July 31, Watson

 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!

16x12 acrylic on wood

sold

July 30, Peach!

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!"

10x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

 

July 29, Kumo the Kind

 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!

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

July 28, Rudy!

 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.)

He’s the love of my life, well our lives, but I like to think I’m his favorite dog in our pack of two humans:) We adopted him six years ago at estimated age five yo, and when we set him down in our backyard, he immediately threw his head back, sniffing the air like he was smelling a fine wine (we were to quickly learn he is a true connoisseur of scents—a beagle in a chihuahua body). Tiny yet sturdy and all round curves, he walks like a cartoon character. Loves to hike—and snow! Sleeps belly up under the blankets like a true chihuahua; but mostly a mellow guy without the stereotypical chi drama (although most chi insiders know that stereotype is more hype than substance…they’re simply amazing little loves). 

He had at least two homes before we adopted him, plus a foster home in there somewhere. Still marvel that anyone would give up this love bug, easy-peasy dog. I guess they didn’t know what we know: He’s perfect. (Just as he is.)

Oh, and a foodie, and that’s where that little slip of pink tongue in the photo comes in (that and the fact that he only has about 8 teeth:) As most dogs do, he works the cute hard when he wants a bite of food, all dewy-eyes, perky ears, upright posture—like a school photo. But when it’s not working, he throws in the zinger (the pink tongue). It works and he knows it.

8x8 acrylic on wood

$256

click here for purchase info~

July 27 Charlie!

 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!!!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

July 26, Dottie May!

 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!

8x8 acrylic on wood

-possibly available...

July 25, Pippin for Eve!

 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.

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold~

July 24, Sally!

 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! 

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

July 23, Petey for Audrey

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.

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

July 22, Carmela!

 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.

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

July 21, Ingo the Long

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!

18x12 acrylic on panel

sold

 

July 20 is Milton~

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!

9x12 acrylic on wood

sold

 

July 19 is Beany!

 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.

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

 

July 18, this is SALTY!

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!  

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

July 17, Dog #3 is Stanley!

 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. 

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

July 16, Dog #2 is Henry!

 Just look at this face! This is quite the story...

Meet Henry: 

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? 

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

7/15 Dog #1 is DOLLY!

 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

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

July 1, a Commission

 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's the info page!