July 31, Jillian!

SO, it is the last day of July, and I am allowed to have an extra dog, and I chose to paint Jillian, because you just can't ever get enough of those fluffy dogs!  Well, admittedly yes, this is a fluffy dog.  And I do love painting black dogs.  But there are also those fluffy ones, like the ones we live with, that I love too!

Oh, and I will be hanging this show probably this Thursday afternoon at Diamond's, you are welcome to come give me suggestions (just kidding!  though of course you can come anytime), and I have the Powderhorn Art Festival this weekend, Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-5 so come on over and hang with me there!

So here is Jillian!

8x8 acrylic on wood!  click HERE if you'd like to live with this one!  $185

July 30, Kristie for Lynda!

I didn't tell Lynda I was going to paint Kristie... so here she is!  Surprise!

That is Kristie. Her litter was born the night before I left for a cruise. My girlfriend who was dog sitting for me was getting quite nervous about delivering the litter. Thankfully, they came before I left. There were four fat puppies and Kristie was the only girl. She was named after my girl friend's kennel which is Krystle. She was wonderful to take care of my newborn pups and, of course, did a great job. They were fat as little pigs when I returned from the cruise.

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to purchase!

July 29, Missy for Lisa!

I really enjoyed painting this beautiful dog!  She's got such a gorgeous coat, and I have to admit it can indeed be tricky trying to figure out all those reds and golds~ and I am particularly pleased with her deeper tones of purple...

Here's what her owner says about her~

 Missy is the first pure-bred dog we have owned.  Clearly, her purpose in life is to bring love to everyone. Kisses, hugs, sleeping on our bed.  She wants to have physical contact with us at all times.

I love such affectionate dogs, don't you!

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to purchase!

July 28, Ricky for Beth!

Hi all! It has taken me a few tries with this one, and I think there's still something off-  Ricky's eyes are rather large and round, and I can't seem to catch his gaze.  I'm thinking there may be something with the background as well, so I will be playing around more with this one. Check back later, or come to the opening on Thursday August 17th at Diamond's from 6 to 8 to see what I did!

Hmmm.... I think his ruff around his neck needs to be fluffier too....

10x10 acrylic on cradled panel, spoken for!

July 27, Frosty!

Yes, it is certainly looking like I picked all the dogs because I love their faces, doesn't it?  And you know you're loving them too!  Wahoo!
This is Frosty, and I believe it's his owner's birthday today!  So happy birthday!  Here's what Jean says about this sweet critter!

We adopted Frosty when he was 14 months old from Paws and Claws Humane Society in Rochester, Mn.  We were forlorn after losing the son of our mama Westie unexpectedly in his sleep. It was sad to watch her look back for him when we went on walks. We found Frosty on pet finders.com and went to see him in Rochester. He was very spirited-but settled in easily on walks with Nikki. Nikki has passed now. We have had Frosty for 10 years. He loves to play ball, go for walks and car rides. He loves to chase squirrels in the yard, but can't catch them on our tall fence. He is very smart and understands many commands.  Still, he is a Westie through and through. He is affectionate, but temperamental-especially with puppies and kids. His enthusiasm for walks and car rides is contagious. He is a happy little guy. He likes to be chased around the house for fun and will punk us if he is bored. We love his big personality in a small package.

8x8 acrylic on panel, spoken for!

July 26, Jake!

This is another amazingly sweet face!  I love these fun shots from the human point of view~ straight on!
And I did go back into this one- I didn't have his face quite wide enough!

Here's what John says about Jake~

Jake is almost 15 years old and nearing the end of his life. He has osteo sarcoma. I adopted Jake when he was only 7 - 8 months old. He has been my best buddy ever since. I have fostered countless doggies over the years and Jake has helped many adjust to being a normal dog in a loving home. Many of those doggies had come from horrible puppy mill conditions and were discarded after they were no longer money makers. 

And as a matter of fact, Jake was also found through Underdog Rescue, my chosen charity for this month's project! Meaning, I'll be making a donation to them at the end of the project, of a percentage of all profits!  Yay!

This is the Re-Done One!

I like it much better~

10x10 acrylic on wood~  sold!

July 25, Essey for Amy~

Yes, again.

I know.

But really.

You can't blame me, can you?

What Amy, my photographer friend, has to admit~

Thanks :)  I did take that one, it was for a calendar for Ruff Start (the rescue where we got her). Her name is Essey and we have had her for about 3 years now. She is really great, though a little nippy/shy with strangers...we think because of the Heeler breed.

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click HERE to purchase!

July 24, Kat for Emily~

I kinda had to do Kat the Dog, because we share the same name~  cute yes?

I'll see if I can get more of a story from Emily, because it seems there should be a bit more~ I've never heard of this breed, and if Emily knows what she is, maybe she knows more of the Hurricane Katrina part too~

We'd love to have you include Kat the Dog, our senior rescue dog from Hurricane Katrina, in your painting effort this summer. She is a Nova Scotia Duck Rolling Retriever.

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click HERE to make this yours!

July 23, Louie! For Maureen~

Yes, I have to admit once again that this was a face I could not refuse!  I'm sure you see why~  and thanks everyone who came to the Art Car Parade last night at Lake Harriet!  It is always so wonderful to wave out the window at people smiling at my car!

Here is what Maureen says about her adorable Louie!

Louie is a two-year-old Chihuahua.
I first met him when my co-worker, who rescues dogs, put him in a crate under my desk at work.  I never thought I would adopt a Chihuahua, but it was love at first sight.  Louie has added so much joy to my life (my cats are still getting used to him).   He loves to give kisses to everyone he meets and he is very popular at his doggie daycare.  Louie's eyes have so much expression and when he tilts his head and looks at me, he melts my ❤️.

8x8 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 22, Lexi for Ginny

SO I'm including the photo that was sent to me so you can see why I wanted to paint this dog!  That is a huge smile, a real smile, and she looks like she's in Great Britain somewhere, from the fence...  I don't have much to go on~  here's what Ginny wrote with the photo~

Hello I was given your card and thought you may like a photo of Lexi. She is a 3rd hand rescue dog who has survived loads of operations but is still smiling!

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to make this yours!

It's also the Art Car Parade today here in Minneapolis, and I am scrambling to get more mirror glued to my car before it starts!  If you are in town, come to the Lake Harriet Rose Gardens at 5 to see all the cars, and then watch us drive around the lake at 6!  Wahoo!

July 21, A.J. for Terri!

Before I even get started here, you know exactly what I'm going to say, right?  So how 'bout I just let Terri tell you about A.J.~

My dog AJ, for being so little has brought me Huge joy! Sometimes he smiles a half grin, other times a full smile. His favorite toy is a brown owl. He has me so well trained, he lets me know when it's 9 o'clock pm on the dot... this is when he gets two treats. He never forgets, and let's me know if I have forgotten.  He also grooms me after his morning and supper meals. He sits in a hut under my kitchen table, whenever I have visitors at the art house, listening to all the conversations! So he is a well informed doggie! 

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to make this YOURS!

July 20, Miss Daisy!

Another face I love!  I have the best job!

Daisy found us when my daughter, Cydni, and I accompanied a friend to a shelter when he was looking for a kitten to adopt. Daisy was just a year old and was being transferred in from another overcrowded shelter several states away. She looked a bit traumatized, so we took her to one of the private rooms to give her a little care and attention. It was love at first sight. She jumped right onto Cydni's lap and snuggled her little puppy head onto Cydni's shoulder. We gave Daisy a home 5 1/2 years ago and she has given us so much more in return. She is the unofficial therapy dog to many of our friends and family who come visit her when they need some love. And we still celebrate double adoption day for Iggy the cat and Daisy the dog! ❤️

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click HERE to purchase!~

July 19, Egor!

This is yet another one of those amazing faces-  some dogs look intelligent enough to teach us something big!
Here's Egor's story~

This amazing fellow, Egor, a Chow-Chow/Husky/possibly Malamute mix, possessed a charming and friendly personality. His dog parents, Chris & Patti, used to call him the "Walmart Greeter" at the Airport Dog Park, one of Egor's favorite places to romp. He had to say "hello" to every person he encountered and would run the length of a football field to go see someone. Sadly, Egor passed this June quite suddenly and his parents miss him so very much. They're hoping he's running in a river somewhere, and being a greeter in a heavenly dog Walmart, if some such thing exists (although that sort of seems like the other place).... We love and miss our Egor! 

8x8 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 18, Kong! for Emily~

This is Kong, who has a lovely beard, and who is very appreciated by his owner, Emily~  she has this to say about Kong~  and I didn't paint the car-ride photo, though I kinda wanted to!

My dog, Kong, an Apricot Standard Poodle, is my muse! My phone is full of photos and I happen to think he's super cute! His goatee is very unique and gets him a lot of attention (which he loves). His favorite things are cookies and hanging out with his favorite people. Kong says he'd love to be featured on your 30 dogs of 2017!  He loves people, so the more people that stop and talk to him on walks around the lake the better! He loves to smile, he loves carrots, and he loves car rides. I've included a photo of a car ride, he's not the most photogenic with his head hanging out the window, but you definitely get a sense of his spirit in that picture! 

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to purchase this doll face!

July 17, Slider!

This is Slider, a great ol' dog with a big grin and a great attitude! You can see he's going just a little grey...
As do all of us!
He lives out in Seattle with my bright eyed cousin and her family~

And I wanted to just mention that we will have the Opening Celebration for all Thirty of these dogs at Diamond's Coffee Gallery (1618 Central Ave NE) on Thursday August 17 from 6 to 8!  I hope to see you there!

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold~

July 16, Smiling Ruby!

Do I need to say it again?  By now, you must be understanding what I am looking for in the faces I love to paint!  Though I have to admit, it is possible too that I love most faces I see...

And here is sweet Ruby's story~

A friend re-homed Ruby with me when she was a year old, she'll be 8 this year. She's a simple, vigilant girl, quick to bark at sounds and most anything that moves outside. She'll chase a ball until she drops, and will herd Robin and the cat given the chance. She is very affectionate and a quick, but not altogether enthusiastic learner. She sleeps with me at night. My favorite thing is to find her sleeping on her back, stubby legs straight up in the air, looking like a cartoon "dead" animal. And we love her Corgi smile. 

8x8 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 15, Poppy!

And yet another face I couldn't resist!  DO you see what I'm up against?  Whew!
It's a bit hotter here in Minnepolis today~ I'm inside finishing up computer work and staying cool, while watching "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull" which, though I adore Indiana, is probably not the best example of his genre...

Anyway, here is Poppy's story!

"Poppy is a Bullmastiff, German Shepherd and Husky mix, rescued by the fantastic folks at Big Dog Rescue in Northern California. Her mission in life is to rid the neighborhood of all backyard bunnies and squirrels. Poppy also adores catching tossed treats and tennis balls."

8x8 acrylic on wood, and I believe this one is sold!

July 14, Seabiscuit~

This is another face I had to paint.  His name is Seabiscuit, and here's what Lisa says about him~

He was an expressive dog! He was a rescue, a "Rez dog"' off the Navajo reservation. When he found us, you could see every bone in his body. He had a busted paw, couldn't hunt. We were leaving on a weeklong trip, so we gave him a bucket of water and a pound of bacon. We figured maybe he'd get enough strength to move on, but by the time we came back, he was guarding the house!

That was thirteen years ago. He had to learn to be a dog again, just like the horse Seabuscuit had to learn to be a horse again, so we named our dog after a horse.

I feel grateful to have had those years, and though I miss him like fire, I know it was all bonus time.

It would be an honor if you ended up painting the Biscuit, but either way, I'm excited to see the results of your project!

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to purchase!

July 13, Coheed~

This is the lovely, elegant, and slightly goofy Coheed!

Coheed was adopted on Thanksgiving weekend last November from SHUG, Sighthound Underground, in Washington DC. Coheed came from a greyhound farm in Kansas. Although he has the tattooed ears of a racing greyhound, he wasn't picked up at the auction to go to a racetrack so he ended up in rescue. He is named after the rock group Coheed and Cambria. We call him Co-ey, rhymes with Joey. He is a big, happy, goofy boy who usually has a little bit of his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. He loves to go on walks at the beach, in the park or in the woods--really he loves to go on walks anywhere! He also loves to eat! 

Coheed's human, Joyce, suggests these rescues as great greyhound ones!  Check them out at these links~
The Sighthound Underground~
James River Greyhounds~
Greytloveretirement~

8x10 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 12, Coal~

And this is Coal~  I haven't had the pleasure of painting a Scotty before~  and here is his story~

"Coal MacTavish was an 11 year old male Scottish Terrier.  We adopted Coal when he was around 6 years old through a rescue organization who saved him from his former life as a breeder dog at a puppy mill. Coal shared our home and hearts until he passed away after spending five years with us.  When we adopted him, we immediately brought him to our vet for a checkup.  The vet said he was infested with several species of worms, had indentations on his teeth because he had been trying to get out of a wire cage, and chronic ear infections, along with holding his ears bent from spending lengths of time in too small a cage.  Thus he had floppy ears rather than the erect ears a Scottie is usually known for.  But he quickly recovered and thrived with our love and care.
Coal was so quiet in his first few weeks with us, we were unsure if he even had a bark.  In fact his primary method of communication was a quiet short growl, a sort of mmmmmmmm sound to get your attention.  Occasionally he made a high pitched scream in response to seeing a squirrel or chipmunk, and we eventually found out he did have a deep loud bark if someone appeared to threaten us.  If you asked him to come in from outdoors or if he wanted to go out, and he didn't want to, he would very intentionally look the other way and ignore you.  In the beginning he would not give us any eye contact and expressed very little physically.  His first body language of affection was expressed through "leaning" against us.  He did not like to be held or to sit on your lap.   But he loved snuggling next to us, and receiving hugs and having his thick fur stroked, or his back scratched.  He was always eager to get a bath.
He was the calmest dog in temperament we have ever encountered.  Each morning, he woke before we did, but he sat by the bed waiting patiently and quietly for us to get up.   When the alarm finally went off he ran up to us to get his morning rub.  When we scratched his back he wiggled and rolled in delight, sticking his butt in the air. While we were away from the house he would lie down at the top of the stairs and watch the front door waiting for us to return.  
He would greet us wagging his tail and sometimes bringing us one of his plush toy babies. The longer he lived with us, the more physically expressive of excitement he became.  When it was feeding time he would bob up and down on his hind legs and then run fast toward the kitchen and run back to us with a couple more bobs up and down like a young colt.  We miss him every day."

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold~

July 11, Gus!

Obviously, this is one of those photos that I saw and knew I had to paint~  I mean, could YOU say no to that face?  Seriously!  This is one of those dogs whose job on this planet is to make people smile, and that's a job I am sure Gus takes to heart.
Here's what his doting owner says~

"Gus is our warm spot on the couch stealing, kid snuggling, cheeto loving, sock snatching schnauzer. He frequently forgets which toys belong to him and which belong to the two-legged kids. Even with his thieving pirate ways we love him because he is the doggy that won over my son and taught him dogs aren't scary..... they are just a buddy with four feet. "

8x8 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 10, Ruby! for Sally~

This is Ruby, with such a sweet face, and that discerning look I am sure you all know way too well!

Ruby is part boxer, part cattle dog. We chose her at the humane society because she just laid at the back of her cage, rolled on her back, giving us the please scratch my tummy look. She is a wonderful dog and we are so lucky to have found her. 

8x8 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 9, Jax for Robert

I love these kinds of hairy, bearded, tufty dogs, with big grins and waggy tails!
This is Jax, and here's his story!

We are his 3rd owners.  Yup, 2 others had tried yet returned him to the Omaha Humane Society.  He kissed our faces nonstop when we met, and that sealed the deal.  4 years old and a hearty 105lbs.  He's often a very serious and protective guy with a goofy and loving side too.  We did a DNA test to determine his breed and learned that he was 50% American Standard Poodle with the remainder being Retriever, Lab and Terrier.

And thank you everyone who came to St Kate's Art Festival yesterday!  What a GORGEOUS day it turned out to be, and I was so happy to meet so many new people and have so many lovely friends stop by!  It's always so fun to hang out at an art fair~

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here to purchase!

July 8, Earl Grey

Well, here is what Cindy has to say about Earl, the lovely large lord of their home, and I've had to include a photo of him with the two Chiuahuas, Hulk and Kevin~  I love seeing photos of people's pets!

Earl and Hank have been buds for 8 years.   We bought Hank for Earl.

Earl was the destroyer of toys.  So we got him a live toy....

I have lost count the dogs that have come through our home.  Our Great Dane Earl has been the most gentle ambassador to so many puppies.   Hank watches from afar.

8x10 acrylic on wood, spoken for!

July 7, Hank~

We had a lovely opening last night at Tettegouche State Park, with Kurt Mead the naturalist who started the art gallery there, and which is starting more state parks to be considering adding galleries to THEIR visitor centers!
So this morning, I painted Hank~  this is he~  I loved the look in his eyes, and I'm going to complain for just a minute here about the problems associated with traveling and painting.  The light is goofy in a hotel room, I'll just say-  and I'm not sure if I added too much white to his eyes.  He has a kinda sad look in his eyes in the photo because of the rabbit ears he's wearing, which I chose to leave out of the painting, though I still wanted to try to get that look in his eyes.  Not sure I did-  hmmm.

SO tomorrow I'll be painting Earl, who is Hank's buddy, and for whom Hank was gotten as a "live toy", explains Cindy~  though they are sweet buds and I'll say more about Earl tomorrow!

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold

July 6, Mecca for Maryanna!

And this is my friend Maryanna's son's dog, Mecca! I love painting black dogs- and this one had to be done fast this morning- I'm packing up otters and bears and heading north for the day! Come see me if you can at the Tettegouche Visitor Center this eve, 7-8:30!

Mecca is a terrier mix. She is wildly energetic and will fetch a ball a hundred times in a row and still will want more. She is very intelligent and has an adorable way of tilting her head when you ask her a question as if she's debating whether she'll answer it. She is 10 years old, but you would never guess it without the grey underneath her chin. Treats are important when it comes to interacting with new dogs. They're the only chance of obedience. New people, on the other hand, will have fresh scratches on their legs from her pouncing on them with excitement.

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold!

July 5, Flynn for Patti~

Another fantastic face that I just could NOT resist painting! And another incredible dog story~ I LOVE dogs that find their best "job", you know what I mean!

As for Flynn, he is a seven year old Sheltie.  We have been a registered therapy team with Pet Partners since 2013.  He is especially drawn to kids, so our visits have mainly been going to libraries and schools for them to read to him.  We have been reading with the first and second graders at Christ Community Lutheran School in Watertown since 2014.  Flynn has his "groupies" at school, when the kids hear him in the hallway they call out his name and surround him.  He loves his kids!!

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold~

July 4, Ruby Valentine for Nat!

We were lucky enough to meet Ruby Valentine and her owner, Nat, at our friends' Jonny and Gil's house over the weekend in England, and I decided to paint her for today!  Isn't she sweet?  I love these kind of combination dog names~ and it seems to suit her well!
I included a photo of Gil in her wonder woman tights petting Ruby, just so you can get an idea of her reality~  this is in Luddenden Foot, Yorkshire!

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold~

July 3, Fargo! for Sally~

Good morning! I don't know if you notice what time it is when I post these, but I am still in Yorkshire this morning, and according to my laptop (which is still on Minnesota time, somehow), it is 1:30 am, so technically it IS July 3rd everywhere, right?

And this is Fargo!  I love her full-on frontal gaze-  there's that eye to eye connection that dogs have learned to be really good at.  Most creatures are wary of direct eye contact because it suggests a confrontation, but dogs have learned that we like it!  Aren't we crazy?

And Sally has this to say about her brother-in-law's dog~
Fargo the part beagle, is the first dog my brother in law has ever had. She is the perfect first dog because she is such a sweet heart. They live in Washington DC. 

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold!

July 2, Georgie!

I have to admit I haven't heard of a "Cojack" before!  And I have to also admit that I loved this face as soon as I saw her!

Enjoy!

Sally has this to say~

"Georgie is a real "lady", and all around sweetie-pie.  She's an 8-year old "Cojack", or corgi/Jack Russell mix.  

She loves playing with other dogs and humans of all sizes, and her favorite treat is peanut butter toast.

Squirrels and rabbits are definitely on her hit-list and she enjoys a good bone every now and then.

Three Cheers for Georgie-girl!"

8x8 acrylic on wood, $185 click here for purchase info~

July 1, Robin for Martha Claussen

For my first dog for this project, I've chosen Robin! And it is rather fun to me that he is a European breed, and I'm currently IN Europe!  Well, actually, does Britain count as Europe anymore?  Hmmm...

And the photo I chose to paint from is a selfie that Robin took himself at the March for Science, Martha explained!  Here is more she has to say about him~

OK, Robin will be 10 years old in August. He's purebred Bassett Fauve de Bretagne, which is a common breed in Europe but not the US. Not recognized by the AKC but the breed is registered by and competes in UKC events.  Both his parents are European imports; a friend of mine fell in love with the breed at the Crufts dog show in the UK, she then imported several dogs and bred a few litters in California.

Initially I planned to train Robin for tracking, which he would have been good at I'm sure, but he showed a very independent streak early on, and I knew I couldn't keep up with him at the other end of a long lead. He follows his nose and has sharp eyes too, he will spot a chipmunk hidden under a shrub 10 feet away and sit and watch until it moves. He's followed deer trails straight up the side of a mountain and managed to escape from multiple dog parks by casing perimeter fences for holes. 

Robin gets along with all people and his canine, feline and avian family members, but not so much with strange dogs. He's gentle but mischievous, he will steal a paper napkin or tissue right out of your lap and you won't know it until you notice he's ripping it to shreds. His favorite thing is bubble wrap, we have to be careful with any padded envelopes that arrive in the mail lest he "open" them first, and he has opened a few cardboard boxes to "see" if they contain bubble wrap. He loves going on walks, and to stand sentry in the yard for hours, after dark, watching for any urban creatures (raccoons, possums, cats) that might show up. I've not asked much of him, just let him be a loved pet, and he's kept us enchanted with his darling face and funny ways since he was 8 weeks old.

8x8 acrylic on wood, sold!