More Pictures!

I've wanted to do a second book for a while now, and am so glad that my wife has finally badgered me into devoting the time to paint for it! It's due to be released this fall, and I can hardly wait to share it with everyone.

So... I've decided to post pictures of my progress on this great new social networking site... maybe you've heard of it? It's called Facebook. :)

If you aren't a Facebook addict yet, you can still check out the progress by going here http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=11017&id=1663877814&l=b663d30642. Otherwise, if you're a member, just request to be my friend and you'll get updated each time I post new pictures!

Here's just a taste of what you'll see when you check out my album!

Photo Album of Me Painting Murals

As I said in an earlier post, I spent some time about a month ago painting murals at The Humane Society of Silicon Valley. Finally, I've gotten around to posting pictures of the event to my Facebook page. Here is a public link to see them, http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10958&id=1663877814&l=1c5163ecb5. Otherwise, if you'd like to become my friend and fan on Facebook, you can keep updated that way as well!

Show Me How You Help Animals and Win!

I try to do whatever I can for the animals, and really appreciate when other people do the same. As a little way for me to give back to the givers, I started a program called LovePix. It's super simple - just go to the site http://www.ronburns.com/lovepix/ and send in an e-mail with a picture of you donating something to your local shelter, rescue group, or animal welfare organization and you'll be entered to win something OF YOUR CHOICE from my Little Orphan Animals merchandise store http://www.cafepress.com/orphananimals worth up to $30.

So, get out there and help then animals, then visit the LovePix page to show and tell the world!

My Name: Ron Burns, My Game: Helping Animals

Shelter animals have always held a warm little fuzzy place in my heart, and not because they're furry, but because it just feels so good to find a new friend who hasn't had it easy. And, as I and so many other people that have adopted animals discover...although we may think we have rescued them, they ultimately end up rescuing us.

I get asked all the time to help animal welfare organizations across the country, with my time, talents, or money, and it breaks my heart that I can't do everything with everyone. In order to do so, I'd probably need 26 hours in each day, 14 painting hands, and billions of dollars.

Still, I always want to think about ways to help out these organizations that do so much for the animals that I love. That's why I have created a whole new site for shelter people to visit. It has a few programs to help raise money for the animals, through the use of my fine art and my Little Orphan Animals characters.


To see more details about the non-profit site, please visit http://www.ronburns.com/philanthropy/requestsupport/index.html. Or, to see my Little Orphan Animals and even purchase apparel or merchandise, visit our on-line store http://www.cafepress.com/orphananimals.

I hope you like everything, and also hope you tell your favorite animal welfare group about these great opportunities!

Busy, Busy, Busy - Hopefully More Tomorrow

It seems lately like I haven't been able to tear myself away from the canvas, as I paint images for my NEW book. :)

But, I did want to just briefly post that my newest limited edition is up on my website and available for purchase! Check it out at http://www.ronburns.com/artwork/limitededitions/canvasgiclees/nightoflights.html. I believe there are only 4 left now. Another almost sold out edition!

Hopefully I'll have more time tomorrow to talk about something more interesting, but for now, back to painting!

Visions of Hope Event

For the past five or so years, I have been happy to support Visions of Hope - a great organization, headed by my good friend Kristen Salcito-Sandquist. This past weekend was their annual fundraiser to benefit four great organizations, including the Arizona Humane Society, Whispering Hope Ranch, Hacienda Health Care, and The FRIEND Playground Club. The theme for this year's event was "Night of Light," because there was a great light show at the end of the night and so my painting for the invitation was two dogs under the night sky with two shooting stars coming together to form a heart.

The original was quickly purchased, but if you love the image, don't fear! I made 15 limited editions of the piece, and only 5 are left! We don't have it up on the website yet, but rest assured when it gets posted, I will let you know.

HSSV Continued

Sonya and I with my painting in the socialization room of HSSV

My post yesterday about painting at the HSSV got a little long, but I wanted to be sure to let all of my loyal readers (all six of you!) know about the other artist that painted the dog adoption rooms, Sonya Paz. She has a color palette after my own heart and has some really wonderful things on her website, http://sonyapaz.com/.

My wife Buff, me, Sonya, and her husband Mark at the Sonya Paz gallery in CA

HSSV

My mural in the socialization room of The Humane Society of Silicon Valley

After this past week, I’m so glad that I finally have the opportunity to sit down and update everyone. It was non-stop painting, fund raising, and go, go, going, so writing to the world via my blog seems almost like a vacation!

For three days at the end of February, I traveled to the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (HSSV) to paint in their new Animal Community Center, which is the FIRST “green” shelter in America. After years of fund raising, planning, and building, the facility is almost complete. Even through the construction I could see what an AMAZING place it’s going to be for animals and their people. Beyond a place where people can adopt animals, it also has an animal-friendly café, dog park, veterinary clinic, and doggy daycare, among other things.

The rooms that the dogs stay in while up for adoption are bright, spacious, and best of all cage less! Adding to the brightness, I painted a portrait in each of the eight rooms, which surround a common area called the “socialization room.” I also painted a mural in this room as well – one of my favorites, a dog on a bright green couch!

Check out my pictures and I’ll post more on the rest of my weekend later this week!

Painting a Basset Hound in one of the rooms where dogs stay until they find their furever home.

Three paintings in three of the rooms at the HSSV