Dog and cat paintings

In the 1970’s I began painting dog and cat portraits for friends and the idea caught on and so began a forty  year career. I loved the models so much I could never refuse a commission!  More portraits can be seen at miriamslaterhttp://miriamslaterdogportraits.com/

Tribal Belly Dancer Drawings

This series of drawings inspired by the well known tribal belly dancer Rachel Brice whose brilliant dancing style influenced the world of belly dance. Tribal belly dance is different and "darker" than its traditional counterpart, blending tradition with contemporary street dance and fashions.

In this series of paintings and drawings, I try to really play with form and distort it so as to bring out the character of the dancers. Their beauty is not conventional, rather they are "outsiders" in every sense of the word with their unique bodies that defy mainstream ideals. 

Cedars Sinai Endowment Chair

In the late 1980's I was commissioned to create a chair for Cedar's Sinai Medical Center's Endowment Program. in Los Angeles. The chair took about two years to complete and is currently on display in the main lobby at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. In the photo I am holding the model, the chair itself is about five feet tall.