Ideas & Art from Rob Elliott and Christine Cosby

Tag: raccoons

Raccoon commission

Anja and Andreas have been great patrons over the years (as well as terrific friends). One Christmas, each purchased one of my paintings as a gift for the other. It took a fair amount of subterfuge to keep the double-secret, but both of them were genuinely surprised on Christmas morning.

Jaunty, 18"x18", acrylic on canvas, 2007, private collection

Jaunty, 18″x18″, acrylic on canvas, 2007, private collection

Fox &Bird, 36"x36", acrylic on canvas, 2007, private collection

Fox &Bird, 36″x36″, acrylic on canvas, 2007, private collection

Last winter, Anja decided to commission a painting for her husband’s milestone birthday. She was looking for an image that captured the spirit of their three young boys, and we decided on raccoons. Raccoons are the quintessential Toronto animal and exhibit the brothers’ same mischievous energy. Drawing the raccoons getting ready to break into a house with some serious tools struck us as funny and perfect.

Getting the painting right took a few covert studio visits and plenty of emails using accounts Andreas wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon. After a lot of colour testing and redrawing, we ended with a painting that was really exciting, with a sense of nightfall, yet the figures clearly defined.

First sketch

First sketch

Pencil study with ink

Pencil study with ink

Three Raccoons, 36"x48", acrylic on canvas, private collection

Three Raccoons, 36″x48″, acrylic on canvas, private collection (click to view large)

Though the painting was completed long before the birthday presentation, it was weeks before Anja could fabricate an alibi to visit the studio for a viewing. Delivering the painting required yet another round of stealth, but we managed to keep the surprise. Enjoy the painting, my friends!

andreas-with-raccoon-painting

Gas Station Raccoons

I finished a new goauche and ink drawing today. Destined for the Super Trash Show (March 29 at Super Wonder Gallery), the work features a pair of trouble-making raccoons hanging around a gas station. I like the details in this one: the 1980s Big Gulp drink, the BMXs, the freeway signs.

Gas Station Raccoons, pencil and ink tracing.

Gas Station Raccoons, pencil and ink tracing.

Gas Station Raccoon, outline completed on stretched Canson Mi-Teintes Paper.

Gas Station Raccoons, outline completed on stretched Canson Mi-Teintes Paper.

Gas Station Raccoons, partial painted face.

Gas Station Raccoons, partial painted face.

Gas Station Raccoons, completed, 16"X14".

Gas Station Raccoons, completed, 14″X16″. Click to view large.

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