gallery Frames in Seattle.

This body of work is inspired by memories of the animals my Dad kept during my childhood and from my mother in law’s and sister in law’s herds and flocks (and more). Portraits from the series are painted in a style inspired by the classical Dutch portrait, and continue a mood from the first miniature in my “Paintings of Rabbits” series. The series started with my Into the Country Monthly Miniature project which I was inspired to expand by creating several larger works including the painting above of the silkie rooster. He belonged to my mother in law and my husband and though his real name is Snowman, my husband has been calling him Admiral Vox for months and it stuck. All of the paintings in the series are in the same style, with a similar treatment to the background and how I’m lighting my subject, but each new animal brings their own unique challenges. I’ve loved having the opportunity to be able to focus on so many different kinds of creatures, exploring the different textures and expressions, and doing my best to bring a bit of their personalty to life with a pallet full of paint, some brushes and a loving eye

Rebecca Luncan's Into the Country art opening

Rebecca Luncan’s Into the Country art opening

I always look goofy in photos, but here’s one of me next to my huge painting of my rabbit Charlie.

The paintings will be on display from December 1, 2016 through January 28, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

Season’s Greetings!

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Season's Greetings Rabbit greeting card

 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

It’s been easy to forget all the good that there is in the world when I’m plugged into the computer, but I’ll spend my Thanksgiving offline, appreciating my little slice of happiness with my family. I wish you all health, wealth and happiness, and as much joy as I felt today, watching my (almost) eight-month-old son take his very first steps!

Now go to the store and order some of my new holiday cards, and send a bunny to someone you love. 🙂

Commission In Time for a Special Ocassion

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oil painting miniature of little girl at the beach by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of Maddie at the Beach, oil on copper, 4″ x 4″

My commission schedule is booked out almost a year in advance, but if there’s a special occasion you’d like a portrait for and it’s coming up soon, it doesn’t hurt to ask!

I like to leave a little wiggle room in my schedule to accommodate one or two unexpected commissions each year that need to happen right away.  The timing for this painting worked perfectly, and I’m really happy I was able to make it as a special gift for a very special person.

This painting was presented to Michele as a tribute to ten years as a hardworking, knowledgeable and efficient registrar at the Seattle Art Museum. But for her colleges to commission such a gift to commemorate her time at SAM, it’s also a tribute to the genuine warmth and love that she has always been so quick to share. We coordinated with her daughter who she sent me several images, and this one immediately stood out to me as “the one,” both a portrait of her very loved granddaughter, and an image of a young girl, going confidently to the ocean on a glorious sunny day. I hope Michele’s new adventures are just as sunny, and I know she will go into them with confidence and brighten the lives of all she meets.

My thanks to everyone at SAM and to her daughter for the commission, and for your trust that I could make a gift worthy of Michele. And thank you, Michele, for all your help and support, both professional and personal over the past ten years. Enjoy and visit your old friends often!

From Michele’s daughter

“Wow, Rebecca.  I don’t even know what to say… this is so beautiful.  My mom is going to love it.  We are so blessed that you’ve used your incredible talent to commit such a wonderful memory into an ever-lasting work of art.  Thank you.”

From Michele

“Amazingly talented, kind, sweet, wonderful. …I will always admire you when I look at the portrait…”

Childhood’s End Gallery for Fall Arts Walk

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Print

 

Join me for Olympia’s Fall Arts Walk!

I’m thrilled to show five new rabbit paintings at this lovely gallery in Olympia. Most art galleries fold within just four years, so Childhood’s End Gallery’s 45th Anniversary is really something special. Please join me in celebrating the birthday of this gem of a space.

Olympia only does an art walk twice a year, and it’s a very lively affair that’s well worth the trip for you Seattle folks, especially if you’ve never been.

Three of the paintings are formal miniature portraits fitted into antique frames. I’ve been holding on to these frames for a few years, and I think I’ve found just the right images to fill them. Take a look below and I hope you’ll agree!

Portrait of a brown rabbit, miniature oil painting on copper by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of a Gentleman, oil on copper, 5” x 5” (framed)

 

Portrait of a white rabbit, miniature oil painting on copper by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of a Lady, oil on copper, 5” x 5” (framed)

 

Portrait of a rabbit, miniature oil painting on copper by Rebecca Luncan

Portrait of an Orphan, , oil on aluminum, 5 ½ ” x 5 ½ ” (framed)

 

ARC Salon Finalist!

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Long haired dachshund oil painting

Nippy, Oil on aluminum, 5 1/4″ x 9 1/2″

Keep your fingers crossed folks! I’ve made it through the first round of judges

I’m very excited to share that I’m a finalist for the ARC Salon, “The most prestigious realist art competition in the Americas and perhaps the world, the International ARC Salon offers over $100,000 in cash awards and International recognition through partnerships with prestigious magazines, galleries, museum exhibitions, and a strong online presence.”

 

Memorial Portrait: An Unexpected Loss

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The White Rabbit, Oil painting miniature by Rebecca Luncan

The White Rabbit – September 2016, oil on copper, 4″ x 4″

A Memorial Portrait: The passing of Ellie

My Ellie passed away quite suddenly this past month. The vet saw her for an eye irritation but found nothing too concerning, just a tiny scratch on her eye. But Ellie died the very next evening. We don’t know why she died so suddenly, but we miss her.

It’s a sad thing, but having so many animals in childhood helped teach me to be thankful, that death doesn’t diminish the gifts of life. Ellie was a sweet friend to her brother Charlie, and I’ll miss her hopping around the house, and snuggling at my feet while I paint. She was a great muse, and it comforts me that I was painting her portrait when she passed for the Monthly Miniature – Into the Country series.

We kept one early painting of Ellie for ourselves, and I’m glad we did. A portrait has a freshness and a life of its own that makes the subject feel close, that keeps them alive and well in our hearts. It’s a hard thing to explain why a painting should feel more significant than, say, the photo it’s based on, but I think it’s the care put into making it. Because it’s a totally unique object, we give it meaning.

Please enjoy the newest painting of Ellie and join me in remembering her fondly. You can find more paintings of her in the Monthly Miniature – Rabbit’s series.

Rest in peace little Ellie! You will be very missed.