bio and testimonials

"D.L. Firmani" and her pup "Milo" photos by Marcus Firmani - All rights reserved.
 

• about the artist
• how I work
• testimonials from clients

about the artist . . .

I live and work in Maryland, where I received a B.A. in Studio Art, with a minor in Art History, from the University of Maryland, at the College Park campus, in 1988. After graduation, I worked as an exhibitions assistant and museum registrar at the university’s Art Gallery, and then as a free-lance writer and editor, with a special focus on wildlife and habitat protection. I am now combining my love of art with my lifelong love of animals. With dogs, in particular, I have always been captivated by the intensity with which their inner nature shows in their eyes and body language and the ease with which they explore and connect with all they encounter. I love their wonderful openness and positive energy for life.

In recognition of the many dogs who deserve a loving home and do not have one, I donate a portion of proceeds from each commissioned portrait to nonprofit organizations that help homeless animals. Because the nature of portraits is more personal than public, I have not sought to exhibit in galleries, but I do participate in various nonprofit outreach events. My dog portraits are in private collections in a growing list of states: Thus far, California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia.


how I work . . .

In my portraits of dogs and other animals, I seek a naturalism that is soft and touchable, yet I also want them to be openly expressive of the nature of the individual animals and to give a sense of their connectedness to the people who love them. This shows in their eyes, as the photos people send me tend to be ones they have personally taken, so the expressions usually evoke a sense of love and deep friendship. Often, though, photos have a lot of distracting objects in them or busy patterns in the background, and these things can diminish the compelling effect that the animal’s facial expression would otherwise have. By creating portraits from such photos, you can enjoy the wonderful effect of the dog’s face without all the visual clutter. The portrait then comes to symbolize not just that one moment in the snapshot, but also many more that you have shared.

I choose to work almost exclusively in graphite (using many subtle gradations of black pencil, with highlights created through strategic absence of pencil). I love the medium’s natural capacity for focusing the mind’s eye upon the subtleties of expression that convey character. Though color can quickly grab attention and excite the senses, its loudness can easily overpower what is most essential in a portrait. It is true that color can quickly convey the overall physical impression of a particular set of features and fur, but for me, graphite has a way of quietly reaching a different, perhaps deeper, place inside, conveying something more of the animal’s nature.

I begin each portrait by spending time just seeking a sense of the animal’s personality through the photos, comments, and characteristics that the client sends me. The actual drawing begins with simple, expressive outlines that I then carefully refine. That light but careful beginning is followed by successively more detailed work on the eyes, ears, and other key features. Then I work gradually outward, building the whole drawing up in multiple layers of intensity. I keep working until I feel there is a strong sense of the animal’s nature present in the drawing, typically this takes eight to ten hours, but it is spread over many days in small blocks, with time spent in between just looking at the drawing in different ways as it progresses and feeling the way forward.


testimonials from clients . . .

You managed to catch her life essence and express it with pencil. The drawing is so very lifelike and yet you've never met her in person.

Deborah T., Knoxville, TN


We just unwrapped Suzie’s portrait. What a fantastic job you did. Ann and I are ecstatic. It is just fabulous!!

Bob Z., San Angelo, TX


You captured her gentle, playful, timid spirit and brought out the beauty of her eyes.

G.M.K., Frederick, MD


This is so him. I LOVE IT!!!!

Jenni H., Wilton, CA


He’s going to love these! I can’t wait to give them to him!

Bette S., Arlington, VA


You really captured Pogo in the drawing. She looks ready to jump out through the frame.

Bill R., Tullahoma, TN


We love our picture of Lily! Now we'd like you to do one of our Zoe.

Lucy S., Kensington, MD