Animals in Pastels 25th Anniversary

Hello, Just wanted to take a moment to post that this year will mark the 25th year that I have been painting animals in pastels professionally. It doesn't seem possible that so many years have already gone by.  And I still enjoy painting pet portrait's for my clients so that they can display the love and bond that they have with their animal companions and keep these cherished memories alive for a lifetime.

This spring we will be updating my website so check us out at www.animalsinpastels.com to see our new look. By this summer I hope to have my next wildlife series completed and uploaded on our new website. This series will feature some of the big cats residing at DEW Haven in Mt. Vernon, Maine. With the sale of the original artwork & prints from this series I will donate 20%  to help generate some money to go towards the care of all the current animals residing at the sanctuary. I am not sure if you were able to see the DEW series that aired on Animal Planet this year but all donations are greatly appreciated to help pay for the upkeep and vet care for all the animals under their care.  I truly enjoyed our last trip in 2011 when I got to meet not only Bob and Julie Miner but Makeena, a female white Bengal tiger cub when she was only 6 months old. I even got to scratch Bejoux, a male black leopard behind his ear. And captured some wonderful photographs of Tundra a male lion with his lioness laying by his side in the sunlight. Last but not least I captured some nice shots of Bob with one of his tigers. You can truly see the love and affection that he has for his animals and they for him.  It was a real treat to be able to be up close to these wonderful big cats and capture those wonderful photographs and I hope to be able to visit again soon. If you have not had a chance to visit them yet than mark your calendars, as they are open from May to October and I am sure you will enjoy the visit as much as I did. For more information please visit their website at  www.dewanimalkingdom.com

In November I will once again be displaying some of my new artwork at the CMMC Art Gallery in Lewiston, Maine located on High Street. During the month of November you will be able to purchase some of my original artwork and photography as gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

Well, that's all my news for now. Stay warm and safe as those of us here in the Northeast are once again in the middle of another winter snow storm. They predict another 12 inches today on top of the 30 inches we already received last week. And the groundhog predicts another 6 weeks of winter!  Spring and warm sunshine can't come fast enough for me.

Take care, until next time~
Sandra Lee Huston

Happy Spring ~

Happy Spring Everyone!  Hopefully warmer weather will soon be here and we can all once again enjoy our flower gardens. I don't know about you  but our winter here in Maine has been exceptionally cold and long this year. I feel bad for our poor Maine Loons as they will not be nesting anytime soon because our lakes and ponds are still frozen. And last year on April 1st all our lakes and ponds were open and Loons and ducks where pairing and nesting early. Oh well, hopefully in a few weeks warmer air will come up from the Gulf of Mexico instead of all this cold air still coming down from Canada. We can only hope~ 

My web site has been updated and you can continue to order digital prints of my photography including canvas gallery wrap prints, Mural Pro Posters also original pastel and charcoal artwork just visit  www.animalsinpastels.com and follow the links to the artwork or photography that you are interested in. If you have any questions just email me at bornhorselover@aol.com and I will be happy to answer your questions. For pastel and charcoal children and pet portraits: I am only accepting limited commissions this year so please contact me ahead of time for any gifts you may want to commission at least 3 months in advance ....

For my book "Loons of Tacoma Lakes" you may still  purchased them through Amazon.com and a few gift shops throughout New England. If anyone would like to purchase a signed copy from the author just email  me at LoonsofTacoma@aol.com . Well that's all for now, until next time-

Love Generously, Speak Truthfully and leave the rest to God  ~

Take care,

Sandra Lee Huston            

Art Show & Catching up~

I wanted to let you know the Art show hosted by the Central Maine's Women's Association in November was a great sucess. It was nice to see the public once again purchasing art work. Hopefully this will be the turning point for all artist's in the coming year.


I also wanted to let you know that my book "Loons of Tacoma Lakes" is now available to be purchased through Amazon.com. For those of you who would like to purchase a signed copy from the author you can still purchase a copy by emailing LoonsofTacoma@aol.com .

For those of you following my artwork online I will be updating my art gallery this month with new digital photography captured last year. So for those of you who are still looking for art work to grace your home or office please visit my website at www.animalsinpastels.com every few months for my latest photo gallery updates. I will also be adding Mural Pro Posters as an new item available through my gift shop this spring.

And for all you "Big Cat" lovers I will be adding to my Wild Life page this spring/summer with my new pastel portrait artwork. Yes, not only will the original pastels be available to purchase but also as prints and posters for the children on your gift list. Well, that's all for now.

Wishing everyone a very Healthly and Happy New Year!

Take care, Sandra Lee Huston~

Art Show

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to let you know 20 pieces of my art work is available for viewing at CMMC Rotating Art Gallery at  60 High Street in Lewiston Maine. This art show is put on by the Women's Hospital Association and will run from October 27 to November 30th, 2012.
For this show you will find 15 new pieces of artwork that I have displayed, just in time for your Christmas gift giving pleasure. 20 % of the proceeds from all sales is donated to Woman's Hospital Association's patient programs. This is the 4th bi annual art show that I have been asked to participate in by the Women's Hospital Association and is a great way to showcase local artists work. Enjoy~

Sandra Lee Huston

DEW Wildlife Sanctuary & Happy New Year !

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Healthy and Happy New Year and reflect a little on 2011. Sadly my husbands father died of cancer this past June. Carl Sr. found out he had cancer just before my father did in 2010. My father decided not to fight his cancer as it was too far advanced and passed away in October. My father in-law on the other hand, did fight it but sadly did not have the quality of life we would have wished for him during his 10 month long courageous fight.


Just yesterday, I finished scanning and storing nearly 100 old photos of my husbands family to a new 7" digital slide show frame that I had purchased for my husband for Christmas. Now he can view his favorite family photo's, some of them taken before he was born and some dated as far back as 1933. It is amazing how time flies. You know the old saying: "Every day should be lived like it was your last". Well, it is so true and should be followed by us all. Many of us have to go through a loss of a loved one or recover from a near death illness to learn this valuable lesson. Please take my advise and take the time to smell the roses each day and enjoy life to its fullest because you just do not know when it will be your last.

On a lighter note I wanted to let you know that I finally was able to visit Maine's best-kept secret the "DEW wildlife Sanctuary" last fall located in MT. Vernon, Maine. (DEW stands for Domestic, Exotic Wildlife). And they also maintain an Animal Rehabilitation Permit issued by the State of Maine to rehabilitate injured, orphaned or sick animals indigenous to Maine and release them back into the wild. This Animal Kingdom is run by Julie and Bob Miner and is a truly wonderful treasure of Maine. I was not aware of this sanctuary until the Sun & Journal did a local story last year. Than a friend of mine had the pleasure of visiting them in June and said how much she enjoyed viewing all the animals especially the baby white Tiger. After I mentioned to my husband that I would also love to visit them he decided to surprise me by taking me there in October. It was a truly wonderful experience and the best birthday present ever. As we caught up to Bob Miner and the group he was taking on tour, he noticed how fascinated I was with his Big Cats. He came up to me and pulled me by the arm and brought me and another lady inside the first enclosure of the big cats cages so that I could take more up close and personal shots of these regal cats. I was even allowed to brush my hand against the cage as he called to them and feel the fur of one of the Tigers and a Black Leopard named Bejoux. It was an amazing experience to be so close to these wonderful cats and will be one of my most treasured memories. One of the photographs I captured was of Tundra a male Lion with the sun dappled on his face as he lay beside his mate. As a special thank you to Bob for allowing me such a great privilege. I have decided to paint a pastel portrait of Tundra using this photograph as reference and donate the proceeds of the sale of this painting towards the care of all the animals housed at DEW. See below for some of the shots I captured of Bob Miner and his beloved great cats as he greeted them and see for yourselves the love these animals have for him. For those of you who would like to learn more about the sanctuary you can visit www.dewanimalkingdom.com and if you are ever in the area take the time to visit you will be happy you did.

Until next time ~

Love Generously, Speak Truthfully and leave the rest to God.

Sandra Lee Huston

Art Show

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to let you know my online "Art Show " is up and running and ready to view. Just click on this link http://www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery/main.php and it will bring you to my photography gallery. Click on Art Show and choose from 25 different ready to hang art works for your gift giving pleasure.

I have also updated my loon gallery, landscape and book marker gallery with my new photographs taken in 2010. Enjoy ~

Well, I am off to work in my flower garden now that the rain has finally stopped.

Think sunshine, and enjoy the warm weather.

Until next time ~

Love generously. Care deeply. Speak truthfully. Leave the rest to God...

Sandra Lee Huston

Art shows for 2011

Hello Everyone, I usually post my art show listing for the year at this time for all you summer vacationers visiting Maine and wanted to let you know that I have made the decision not to participate in any outdoor art festivals again this year. With the economy still lagging especially in Maine and the price of gas going up again along with show and booth fees it is just not economically feasible. Sadly for the last 2 years most artists have not been able to recover the cost of setting up for there outdoor art show, and is getting harder to justify spending the money investing in framing new artwork to display when the art sales are not forthcoming. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining as I perfectly understand. Artwork is not a necessity and people have to make a decision on what to cut. This is the reality of a recession and hopefully it will be better next year. That said, I will be adding a new Gallery Art Show page to my website this summer. It will feature Canvas Gallery Art and framed photography ready to hang. It would be like viewing some of my art work for sale if you were to visit my art booth at a art festival. So this way you will not miss seeing my new art that is available for sale. I will be adding this new Gallery Art Show to my photography gallery at: http://www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery/main.php by Memorial Weekend. So even though I will not be attending any art festivals this year, you can always visit my website to view my latest art work and photography. And don't forget to check out my Gift Shop page at http://www.animalsinpastels.com/gift-shop.html for unique gifts that are of course "Made in Maine." Also for you wildlife lovers visit my new wildlife portraits completed last year, click on this link: http://www.animalsinpastels.com/wildlife-portraits.html. Here you will see a pastel portrait of Jabal a male leopard, Tsavo a male lion and Botswana a lioness all painted to help raise awareness of the plight of the big cats living at Tiger Haven Sanctuary in Kingston,Tennessee. Hopefully warmer weather will be coming to stay and all this snow will start melting fast. Think Spring everyone. Until next time.... Love generously. Care deeply. Speak truthfully. Leave the rest to God... Sandra Lee Huston

Hapy New Year & catching up.....

Hello Everyone.
I wanted to take a few moments to wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year. I am sorry it has been so long since my last post but I have recently lost my father to cancer and have not been interested in anything very much lately. I am hoping that the new year will bring back my jest for living and my passion for my art work will be renewed.

For those of you who were wondering about my new photographs in 2010, yes I did get to capture a few wonder full shots and I will hopefully get to download them to my online gallery in January for all to enjoy.

Sadly I was not able to finish my wildlife series this fall and Caden the Tiger will be added to the second series coming in 2011. For those of you who would like to view the first 3 pastels portraits completed to raise awareness for Tiger Haven, click here http://www.animalsinpastels.com/wildlife-portraits.html

Until next time, Love generously. Care deeply. Speak truthfully. Leave the rest to God...

Sandra Lee Huston

Children and Pet Portraits

Hello everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to show you Abigail & Hyde's pastel portrait completed last week. This portrait of Abby was taken by Tammie Grieshaber from Mainely Portrait Photography Studio ( http://www.mainelyportraitphotography.com/). I first saw this photograph of Abby on a coworkers desktop last Christmas and knew I wanted to paint her in pastels. I asked Beth to give me a picture of Abby's pet so that I could paint her and feature her on my website as an example of my Children and Pet Portraits in Pastels. Beth was more than happy to send me pictures of Hyde, Abby's little kitten and after asking Tammie's permission to use her photograph of Abby as reference I was on my way. Below you will see the two photographs used for reference and the resulting pastel portrait.

Up until recently I only worked with charcoals for my children and pet portraits, as of June this year I will also offer children and pets in pastels from your favorite photographs. When a photograph is simply not enough and you would like to commission a pastel painting combining one or more photographs together, call or email me and we can discuss the possibilities available to capture your children and pets in a beautiful pastel portrait that will last a lifetime. To view more of my artwork please visit http://www.animalsinpastels.com/

My webmaster Sheri Gordon, will be updating my new prices and sizes available by the end of June 2010, please contact bornhorselover@aol.com for inquiries. Until next time, take care and enjoy the warm summer sunshine~


Sandra Lee Huston

New artwork completed

Hello everyone just wanted to take a moment to update you on my latest pastel portraits completed so far this year. The first one was a commissioned memorial portrait of a Husky/chow mix named Java. This is a 16x20 portrait painted with soft pastels on suede mat board and was a gift my client purchased for her friend to help her through the loss of her beloved pet. The bond humans and animals have are very unique and is one of the reasons I choose to paint pet portraits. With my pastel portraits you can display the love and bond that you have developed with your animal companions and keep these cherished memories alive for a lifetime.

The second portrait completed in March was of my husband's great niece Alivia and her cat Ducey painted in soft pastels on suede which will be featured on my website's Children and Pets page later in April. This is the first time I have painted a childs portrait in soft pastels; usually I draw the children and their pets in Charcoal for my clients. But this year I wanted to expand my horizons and offer children's portraits in both pastels and or charcoal. I hope to complete two more children's portraits in pastels later this year as examples of children and there pet in pastels. If you know of anyone who would like to commission a portrait of their child and pets just direct them to http://www.animalsinpastels.com/ or email bornhorselover@aol.com and I would be happy to answer any questions.

My next project is a series of paintings for my new wildlife page dedicated to Tiger Haven, a safe place for big cats. This wildlife portrait page will feature the pastel portraits of Jabal the leopard, Tsavo a male lion, Botswana a lioness and Caden the tiger. After visiting Tiger Havens website and learning that this sanctuary is dedicated to rescuing abused and unwanted big cats I decided to help them by adopting Jabal a male leopard and painting this series in hopes to generate more awareness of the plight of these magnificent animals. If you would like to learn more about Tiger Haven and there mission to rescue these big cats please click here http://www.tigerhaven.com/ Please be aware you may end up spending hours at there web site. I know I did, and don’t miss the education page here you can listen to the sounds of many of the big cats at Tiger Haven. Enjoy~

Below is a pastel painting of "Jabal" a male leopard and the first portrait completed for this series. This painting is available for sale framed and ready to hang. You may also purchase the originals or 8x10 prints for $25.00 each of any of the other pastels paintings that I will be painting in this series. 20% of the proceeds will be donated to Tiger Haven to help with the cost of feeding and caring for more than 200 big cats still residing at their Sanctuary. I hope to have the first 3 paintings in this series completed by the end of April. Please visit my new web site's wildlife page to view the next in the series for Tiger Haven, which should be uploaded and ready to view by the end of April.

Until next time take care and happy spring~

Sandra Lee Huston

Catching Up...

Hi, just wanted to take a few moments to catch everyone up on the latest. I will be taking the year off from any outside art shows this year and will spend this year working on original art work and updating my website. I have several ideas and will be adding wildlife art work to my website this year. As soon as I complete each new piece I will be sure to let you know on my blog.

As for my photography, sadly last year was very frustrating with all the rain we received here in Maine. But I did get to capture some stunning florals and a few new loon photographs that I will be adding to my photo gallery for you to view shortly. You can check out this link www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery for new photos captured .

As always you can visit my gift shop page and purchase a variety of items including, original art work, prints, note cards and magnets, also canvas gallery prints of any of my digital photographs. Just click on this link and enjoy: http://www.animalsinpastels.com/gift-shop.html

For those of you who are looking for copies of my book; "Loons of Tacoma Lakes" please email me @ LoonsofTacoma@aol.com and I will be happy to send you a autographed copy with free s+h. Sadly with the economy so slow bookstores have not been restocking books as freely as before so if you cannot find a copy in your area, do not hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to send you a copy for 24.95.

Until next time, stay warm and think Spring~
Sandra Lee Huston

Loon books still available

Hello everyone,

This morning I spotted two loons flying over my house heading towards Tacoma Lakes, I think they were letting me know to get my kayak out this weekend and meet them at the lake. I cannot not wait to be out at camp once again. Its been a long winter and I miss my time spent kayaking in the early mornings and watching the area loons interact with each other.

This year will make 4 years that I have spent photographing the loons at Tacoma Lakes region and 3 years since I first published my book "Loons of Tacoma Lakes " - A book celebrating the love of loons. www.animalsinpastels.com/loons-of-tacoma.html It has truly been a humbling experience to be allowed such an up close and personal look into their daily lives. And in the summer of 2008 I was able to capture the same breeding pair that I had photographed in my book with there newly hatched chicks and those photographs were amazing. For those of you who would like to view some of the new photographs captured since I first published my book click on this link www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery here you will find some wonderful photography of Tacoma's loons in Litchfield, Maine. And for those of you who would like to purchase a copy of my book, below is a list of the retailers who currently have a copy for sale.

Apple Valley Books - Winthrop, ME 207-377-3967
Gulf Of Maine Book Shop - Brunswick, Maine 207-729-5083
Books-N-Things - Norway, ME 207-743-7197
Country Cottage - Fort Kent, Me. 207-834-6791
Cry of Loons - South Casco, ME 207-655-5060
Loon Preservation Gift Shop - Moultonborough, NH 603-476-5666
Maine Goodies - Albion, ME 866-385-6238
Maine Made & More - Waterville,ME 207-872-7378
Maine Make & More - Augusta, ME 207-443-9338
Marlows - Kennebunk, ME 207-985-2931
Moosehead Traders - Greenville, ME 207-695-3806
Ecopelagicon Nature Store - Rangeley, ME 207-864-2771
Kennebunk Book Port - Kennebunkport, ME 207-967-3815
Owl & Turtle Book Shop - Camden, ME 207-236-4769
Reading Corner - Rockland, ME 207-596-6651
Stacy's Hallmark - Augusta, ME 207-623-3781

If you prefer to order direct from the author email me at LoonsofTacoma@aol.com
and I would be happy to ship you a signed copy. Take care, have fun and enjoy your summer.


Sandra Lee Huston

Art Show Schedule for 2009

Hello Everyone, Hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring weather.
I wanted to take a moment to list my Art Show schedule for 2009. I will once again be joining the Art Fair in Bethel, Maine and have decided to try the Brunswick Outdoor Arts Festival this year. See below for more information.


20 Annual Bethel Art Fair
Date: Saturday, July 4 th 2009
Where: On the Bethel Common
One Broad Street
Bethel, ME 04217
Time: 9 am to 4 pm

In addition to the art, the fair will have musical entertainment and will include a special young persons' area where children will be able to take part in a variety of activities. Several local eateries will be serving their special fare for purchase. The fair is open to 50 artists and fine craftsman alike. Not only will you find original paintings and photography to choose from, but also sculpture, stain glass, woodcarving and fine handmade jewelry. Sorry no rain dates.


3rd Annual Brunswick Outdoor Arts Festival

Date: August 15, 2009
Where: Maine Street
Brunswick, ME 04011
Time: 9 am to 5 pm

This is a juried art show to display fine arts and crafts in booths set up along the sidewalks up and down Maine Street in Brunswick. There will be original art work along with numbered reproductions and fine crafts available to purchase. Many outstanding local performers will be providing traditional musical entertainment along with street performers, dancers, mimes and jugglers. There are also many cafes and restaurants up and down Maine Street for your dining enjoyment.


Stop by if you are in the area and say hi. I will have many of my latest photographs on display framed and ready to hang and also a few new small gifts items like photo utility holders and magnets for the wildlife lover on your gift list. Take care and hope to see you this summer~

Sandra Lee Huston

Loon books still available

Hello Everyone,
I hope all of you enjoyed a nice thanksgiving holiday with family and friends as we did. Since I have had several messages on my answering machine as to where you can pick up a copy of my book I wanted to quickly type up a list and publish it online for your gift giving pleasure.
Below is a current list of bookstores that have copies available:

Gulf Of Maine Book Shop located in Brunswick, Maine 207-729-5083
Bath Book Shop located in Bath, Maine 207-443-9338
Maine Made and More located in Augusta, Maine 207-622-5723
Maine Made and More located in Waterville, Maine 207-872-7378

If you prefer to order direct from the author email me at LoonsofTacoma@aol.com and I would be happy to ship you a signed copy.

Have a wonderful Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year~
Sandra Lee Huston

Summer is Over and Fall is upon us.....

Hello Everyone!
Can you believe that summer is over and fall is just around the corner? I guess its time to get our warm clothes out and enjoy the crisp fall days. This summer kayaking and photographing the wildlife at Tacoma Lakes was a little frustrating with all the rain we had, but I was able to capture some stunning close ups of a loon family with their newly hatched chicks and a few great shots of a Bald Eagle. I just finished uploading all my new photographs captured in 2008. So for those of you who have been waiting to view my new photographs just visit my photo gallery at www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery you will even find a wonderful photograph of a doe and fawn captured while kayaking early one morning. As always you can order a number of different gift items from my photographs, just select the drop down menu on the add to cart or download the order form available and enter the items you would like to order. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me.

I also have a number of my Loons of Tacoma Lakes book available for those who are unable to find a copy at your nearest bookstores. Just email LoonsofTacoma@aol.com to order your signed copy from the author and I will be happy to mail you a copy. I decided to write this book in 2005 because I wanted to share the incredible experience I enjoyed when a special pair of Maine common loons allowed me to photograph them while they raised their chicks. If you would like more information about my book just click here www.animalsinpastels.com/loons-of-tacoma.html I continue to be blessed with the trust of the loons at Tacoma Lakes and I am truly amazed as they allow me to continue to capture up close and personal shots as they interact among themselves each summer. It is a very humbling and exciting experience and I truly enjoy sharing these wonderful moments through my photographs with all of you.

For those of you who will be visiting Maine during the month of October, stop by and visit my Art display at the Central Maine Medical Center Art Gallery on High Street in Lewiston, Maine. You will be able to view and purchase a number of my framed Scenes of New England photographs and view a small selection of my original pastel and charcoal artwork from September 26th to October 30, 2008.

For those of you who wish to contact me about commissioned pet portraits for the holidays please email me by October 15th. I have one opening available for the holiday. Email bornhorselover@aol.com Enjoy the beautiful fall weather everyone, until next time.

Sandra Lee Huston

Art Shows and Fairs for 2008

Happy Spring Everyone!

I wanted to quickly mention my list of art shows and fairs for those of you who like to plan your visits to Maine around the summer and fall. If by chance you are in the neighborhood stop by and say hi!

19 Annual Bethel Art Fair

Date: Saturday, July 5th 2008
Where: On the Bethel Common
One Broad Street
Bethel, ME 04217
Time: 9 am to 4pm

In addition to the art, the fair will have musical entertainment and will include a special young persons' area where children will be able to take part in a variety of activities. Several local eateries will be serving their special fare for purchase. The fair is open to 50 artists and fine craftsman alike. Not only will you find original paintings and photography to choose from, but also sculpture, stain glass, woodcarving and fine handmade jewelry. Sorry no rain dates.



CMMC Gallery

Date: Sept 26 through Oct. 31st, 2008
Where: Central Maine Medical Center
Lewiston, Maine 04240

The artwork of Sandra Lee Huston will be featured during the month of October by the Woman's Hospital Association of Central Maine Medical Center. The artwork on displayed will include Scenes of New England Photography also Pastel and Charcoal animal portraiture.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those of you who have not visited my website lately check out my new additions on my gift shop page www.animalsinpastels.com/giftshop.html here you will find new Canvas Gallery Wrap art work and Photo Wall Plaques to order easily from the comfort of your home and for those of you who love sunsets,don't miss the panoramic view of a sunset I captured over Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Oquossoc Maine last fall located at the bottom of my gift shop page. For the Draft Horse enthusiast visit my gallery of Draft Horse photographs captured at the Famous Fryeburg Fair www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery including the famous 8 horse hitch. So if you are unable to make any of my shows this year you can still enjoy viewing my new additions on line at my website. Enjoy~

Until next time, take care,

Sandra Lee Huston

Catching Up

Hello everyone,
A lot of changes have occurred this past summer and fall. My son was married in June for one and in October I accepted a full time position at Spillers working in their credit/collection department. http://www.spillersusa.com/. This is something my husband and I discussed at length and felt with the slow economy the way it is and with health insurance cost for individual coverage skyrocketing, it was best for me to go back to work and receive health benefits through my employer. At least now we will not have to face a monthly insurance rate of $600.00 a month, with an increase slated to go up to 728.00 by Jan 2008 for a $10,000.deductible policy for the both my husband and I.

What does this mean for my Animals in Pastels business and my clients? Mostly there will be a change in the amount of time that I will be accessible to the public during the day. You will still be able to reach me by email and leave messages by phone, and I will do my best to answer all inquiries after 4 pm in the afternoon Monday through Friday. As far as portrait commission I will have to limit the total to 6 per year and the turn around time will change from 2 weeks up to 4 to 8 weeks depending on my waiting lists. For those of you who are unfamiliar with my portrait work visit this link: http://www.animalsinpastels.com/pet-portriats.html

I will still be marketing my loon books to local bookstores, schools and any one who just wishes to buy one as a gift. Even though sales have dropped dramatically from last year my book is still very well received. For those who still wish to purchase a copy of "Loons of Tacoma Lakes" for the upcoming holiday just visit this link for more information http://animalsinpastels.com/loons-of-tacoma.html . You can easily place your order my mail or by emailing LoonsofTacoma@aol.com As a holiday special, through the month of December I will be waving the shipping cost for all single copies ordered.

My other big change came in September with my photography, I decided to go completely digital and replaced my Canon Rebel 2000 with a Canon Digital Rebel XTI and have been very please with my decision. No more waiting to have rolls of film developed and saving images in digital format. Now I just download my images and use my Paint Shop Pro image software to edit my photographs. In the spring I hope to add a new 500mm image stabilized lens to my equipment so that my wildlife shots will have even more detail. Even using my old 300mm lens I am able to capture some exceptional pictures with this Canon digital XTI. When you have a chance visit my online photography gallery at http://www.animalsinpastels.com/gallery/main.php Here you will be able to view and order a variety of my scenes of New England photographs as magnets, greeting cards and prints right from the comfort of your home. Over the winter months I will be uploading many new photographs including draft horses captured at the Fryeburg Fair, sunsets in Rangeley, Maine, flowers and of course my new loon photographs. So check back often to view all the new photographs I have captured.


On a sad note, in October we lost our beloved Choc lab, K-C to cancer. She was a very special dog and my husband and I miss her dearly. You do not really know how intertwined your lives become with your pets until you have lost them. Everywhere we go we are reminded of her. This past Sunday breakfast we looked at the leftover pancakes, and tears came to our eyes knowing we would not be sharing them with her again. I am even reminded of her when shopping for steak because she would always lick her lips in anticipation of having the leftovers. I am fortunate, though being an avid photographer I had taken many photographs of her throughout the 11 + years she was with us. And of course her pastel portrait that I painted 5 years ago hangs in our living room with her looking over us. That old saying is certainly true that dogs leave paw prints in our hearts. May you always have water to play in and squirrels to chase. Until we meet again my friend. K-C March 19, 1996 ~ October 26, 2007

Until next time, wishing everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas season.

Sandra Lee Huston

2007 List of Art/Fine Craft Shows, Photography Contests and Book Signings

The following is a list of the show dates and book signings I will be attending this year. If you are in the vicinity please drop by and say hi. I will update this listing as new dates and venues are added to my schedule throughout the year~

March 3, 2007 "The Arts of March"

Sponsored by the Kennebunk Land Trust

Saturday between 10 AM - 4 PM at the Kennebunk High School,

Art & Fine Craft Show celebrating Maine's beauty in many forms.

Over 70 artists and fine crafters will be attending. Located at the high

school gymnasium - 89 Fletcher St. Kennebunk, ME 04043

March 30 to April 1, 2007
State of Maine Sportsman's Show - Photography Contest

This 3 day event is located at the Augusta Civic Center in

Augusta, Maine. The sportsman show displays art work, photography

and wood carvings in categories depicting Wildlife, People in Outdoor

Activities, Landscapes, and macro (close-up) photography of flowers,

butterflies and insects. All art work and photography will be hanging

on walls on display and not in individual booths with the artists.

Winners will receive ribbons and trophies awarded by judges. Also a

"Sportsman's Choice" award will be voted on by the general public.

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July 7, 2007

18th Annual Bethel Art Fair - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Located on the Bethel Common, One Broad Street, Bethel Maine 04217.This event is being held on the beautiful village common in the National Historic District of Bethel, Maine. In addition to the art, the fair will have musical entertainment and will include a special young persons' area where children will be able to take part in a variety of activities. Several local eateries will be serving their special fare for purchase as well. I will be located in booth #14 to the right of the Chamber info tent and raffle area. There will be a total of 50 artist booths set up for your enjoyment. Sorry no rain dates.

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August 18, 2007 Winthrop, Maine 04364

Winthrop's 20th Annual Sidewalk Art Show - 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Located on Main Street downtown Winthrop. Put on by the Winthrop Area Chamber of Commerce. This show is open to 84 artists, sculptors and photographs. There will be a general display of art work for the public to purchase. Art show purchase prizes to be purchased by participants for $350.00, also Art Show Judge's awards. Look for display maps set out for locating your favorite artists. Sorry no rain dates.

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Canine Art Guild - Online Art Show

The Artist's Best Friend" CAG online Art Show will be live April 1st 2007. This a newly formed group of canine artists showcasing artwork depicting their own dogs or dogs that have been influential and inspiring to them. Below is a sneak preview of my entries.

My best canine friend is our beloved chocolate lab, K-C. Her portrait is featured in a place of honor at the top of my pet portrait page on my website. (www.animalsinpastels.com/pet-portraits.html )This 11x14 soft pastel painting was completed when she was six years old and painted on grey tinted velour pastel paper. It was a joy to paint this particular portrait of her with all the different colors highlighted on her fur as she sat in the setting sun. She is now 11 years old and showing more white hairs around her muzzle and paws each day, but is still beautiful to us. My husband calls her my constant shadow, following me out to the barn each day, and curling up by my rocking chair when I read in the evenings. If I am working at the computer she is sleeping on her dog bed behind me in our office. Even in my studio while painting, you will find her napping at my feet and always runs to the door eagerly, if she hears "OK girl, time to take a break, let's go for a walk." K-C is the seventh dog my husband and I have owned and raised, each of the animals that have come into our lives throughout the past 30 years continues to weave a special place in our hearts. The love and bond between humans and animals are very unique and that special bond is the reason I have been painting commissioned pet portraits since 1990. Through my portraits my clients display the love and bond that they have developed with their animal companions and keep these cherished memories alive for a lifetime.

For my second online submission I would like to share with you a recent pastel painting that was of one of my client's best friends, a Yellow Lab, named Zeke. I chose a Crescent Moorman suede board with a Pearle tint to compliment the color of Zeke's beautiful golden fur for this soft pastel painting. Below is the completed 16x20 portrait commissioned in January 2007 and also a small close up version to show the finer details of the finished portrait. Even though I have always loved painting on French velour pastel paper with my soft pastels, I feel the Crescent Moorman suede board allows me to create finer details without compromising the softness of the animals fur. Judge for yourselves with the examples below. I hope you enjoy all the other wonderful canine artwork displayed for your enjoyment through our CAG online art show at www.canineartguild.com

The Artist Horse As Muse Show

The Artist Horse as Muse Show is a show of the Equine Art Guild Artist showcasing their love of horses. The online art show will be live on March 18, 2007. Below is a preview of my submission.

"Food for the Soul" ~ Black & White Photograph ~NFS

This photograph was taken in June of 2006 of my Morgan mare "Rosie" and I, by a friend and fellow photographer; Arlene McConnell. Rosie, who has filled the void in my soul since she came to us in 1994, is also a constant inspiration to me in my equine art. With Arlene's permission, I edited the photo by cropping and removing some of the background objects, enhanced the tonal quality by converting it to black & white, than added an artistic edging for this photograph submission of us together.

My Second submission is an 8x10 digital reproduction titled ~ Celebrating the Love of Horses ~Available to purchase @ $25.00 +s&h. This reproduction is from my original pastel painting of my first horse "Misty" purchased by my husband for me in 1982. She was my childhood dream come true and I was very fortunate to have owned such a wonderful animal for my first horse. My fondness memory of "Misty" was when I rode her bare back on a snowy winters night with the full moon shining across the freshly fallen snow. Over the years we would jump fences fearlessly and complete our first level dressage test together. I will never forget my 3 year old son walking up to this mare in her stall after we first brought her home, telling her to back with authority so that he could pass, whereas this mare backed and then followed my son through the stall door and into the pasture. My husband and I both looked at each other and knew than that our son was safe with this mare. This print is actually from my original Morgan montage completed in 2004, painted in soft pastels on Moorman Suede board. Since most of my time is spent painting commissioned portraits of other people's animals, I wanted to paint this montage for myself as a remembrance of the horses we raised. The original 24x36 montage is displayed in our living room and continues to evoke fond memories of our beloved Morgan horses each time we pass. If you would like to view the complete montage as displayed on my website, click here: www.animalsinpastels.com/images/morganmontage.jpg You will notice my Morgan mares depicted at different ages throughout their lives starting when they were just a few weeks old. I also added the stallion's portrait of each of my mares in the lower corners, "Immortal Command" on the left and "Merrilee Aquarius" to the right. I than finished the montage with a small portrait of my son, Christopher, meeting our first horse Misty when he was three years old.

My third and final submission for this online muse show is of "Beau" a Shire Draft horse. This is an 11x14 original pastel on rose-colored Moorman Suede board. For those who are interested, Beau's original portrait is available for sale, framed and ready to hang for $400.00 + s&h. Also available are 8x10 prints of the original for only $25.00 each +s&h. To view the framed portrait please visit my website link at www.animalsinpastels.com/graphics/framedbeau.jpg Beau is the current ambassador for the Rockin'T Equine Rescue Farm here in Lisbon Falls, Maine. I fell in love with Beau nearly seven years ago when I first saw him just after he was rescued. Standing alone, nobly in the corner of the paddock with his mane snarled and matted, his frame bone thin and his legs severely mite infected. Over the next two years during his rehabilitation, I visited Beau several times taking many rolls of film of him and sneaking little hand fed treats. Slowly a bond began to develop and it wasn't long before I could stand outside his paddock and call his name and he would come running to greet me. I decided to paint this painting in celebration of his recovery and the dedication of all the people caring for the animals at Rockin'T. To see him today you would not believe he is the same horse with his shiny coat, long mane and beautiful black and white feathers surrounding his legs. 25% of the proceeds of the sale of this painting will go towards the continued care for all the animals currently residing at the rescue farm. If you would like to read more about Beau and his rescue please visit the link on my website (http://www.animalsinpastels.com/rockin-t-rescue-farm.html ) Thank you, and enjoy all the other wonderful equine artwork displayed for your enjoyment through our EAG Muse Show at

http://www.equineartguild.com/gallery/index.php