I added more to this one, because I didn't think having the purple background gave enough motion... still not sure.
And I think I need to practice varnishing too... I am not that great at it...
But I like this one much better with the green!
It's Sunday afternoon, I'm heading over to Diamond's Coffee Shoppe soon to take down the 30 Dogs in 30 Days show and meet anyone there who can come to pick their painting up! It's really humid and sticky today, and I'm so grateful I am NOT doing an art fair this weekend! We did go for a lovely walk this morning with our dear friend Jules across the St Anthony Stone Arch Bridge and she made us a gorgeous breakfast too, so we've already had a great start to our day. For some reason, I've had a mean sweet tooth the last week or so, and I think this happens every year with getting back to school because we are such a loving bunch of teachers and we have sweets in our lounge a lot... and sometimes I can't eat them because of gluten or lactose, but sometimes I can... and I've had a tough time deflecting that this past couple weeks.
Ack.
And this is a commission, for a colleage at Breck actually, of a lovely creature~ I hope you enjoy!
Sometimes I just need a little break.
Painting really does that for me. By trying to translate what I'm looking at into paint on a panel, I have to concentrate on really looking- seeing what is truly in front of me instead of what I expect to see. Painting greenery can be hard because we keep thinking we're seeing green, when there are actually a lot of other colors in there...
And I'm not sure I found them all in this one~ but I am happy with the road!
I still have space in this week's Thursday evening Paint Love class! Sign up here! And I'll be taking down the 30 Dogs Show at Diamond's on Sunday between 2-4 if you'd like to come by and see those~ and then my lovely friend Jean Leuthner is hanging a show of her newest paintings at Diamonds for the next month and a half or so!
I had such a fantastic time at the SLP art fair this weekend too! Thank you to everyone who came out to that- it was just great to meet so many people and see so many friends and to get to wrap up so many paintings to go home! I LOVE not having to pack up as much stuff when I go home! Despite the rain and the chill it was a blast. We were all cozy under the giant ROC cover!
And this is Charlie, a commission!
Hello all! I expect that you are as excited as I am about today's Art Fair at the St Louis Park ROC from 10-5! It should be a good one! I have my NEW mesh sides for my display and love how much more space I have to display my work! I also have some new art for you to see, brand new stuff- some so new I was just putting wire and varnish on last night~
This is one of the new paintings I have today for sale! I kinda LOVE it! The otter at the MN zoo was so interactive that day!
Isn't this one just great?! I had SO much fun painting it! I started working on it at Millstream Art Fair last weekend and it just made me smile, and so many people who saw it loved it as well. This is Jayda, who has a super sweet smile and I was lucky to get to paint her!
This is Noodle... I really enjoyed painting this one! Something about that eye, and the shading, the purples... all the stuff of a fun one!
And there's still a couple places for fun coming up this Thursday the 4th at the Ivy Building! You can come paint with me this fall and get your own brush and color groove moving! Sign up for my Paint Love Painting Class HERE!
We all could use a bit of color and joy, my friends~
Nearing the end of August already- it's still incredibly gorgeous weather in Minneapolis, and I was able to appreciate it from a Water Taxi on the Mississippi last night for my friend's birthday celebration~ she hoped to get waves from passersby, because she said every time she sees a Water Taxi SHE waves at THEM! So we called out to people on the shoreline and a beautiful number of people did wave back. It was really sweet~
And still, its a heavy day. The loss of two more children in a shooting. There are just too many thoughts... the one I keep thinking is still Be Kind. You do never know how much someone is hurting, and your attention may be all it takes. You really can't ever know the effect you have on someone else's life, but it seems most of us do try to make sure we are leaning towards the helping side, not the hurting side.
I have Wellstone's quote on my board this year, "We all do better when we all do better", and I'm talking my kids through it- I didn't think it was that hard to understand but we're having interesting conversations in the art room~
Speaking of interesting conversations, we have them a LOT in my Paint Love classes~ please come join us! Here's more info~
And this is a Christmas Commission, Franklin~
Sometimes things happen that make no sense.
Humans in pain hurt other humans.
Try to breathe, and try to be as kind as you can. And tell people you love them.
This is a kitten, a sweet kitten, for your heart today.
It has been absolutely transcendent in Minneapolis these last few days... beautiful weather, cool enough for long sleeves, and yet deliciously warm in the sun if you're feeling chilled. The air is clean, the clouds are white, the sky is blue... I've experienced these kinds of days before, but I think that back then I took them for granted, not having experienced the clogged and smuggy air of our Canadian wildfires. As I get older, I'm realizing more and more that there are many things we need to be more aware of, that every day is a gift.
Every sunset is unique.
And here is another little kitten! This one is a trade for another artist at the Art Fair at St Kate's- if you didn't know that I accept trades for all kinds of stuff, now you know! I've traded art for other art, for clothes, for gift cards, for babysitting, for dog walking, and even for private flying lessons!
It's also my first day at school with my kiddos! Here we GOOOO!!!!
Oh, and I still have space in my Paint Love Painting Lessons starting a week from this Thursday! Join us!
AND I will be at the Millstream Art Festival in St Joe, MN next Sunday! Come on up and see what's up! I went to St Ben's and this is the start of that school year as well- if you're an alum, come say hi!
This is an otter. I love otters. They swim and play and use their entire bodies to express themselves. That's a good plan for all of us, I think~
I do have to admit I don't think this is the best photo of this painting and I want to try taking another one... it really does matter how good the photo is, but it is also really hard to take good photos of actual art. It is best to see it in person! This one especially, since it is 2 feet by 2 feet, which is larger than life, and those eyes are really well done if I do say so myself!
Oh and come see us at Carpenter Nature Center's Art Fair August 23, 2025! 10-5!
Yes, I paint commissions all year round, my friends! I love it. It keeps me painting. I admit I'm a bit of a people pleaser and I tend to do those things I promised other people I'd do first, before I do the things I've been wanting to do myself. So having commissions means I PAINT. That's the important thing. I need to get my brushes moving in the paint, and then the ideas come and the challenges and the desire to translate my vision into color, and having something to paint for YOU really helps me get to that point. So never hesitate to ask me to paint something for you! It truly helps ME too!
This is the glorious Ksiusha. Those eyes are just intense, and that mane, the fluff... yes!
This is from a photo I took on the south side of Lake Hiawatha, where artist Sean Connaughty regularly works to restore the native plants to create a more natural and healthy Lake Hiawatha- I volunteered on his crew a few times this summer to help with gardening tasks, something that's a little outside my comfort zone.
You should walk over there and check it out! He's usually there on Saturday mornings!
This is another one painted on a canvas prepped by my mentor and friend Liz Sivertson!
When we were up in Grand Marais in June for the Summer Solstice Pageant at North House Folk School., I was invited out to my friend Liz Sivertson's house because she was moving studios and had some materials to let go of. She gave me a lovely pile of boards and canvases and a sta-wet palette and some oils and acrylics, and that was so wonderful because I hadn't packed my own painting supplies for this trip! So i was able to sit at our picnic table and paint some stuff~
Because I hadn't packed my own paint supplies, I didn't have my usual black ground so I used the prepped canvases as Liz had left them~
Here's one of them!
My sister picked this little guy up during an early spring storm in the parking lot of the Whole Foods in Duluth. She let him warm up in her car for a bit, took a few photos and the let him go.
Yes, I had to paint him too.
I have finished up my dogs and am now wiring and signing and finishing them up, and I have a few other paintings to post here for you~
This one is one I did in the Perl De Lak park sitting with Kelli in the 90 plus degree heat in Switzerland in early July~ the trees were so wonderfully spiky and tall, and the light coming through them caught me. This woud be a plein air one, and I haven't had the chance to look at it since I painted it, and I kinda like it!
I also have several art events coming up soon, with the Carpenter Nature Center Art Fair the first one on August 23 from 10-5! Duane and I will both be there- it's across the river in Hudson, just about 45 minutes from our house and should be a lovely weekend! Hope to see you soon!
And this is Daisy!
She's the last dog of this year's 30 Dogs in 30 Days project, and she's got just the sweetest face. There's something about that relaxed, open smile of a happy dog.
I am so grateful for you all for your support and sending me your photos and thoughts on your dogs, and I hope following along was as fun for you as it has been for me painting these pups every day. There is so much awfulness in this world, there always is but it feels thicker and meaner these days, so it helps me to remember there are always dogs that love us and are willing to be loved.
Like Daisy~
I'll be hanging all the dogs at Diamond's Coffee Shoppe this Friday and they'll be hanging there until Sunday September 14th when we have a Pick-Up Party from 2 to 4 and you can come by and see the pups and say hi and pick up a book or a postcard! You can also visit Diamonds (1618 Central Ave NE) any time during open hours, 7 to 4 daily, and see the pups too!
I LOVE this one! And I'm sorry it's so late but I kept playing with the background!
Molly Dog – Asking for Forgiveness Not Permission
Kids do the darnedest things. Like when they are in college, adopt a puppy, and then keep it a secret for a few months. And then one day, you are invited into their rental house to meet someone, and it turns out to be a dog (a pittie mix that we call a boxer) named after their aunt (who is still very much alive). That is how we met Molly, or Molly Dog to reduce confusion with my sister. He didn’t ask permission; he asked for forgiveness. She is my first (and currently only) granddog. She holds our hearts hostage. I buy her Christmas pajamas and let her sleep in the middle when she spends the night. I love her. We all love her. We love the perfect bond she has with her Daddy, how she calms him, and how he cares for her every need. She loves to swim and needs to be reminded to put on her listening ears. She likes rocks and sticks and the toys that she destroys so quickly. She runs fast, but not as fast as she used to. That’s fine, we’re not running races in this house. She searches her food for the tasty pill pocket with her daily meds and will give you a look if it isn’t there. Now all the other dogs think they need to have their medicine when they eat. She rules our roost and never hesitates to “tell” our silly dogs that they are getting too rowdy. Everyone listens to Molly Dog, and everyone celebrates when she comes for her playdates. Who needs doggie daycare? She completely changed my opinion on her breed, and I will forever be in love and indebted to our Molly Dog. No forgiveness is needed, and permission is over-rated.
And this is the delightful Zeppelin! She has her own Instagram too~ she's such a star! She also knows my beloved Key Largo loves Monica and Frank- it's such a wonderful small world sometimes!
And she has the best smile ever no matter what angle it comes at!
Here's another incredible face. This is Picasso, and Amanda asked me to paint him because they just lost him recently~
Picasso came into our lives on Valentine’s Day in 2013, an adorable 10 lb bundle of energy who quickly grew into a 90 lb bundle of energy. He loved running along bike rides, running at the dog park, running into lakes and rivers, and running in circles around our yard. His very favorite thing was being with his people. If he couldn’t see us he was not happy. He loved us completely and we feel so lucky to have been his.
Wow! We just got home last night from Camp Mishawaka, where all three of us were working our little butts off for the past 4 weeks, and more intensely this past week... Max didn't sleep at all on Thursday night, so Duane and I shared driving duty home. It's pretty adorable to have a 16 year old fall asleep in the back seat, with a kitten and a pup on his lap...
SO I'm really slow today. Doing a huge pile of laundry, running errands, and I have yet to take the nap I wanted to take at noon... and I JUST finished painting Coco! What a cutie-patootie!
Here's what Coco's loving dog mom Natalie said about her~
Coco was a very good girl for all 17 years we were blessed with her ~
She stole our hearts as a tiny puppy - once we saw her there was no way she wasn’t coming home with us. She was the queen of our family her whole life and she knew it.
Here's another one I had to paint- I completely respect a dog with a full lengthy descriptive name. And here's what Brian said about him~
This is Russell T Coltrane, LLC (Limited Liability Canine).
This is Rocky, and here is Rocky's story!
Rocky
It was L-O-V-E at first sight. Rocky is a sweet, lovey 4 1/2-year-old boy who tucked himself into
Juliana Soltis’ side straight-away on a rainy, February morning at Greyt Love Retirement. He
made it clear that he was going home with her to be little brother to brindle greyhound Ceci.
Rocky quickly became known as the Velvet Ninja for his stealthy ways. Juliana Soltis is an
internationally acclaimed cellist and when a new cello came into her home; Rocky immediately
had to investigate and there may have been some licking…but Rocky admits to nothing!
People often ask if the hounds can recognize her playing when they hear her on a recording —
and the answer is yes! The hounds definitely know mama’s “voice,” so when a new cello came
home and was played for the first time, both hounds popped their heads out of their beds because
*this* was not their usual cello!
You may have never heard of this breed of dog, and she was a delight to paint! Here's Jill's story about her~
And it's Tuesday! And I am nearing the end of this uplifting (for me anyway) month of painting your beautiful dogs!
Today's dog is no exception to that- What an incredible face! here is her story~
Millie is a Leonberger dog. They are a bit rare, and gentle giants (millie is 110 pounds). Its an old breed originally made up of newfoundland, St Bernard and Great Pyrenes. They are very sweet, playful and dont drool! Millie is 1.5 years old and a great ambassador for the breed. Most people are drawn to her and love meeting her and she loves everyone. Very sweet personality. Training to be a therapy dog currently.
This is Milo~ I was sent a wonderful collage of all sorts of photos of Milo in all kinds of positions, and it was fun using those to create this final painting. It seems Milo is s sweetheart of a 16 year old elder, and this portrait is to accompany his young owner to college.
I appreciated the sweet note that came with the request~
We live in Powderhorn and can pick up Any chance it could be ready before Sept 20 when my daughter heads off to college? I hope you still enjoy doing these paintings. It’s such a sweet way to remember such a beloved part of our family.
It's amazing how tricky this much fur can be to paint... it's kinda all over the place, wonderfully fluffy, and you have to get the undercolors as well as the over layer of top hairs. Plus there's that position of the nose, long and elegant and slightly to the side, so I have to make sure I'm getting the mouth in the proper angle under the nose... I think it worked. There's also the sublte shading in the eyes- I know they are probably brown, but the glint and shine look grey and blue. It's really fun figuring it all out!
And here's Lance's story- one I have NOT heard before!
One of Lance’s favorite activities is climbing up grassy or snow-covered slopes then sliding down them on his back. At first, he slid spontaneously; now he (sometimes) slides on command, especially if he has an audience of passersby and their dogs.
Every so often I meet a dog that I just have to paint, and a number of the pups in this year's selection are among that bunch. This is one of them. I don't know who she or he is, I don't remember what the owner even looked like, I think it was a woman...but this little face just caught me. She seemed youngish and puppy-ish, but that look in those eyes speaks of wisdom passed down through generations.
Or maybe she was just hoping for a treat...
I love these eyes!! and the shape of her head-and those tiny little teeth in that tiny little smile! and here is Luna's story!
This is Watson, on a beach somewhere, with the bright sun strong on his face. He has a commanding presence, doesn't he? He looks pretty confident of himself, and he is paying attention to the person who held the camera. This was another one that took a while to paint. I started drawing this one out a few days ago because I was worried I wouldn't be able to get it done on time. And I've been up painting for a bit here-
We're still at camp, and it is smokey up here, closer to Canada. I can feel it in my lungs today. We are outside most of the day. We'll try to keep activities easier so we aren't breathing so hard. I don't remember ever worrying about air quality when I was a kid, though I do remember visiting London in the late 80's and blowing my nose often, with very black polluted results, and no one mentioned air quality then...
Ah, how the mind wanders! Thanks for reading! I'm over half way through this project and have been appreciating the challenge so much. It gets me out of my head, to paint like this, so thank you!
I LOVE this name for a dog, and she sure looks like a peach! I also will admit this was a tricky one to paint- any piece that includes background and body takes longer for me to paint than a straight on portrait. There's just more bits to fit together...
And here is the story for Peach!
Peach on her perch
This picture is of Peach sitting at her usual spot in our house. It gives her a clear view of the front door in case she has to alert to any intruders (lol, or hide), and where she can keep track of her people going up and downstairs in case she needs to follow any of them. She is laying on a little blanket Jen made for her after Peach many times dug into one of Jen's knitting projects. She would look up with yarn over her nose and an expression that said "What? This is fun!"
This is a white dog, painted in my style on a black panel. That means there's a few layers of white there, to get it to glow... and I'm never sure the photos are doing the paintings justice. Like, you really have to see them in person to see the glow. I could take 4 photos of every painting I make and they would all read a little different. That's what a real original painting is- difficult to actually reproduce!
"Kumo is a Shiba Inu, cream with copper tips. “Kumo” is Japanese for “cloud” and my daughter and her boyfriend chose that name since Kumo is white and my daughter’s boyfriend is a computer programmer!
THIS is a big soul in a little body! I'm sure you know someone like this!
Written by Cari and Mark~
This is Rudy. (Some kids in my area know him as Little Red Rudy Hood, a memorable name in light of him often rocking his red hoodie sweater on Winter walks.)
And THIS is Charlie Girl! Who is 14 years young! Can't you tell, with all that joy she is projecting at you, so hard and strong and beautiful you can feel it through the screen! What a delight!
I'm so lucky to have this to look forward to every day! Yesterday, I drove back from Grand Rapids to Minneapolis to run a few errands that couldn't wait til we get back in August, and the alternator went out in the van... and last Wednesday Duane cranked something in his left leg while playing frisbee with the kids at camp... so we spent that night in the ER and he's in a boot now, until we can get an MRI to see what's what... and still, there's plenty of joy around, right?! Thanks for sending me your dogs!!!
I just LOVE the expression on this face! This is one of those people who just feels comfortable as soon as you meet them, you know what I mean? Like they'll get you! Like they have a sense of humor and confidence, and they see the world as the somewhat ridiculous and precious place it is, and they see you and that you are doing your best to be in it as fully as you can!
This is Pippin! I have painted a few of Eve's other pups, and am so happy that she keeps asking me to!
Here is his story~
Pippin is a Cairn terrier mix whose sweet face grabbed me while scrolling through the Humane Society’s list of adoptable dogs. His favorite things in life are sitting on laps, walks and working to keep my yard rodent free.
And this is Sally! Beth is a great writer- I want her to write MY story too!
Sally – Silly and One of a Kind
She joined our family when she was just over a year old, but she had already been a mom. Her past was sad and complicated. But her future looked bright. She came home right after we lost our sweet Eva. I was sure that adopting a look-alike dog was the only way to stop the grief. Sally looked so much like Eva in the photos, and she went into the shelter on the same day we said goodbye to Eva. Some sort of greater power, right? I knew I wasn’t really ready, but I had to get Sally out of that shelter, and we would both heal together. My son said it was either the most toxic or the most beautiful thing he’d heard. Turns out, probably a bit of both. I wanted a quiet cuddler so I could sit and be sad. I got a rambunctious young dog who didn’t know how to be still. I also got this unconditional gratitude and love that didn’t know how to quit. I had trouble bonding until the day I didn’t. She wasn’t Eva. She was Sally. Silly Sally who loved me so deeply. She didn’t understand calm. But she had so much love. Her short life had been so hard, and she was safe. I was her person, even before I realized it. She is pure joy. She smiles, wags, cuddles, sleeps with your shoes, runs fast, and jumps high. She taught the old dogs new tricks. She didn’t replace Eva, she became part of Eva’s legacy of love. Sally was one of the best bad decisions I’ve ever made!
And this is Petey! Here's his story!
This is Petey (named after Pete Seeger)! Petey is a pit lab mix who came to the humane society from Alabama. He sat there for many months before ending up on the euthanasia list due to his rowdy, puppy behaviours and lack of adopter interest. Thanks to the help of a local rescue Petey was able to leave the shelter to his new home with just a day to spare from the needle…. His “rowdy” behaviours have disappeared with the addition of a stable, loving household and fellow dog to play and learn from. Petey is adored by everyone who meets him due to his love of getting sprayed with the hose, and fun, playful nature with other dogs.
And here's one that looks a bit like my Pompom, with her tiny turned up nose and all!
Carmela's story~
Despite coming through animal control, Carmela is a super sweet little lady who has been known to elicit belly rubs from random strangers. She also has a fiesty side, which she exercises through her work as a professional squirrel stalker and home security system.
This is another one of those photos that just begs to be painted... my art friend asked me to paint this for her friends, and we settled on a larger panel to showcase those unbelieveably long legs. And all the greys! I'm so glad there is a red collar in this one too~
The light here in this cabin is weird too, because I've photographed the painting three times now, trying to get it right and this is the best I could do today. Life up north, people. A bit rustic, a bit buggy, really lovely!
Meet Milton! Whom I keep calling Winston for some reason, though Milton does make more sense. He's a refined creature, as you can tell by this pose on a sandy beach at a north woods wedding.
Here is Milton's story~
Milton joined our family as a tiny rescue puppy from Arkansas, and has since risen through the ranks to become Chief Security Officer and Head of Backyard Operations. His duties include: monitoring the living room window for suspicious activity (a.k.a. “people walking by”) and leading high-speed pursuits of the criminally mischievous backyard bunnies. Milton approaches his work with utmost seriousness… right up until it’s time to clock out. Then he’s all floppy ears, goofy zoomies, and the kind of unconditional love that makes him the best boss we’ve ever had!
On my list it says "Milton" for today, but I only just got the panel for Milton delivered yesterday and didn't get a chance to prep it yet, so I opted to paint Beany today! All that fluff is definitely a challenge to paint and get it to feel right~
So THIS is Beany!
Beany is a big dog in a 16 pound body. Brave, joyful, stubborn, cuddly and faster than a speeding BB.
Salty was a sweet little firecracker who lived in Hawaii with his loving family. Every photo they shared with me featured a huge smile!
Here's Salty's story~
Salty loved playing in the sand, giving hugs and cruising in the backpack for bike rides. Always reliable to clean up spilled cheese on the kitchen floor. He was the best good little boy!
And this is Stanley. Such a great name for a dog!
And hey my friends, if you are able to donate to your local public radio station, please do! I'm currently in Grand Rapids, listening to KAXE, and I regularly donate to the Current and KFAI in the cities...
This is Stanley's story~
This is a picture of just Stanley taken recently at a brewery. He doesn't know it but his ears are what got him adopted. My husband fell in love with a picture of Stanley on a lawn chair with one ear flopped over ten years ago.The rest is history as they say. The two of them have a connection like I've never seen. Stanley is happiest when he's with Tyler, preferably snuggling with him. Stanley can fit himself into a chair made made for one person with Tyler any day of the week. Stanley's ears were blowing in the wind when this picture was taken.
Just look at this face! This is quite the story...
Henry – Hank, Big Love, Meatball, Meatloaf
What do you do when your husband says he is ready to adopt another dog while you are on a road trip to Kansas? You start searching Petfinder in every state along the I-35 corridor! “Are you and your sister just crying and sending me dogs needing adoption?” “YES!” “You need to stop, my heart can’t take it…” Until a few minutes later, “Would you email the shelter in Trenton, Missouri about Zeus?” “What is it about this dog?” “His eyes.” And that’s how we got Henry (the dog formerly known as Zeus). The shelter isn’t normally open on Sundays, but a volunteer would be there cleaning and feeding the dogs in the morning. They gave me special permission to visit Zeus, a 5-year old lab mix who was surrendered by his owner. He sat down right in front of me and looked straight in my eyes. Oh yes – those eyes. My first words were, “Mommy is sorry it took so long to find you. Are you ready to go home?” The rest is just details of a proper adoption, but he joined me in the car, and we never looked back. His collar came off the very first day, and I feared all would be lost. Instead of running away, he ran towards me. There are no words to describe how absolutely wonderful he is. Who is his favorite? You will never know. He makes everyone feel special and loved and important. He comforted my mom when she had Covid. He made my dad feel young again. He got on the paddleboard to be closer to me on the lake (he’s the only lab in MN that doesn’t swim). And he will protect everything that Todd loves and holds dear. The two of them together – my favorite men who hold my heart. Did I mention his eyes?
And this is the first dog of the project and she is Dolly! She's got those golden eyes, and that wonderful attentive head cock that setters have, those working dogs with their patient attention.
I also loved that light on her face, and her tiny little beard!
YAY!
My pup engines are revving up, my friends! Thank you for giving me this opportunity to PAINT!
XOXO
This was a Christmas commission from this past holiday, and I enjoyed working out the variety of grays and browns on her face- There's a lot going on! One of the trickiest parts of painting from not-always-perfect-but-well-loved-photos is the puzzling together of a few images to get the piece to "read" right. The contours of a face and the kinks in an ear, and the highlights and shading of a scrunched up little face are all part of putting it together.
Any one thing I add in affects everything else, and it takes balance to get the whole thing ringing true.
I'm pretty pleased with this one! She's Noodles~ I still love that expression and those eyes!
Oh, and I'm posting this because it's time for you to send me your dog photos so I can make my list and paint my 30 Dogs in 30 Days this summer!
Here is another commissioned painting, this one for a friend/patron/client who has requested several other pieces from me. It's so gratifying when someone appreciates my work and wants to collect it. It's a rather incredible collaborative relationship, actually. One that I haven't ever taken for granted. Part of me is still that teenager who dreamt of some day painting people's pets for a living, making hand-written posters, printed off expensively and brought around to area vet offices and pet stores. I asked shyly for permission to hang them up, and sometimes I was told yes. I don't remember how many pieces I painted back then. They were all watercolor, carefully drawn from photographs, and I do remember one goat. Even back then, it was such a strange, intense, personal pleasure that someone other than family wanted my work to hang up in their home.
I'm so lucky.
I hope you have something that makes you feel lucky too!
XO
