October 21, The Bulldog

 This is another commission~ and I'm going in to whiten up the neck folds a smidge but I wanted to post something this morning!

I voted yesterday!  I hope you go soon too!

6x6 acrylic on panel

sold!

Oct 19, A Completed Commission!

 Sometimes it takes a few goes before both I and my client are satisfied with a painting. I want to make sure they are getting what they are hoping to see, and there are parts of a photo that may not register with me as being important, like the shape of a patch of white fur on a forehead, or a specific collar color, and it helps when the patron lets me know what they are looking for.

This is a painting for returning patrons who wanted to memorialize their beloved pair of huskies. In the original, they aren't quite so close together so it took a few tries before I was able to get them just right- and the background wasn't all lovely warm happy colors, but I made them that way!

This is a good time to get on my list for painting your pet before the holidays!  I do also have a few Paint Your Pet Classes that will be in November- I'll post those this week!

Hope you are enjoying the fall weather and getting out and VOTING!

12x16 acrylic on panel

sold!

Oct 13, Morning Juice

 I had planned on painting an otter a day for OTTER-tober.... but that hasn't happened so far, because I'm a bit busier than expected, which is strange because I'm always busy so why didn't I expect that? Hmm... this getting older and wiser part ain't for sissys....

SO this is an orange I painted in my Paint Love class the other week, as a demo- it is a lovely thing to paint small objects daily. It keeps your eye sharp and your brush moving, and all that makes you a happier person, I swear!

6x6 acrylic on canvas panel

$65 plus tax = $70

click here to purchase!

9/30 more 10 minute pets!

 Yes, there were more!

And now is a good time to actually commission me to paint YOU pet if you'd like one for gift giving for the holidays!

This lovely wet weather we are experiencing in Minnesota feels so great right now, so cozy and inward-turning, it's a great time to be painting- my October session is full but I do have a November series of 6 Sundays, 2-4:30 that I'm setting up right now!

9x12 black gessoed paper with acrylic

donated!

9/28 10 Minute Pets!

This Saturday morning I sat in the drizzle with my lovely friend and amazing artist Lara Johnson and we drew and painted people's pets as they brought them up to us after their Blessing!  This is a tradition at our school during the Homecoming shenanigans and I really love it!

Here's one of the first ones I did- I was able to get 8 portraits done in about 40 minutes- they don't want us to go on too much longer than that for crowd control, I think... there were years in the past where I was stuck there for 40 minutes to an hour after the event was supposed to be done because people really wanted their pet painted!

9x12 on black gessoed paper

for donation to Golden Valley Humane society!

The Ugly Duckling Makes Waves

 I am just so enchanted by these babies and their fuzzy earnestness as they paddle through the green ripples and dark shallows... using such a variety of warm and cool neutral colors, placing the brush strokes in just the right place to suggest that little baby wing, that delicate webbed foot just under the surface...

I am having so much fun with these!  Come see them in person tomorrow and Sunday, 10-4 at my studio in the Ivy, 2637 27th Ave S, Mpls 55406!

12x36 acrylic on canvas

$865

click here for purchase info!

And an Ugly Duckling! "Back Paddle"

 This is a piece I've been working on this week from a photo my sister in Geneva sent of the swans in lake Geneva this spring...

Water and birds, what a great combo! And the colors, and lines... these are fun!  There's a few more coming out from Kel's photos, and you can come see them this weekend at our studio for LOLA!

Sat and Sun, 10-4 at the Ivy Building, 2637 27th Ave S!  Second floor, #210!

9x12 acrylic on canvas

$215 

click here for purchase info!

More pup Commissions!

 This one was such a fun one to paint!

Oh but I DO say that about a lot of them... okay, so THIS one is fun because the faces were not quite so close in the photo and I got to play with them a bit to move them closer, and I am really happy with how they turned out! Plus I got to abstract the background to a color that felt emphatic for the relationship of the two sweet creatures, who are no longer with us.  My patron wanted to be able to have that feeling that they were looking at her again, and I hope I've satisfied that!

Ooo and come see me at the studio this weekend! 2637 27th Ave S, second floor, call if you need directions!

XOXO

12x16 acrylic on panel

sold

Sep 9, Another close up!

 Have you ever read The Four Agreements? I've found myself thinking and remembering those 4 basic ways of looking at the world... because sometimes when it feels things are spinning off faster than you can understand them, you need some way of viewing the world, a lens to look through. And these have always helped me out, when I remember them...

Have no expectations, make no assumptions, be impeccable with your word, and always do your best.

So when I find myself spinning into catastrophic thinking, I can pull up the "Make No Assumptions" and try to live in the moment, and that helps me at least chill out enough to pay attention to NOW.

Painting helps too, of course!

Another pup from the three!

3inches by 3 inches an already sold~

 

Sept 8, another close up!

 It's a week in to school, I'm sometimes feeling like I know what I'm doing, and then something else comes at me and I am discombobulated again....

Dang- so I sit and paint sweet loving companion animals, and that makes me feel better.

Hope they make you feel better too~

4 inches by 4 inches about, and sold~

Sept 2, Close Ups of Work in Progress

 Whew, it was a fabulous weekend!! Thank you everyone who came by to say hi at Millstream! What a lovely day! And so many awesome people and dogs!!!

And then Monday night at Loons Coffee, another wonderful crew of people came by to pick up their dogs and have some snacks with me! I am so grateful for the connections we make through art and community, and by going out and talking to people! What a great start to my week!

I hope you're having a good week too!  This is a close up of Rosemary, the brown doxie!

tiny! Sold!

August 28, Three Cuties on a couch!

 Here is a commission I'm working on- because I want you to know that I am painting!  It's been a busy week, back to school workshops and the kids come on Monday but I still need to PAINT! This one is a bit tricky because of lighting and because the panel is small, 6x12, so gotta work tight which requires more control and care, and the client has given me great feedback so I should be getting this one off in the mail soon!

August 17, Gunny, another Commission!

So my lovely sister is in town and we went to see Josh Johnson at the Orpheum last night, and it was amazing! Sat up very close, and laughed- dang! Needed that so bad. We also had a 3rd Sunday Brunch yesterday, which was super awesome and well attended and especially populated with tall loud teenagers playing games in the living room and then in the backyard and then out in the front yard running around with cardboard armour and weapons... it was so great! One of those soul-filling things, you know... the sense that the kids are alright, at least right now...

And this is a little commission with some big eyes... 

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

 

8/15, The One I'm Working On...

 Yes, I thought I'd post the one I'm working on right now- it's Rusty, the dog of my teenage-dom... when I got my own room, in the basement, the former play-room, and when I learned to drive, and when I'd want to go for walks I had someone to take along, though Rusty was better known for going on his own walks, leaping the backyard fence and taking off, possibly siring more little Rustys in the neighborhood, though he was also great about recognizing the sound of our huge tan van and he'd gamely come running and jump in when you spotted him...  I don't think he was ever fixed, but he was a wonderful dog. House trained immediately, probably because he had a good momma dog, he was in a "Free Dog" box in the back of a pick up truck on the way up to Virginia MN when all the "men" in our family went up to help our uncle, my mom's brother, on his new cabin/house because he and his wife had just had their first child. Of course, the young family refused to accept a new puppy because their hands were already full, so dad brought the pup back to our house where my mom adamantly claimed him and said he could replace the dog her dad had given away when she was a young girl.

Rusty was amazing. We all loved him so much!

There's something off with the shape of his head, and I need to fix his eyes- I love how his ears are all flipped up!  We were picking out and cutting down our Christmas tree and Rusty was free to run around the tree farm. We all loved that too!

29x16

August 14, Another Commission!

 Why is it so hard to paint every day when I am not doing a 30 IN 30 project?! Sheesh- I actually am working on a larger painting of my childhood/teenage dog, Rusy, that's taking me some time to configure... But I don't want to post that yet!

SO here is another kitty kat! This one is Sana~

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

August 12, Another Commission!

 This little sweetheart is Buddha, just in case you were thinking that I only paint dogs... and I hafta say I am kinda itching to paint something OTHER than dogs right now, actually, so stay tuned for something like otters or maybe something else completely different... like a human...

We voted yesterday in Minnesota, hope you were happy with your results wherever you are! We are mostly happy-  I do miss Al Franken being in goverment though. I think we all could use some humor in there that doesn't feel like a toddler on a kitchen chair...

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

August 6, Sulley!

 Here's another commission! Dang, are you seeing how hard it is to post every day when I don't have a 30 in 30 Project running?!?  I'll have to come up with something...  I did Otter-Tober once... maybe I need to roll that one out again!

Send me your otter photos!!

Hope you're enjoying the weather if you're in Minnesota!  It's been absolutely glorious the last few days... hopefully other parts of the planet are enjoying a reprieve as well....

Love to you!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

August 2, Curley!

 Dang!  I missed a day in there!  So sorry! I was hoping to continue with something every day, whether I'm reposting or putting up a commission or someting-

SO this is Curley! It was fun to abstract that background out a bit, and play with the greens to make some depth back there...

It's a bit sticky today in Minnesota, but we're not really complaining!  Max is at Adventures in Cardboard again this week and next, and it is a joy to see how excited he is to head off every morning. May all his future work positions incur as much excitement in his day! 

I'm hanging the dogs up today at Loons Coffee! Hopefully within the next couple hours, if you're in town and wanna swing by!  They will be up through August 31st with a Closing Celebration on MONDAY 8/31 from 5-7pm and you can come pick up your pups and your books and say hi! Of course, you can go by any time during open hours and take a look and have some good coffee!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold~

July 31, Gizmo!

 This isn't an official dog on the list, but I thought I'd share Gizmo none-the-less because he was just such a joy to paint.

I also wanted to tell you that I spent yesterday evening at my studio with a lovely group to paint their pets, and it is just a joy to me to get to know the people who are drawn to my goofy painting classes. We had fun and everyone painted their dog! Oh and then afterwards my son Max and I went to Powderhorn Park for the Peace Lantern Ceremony presented by Pillsbury House and Theater! It was just joyous- to be in a park with tall cottonwood trees by a lake, singing and humming while watching youngsters stilt around in glowing animal heads was soothing to my troubled soul. Regular people are doing beautiful things. There is joy in this world.

10x10 acrylic on wood

sold

July 30, Old Cutie Kirby!

 Yup, I just liked this one so much, I had to paint him. It's just such a sweet face, and sometimes that's completely all I want in a painting is something that is cute to look at. 

I think our hearts like to rest on those kinds of things sometimes, to appreciate the sweetness of this world.

Thanks for following along as I painted all these dogs this month!

I'll be getting them all ready to hang, and they'll be displayed at Loons Coffee, 4648 E Lake Street for the month of August, with a closing celebration on Sunday afternoon, August 30th from 4 to 6!

We'll see who I paint tomorrow!

6x6 acrylic on canvas

$160

click here to purchase~

July 29, Don with Rythmn

 This is a painting that was requested by a friend and fellow artist, and I am happy with where it is going but not quite sure it is complete yet!

I'll do a little more work on Don's face- this is my friend Joe's brother, who passed recently, with his therapy dog Rythmn.

I do love paintings that show people and their pets together. We need each other, so much.

12x9 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

July 28, Lucy!

 Lucy is one of the lovely dogs that roam around at Camp Mishawaka, and she lives with the wonderfully buoyant and optimistic Angela and her amazingly flexible and friendly husband Mark. Lucy is slightly shy and doesn't mind sniffling our pugs or playing with their toys, but she doesn't quite join in their silly pug antics. She has a bit more dignity than that.

I've got just two more paintings this month for my 30 Dogs in 30 Days! Thanks for following along! And I do have some room in my Thursday evening Paint Your Pet class if you'd like to join me!  More info and sign up here!

6x6 acrylic on canvas

spoken for~

July 27, Weezy!

 Love this one as well!  Such a great face! And here's what Katie wrote about her-

"Dogs Name: 

"Louise Ann"

Aka- Shaggy Dog 

Aka-Weezy

Weezy is a sweet girl that loves to grab shoes and socks if accessable. She is wiggly and very happy. Her go to items are sticks and balls and anything chewy.

We got her as a pup from Bond Between rescue as a recovery gift for Kim after brain surgery. 

She is 2.5 years old. Her breed is a mix of Labrador, Cattle Dog, Terrior (Pit Bull) and Shitzu. She may have licked the little dog we have before the DNA test. 

We believe a dab of lab will do you good."

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold!

July 26, Orion!

 I do love how creatively people name their pets, and a lot of times the name has a great story too!  I'll see if I can get Julie to give us a better story for Orion here- I wanted to paint him because I loved that look in his eyes and the positioning of his body on that footstool poof cushion thing... it was also a bit tough because I wanted to include his body in the painting- the head didn't work on its own when I cropped it and then I needed to get the proper sized panel to paint this on. A 9x6 is perfect, half of a 9x12!

Here is a little bit about Orion from Julie and her son~ "the shepherd is Orion, he is a Shiloh Shepherd, a gentle giant who loves his pack. Orion's name comes from the constellation we see driving across the prairie. He was a dramatic puppy and learned how to complain early but has matured into a gentle giant." 

9x6 acrylic on wood

$225

click here for purchase info!

July 25, Winnie!

 Painting white dogs on black is a little tricky, and as the acrylic dries it darkens a little. So I may be going back into Winnie a bit here and there but I wanted to get her posted cuz I'm pretty happy with her overall!

Here's what Beth wrote about this sweet face~

"About our Winona (Winnie):

Was it arrogance or just so much love that thought, “how hard can a deaf dog be?” And  Winnie was cute, and she’d been at the shelter too long. Nearly a year later, she’s potty trained (most days), she’s learned several signs, and she is the most joyful and loving soul. She loves - and trusts- her Daddy, her family, and the pack. Her habits for happiness touch your heart: she sleeps touching you so she feels safe to sleep, she barks into the air and then delights at the attention for a sound she can’t hear, she runs to her spot because she KNOWS the sign for “eat” (the other dogs picked up on that too!), and she twirls, zooms, and hops in safe exploration and play. She knows the sign for her name (Winnie) and gives what is obviously a smile when she sees her people “talking” to her.  We all got lucky the day our son decided he had room in his heart and home for our Winnie!"

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

July 24, Cosmo and Comet

 Here's another one I had to paint... it still cracks me up just to see the wide chasm between these expression!  Terror, and joy!

Betsy wrote this about the pair~

"Here are notes about Cosmo and Comet, the ‘Galactic Duo’.  Comet, the Siberian Husky, who has now passed on, was  a rescue and took some time to learn how to be the chill, headstrong husky that we came to know and love.  Winter was his very favorite season, and he participated in a few of the City of the Lakes Loppets skijoring races, surprising us all with his speed, because during training he just kind of took his sweet time, but when other dogs were there at the starting line, it was a race and he was a champ.  Cosmo was the next to arrive from ‘deep space’….he was a rescue from a puppy mill through The Bond Between, and his humans were in love at first sight with his crazy eyes, and gentle manner.   Cosmo, aka:  Cozzie, spends a lot of time meditating in the closet in his felt hut.  Surely, he is thinking very deep thoughts.  Cosmo had a big adventure when he escaped while some work was being done on his humans’ house, and after hours of stressful searching, he was found on the freeway running scared and was saved by an angel of a human and reunited with his family.  He is a true survivor. " 

8x10 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

July 23, Baby!

 So this is Baby,  a rescue beagle beloved by Susan! I didn't get a story from her yet, but this was a fun one to paint, trying to include the feet and little toes and claws on the side there...

hope you're enjoying the weather!

8x8 acrylic on wood

$275

click here for purchase info!

July 22, Jojo!

We are LOVING the cool air in Minnesota the last couple of days! Hope you are enjoying the world where you are too~

Is it obvious that this pup's ears needed to be painted? I mean, really! Just look at these ears! Oh and those eyes too- and also, did you know my favorite dog ever was an 8 year old english cocker spaniel named Jojo? It's the best name...

And this is what Amalia says about her Jojo~

 "This is Jojo, she’s a 11 year old Ruff Start rescue from the res. She was a mama to a bunch of little pups and is now the eldest sister to a 1.5 year old baby and 2 other furry animals. We love her ears and would love to see them captured in your art!"

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

July 21, Aoife

 This fluffball is Aoife~ I wasn't sure about painting a dog without eyes showing better, and Cynthia sent me another photo with his eyes showing, but she was right that this was the better one. So I painted this one and put little peeps of those beautiful eyes in!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold~

July 20, Gage

This is Gage, and Erin wrote this about him~

"Gage is a very smart and sweet almost 15 year old puggle. A year after my previous beloved dog had passed, a friend tagged me on a "puggle rescue" post on social media for Gage. His original Mom needed to rehome him because Gage had become food aggressive with her two small children (born after him--the usurpers!) Of course, she was very sad to lose him, because she loved him very much, and so was determined to find him a great home. I wrote to her about my home and life and my interest in Gage. We met and it was decided I might be a good fit for him. Well we are a perfect fit! Gage fills my days with a ton of laughs as he continuously attempts to steal meals from my 5 cats. He loves to eat, to sleep, to eat, to walk, and to eat! He belives his job is to protect me, so he watches out for me and gets very mad when we have to be apart. We have been together for almost seven years now, and each day we love each other more. I still send photos of him to his original Mom (including the photo of his portrait posted to your website) and we hope she knows how very much joy he has brought to my life! She was meant to be his original Mom, and I was meant to be his second Mom. "

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

 

July 19, Percy, the Noble

 This is Percy, who lives in the UK and travels and plays with our dear friends Andrew and Kathy and he's been growing more lovely and elegant and noble! Such great fluff! Rather poetic as well...

6x6 acrylic on wood~

Spoken for~

July 18, Max!

 Here's another face I couldn't resist~

This is Max's story, by Kellie~

"The black and white dog is Max. He died on 11/10 last year at 13. He was the best dog in the world. My dad dubbed him “a teddy bear with a heartbeat”. 

He’s the dog we got 3 months after we got married as a trial run for kids. He was kind and gentle- he sat with me constantly through both my maternity leaves. 

He was a little anxious and hated storms. He loved barking at anything that moved outside. He loved walks, and in the last year we got him a stroller so he still enjoy the neighborhood smells. 

We loved him like a child- he taught us all about unconditional love and being content with what you have.  

He was an amazing family member and I’m thrilled that you’ll be memorializing him."

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

July 17, Zeus and Lucas in Alabama!

Every year when I paint these series, I get into a rhythm of painting square dog heads, and sometimes I need to break that rhythm. Yes, with Luna I painted an entire little body because I loved that face and fluff, but I also want to paint BIGGER sometimes!  So when this photo was submitted by my friend Michelle for her relatives in Alabama, I was like THIS NEEDS TO BE BIG!!!

And I've been working on it since a start last night... I'm not sure it's done yet, but I need to let it sit and move on to other work so here is Zeus (little guy) and Lucas (big buy)!

I did make a little movie of part of painting it... I'll post that later~

Here's what Will and Mike wrote about these two! What a great story....

"Zeus was adopted from the family of one of Mike's math students. He is a funny, feisty Chiweenie (half chihuahua, half dachshund) who runs this household. 

Lucas was rescued from the local county shelter. When rescued, he had a full-blown heartworm infection and was recovering from a gunshot wound to his face. The bullet broke his jaw, cut through his tongue, and knocked some teeth out.  While bullet fragments remain in his skull, he has fully recovered from his injuries and illnesses and is the happiest, gentlest, sweetest golden retriever mix to be found. From the second they met at the county shelter designated meeting area, they have been inseparable best buddies. "

20x16 acrylic on canvas

sold

July 16, LUNA

 SO, in Minnesota right now, it's pretty smokey from the Canadian and Boundary Waters wildfires... it is really creepy to have the air taste like smoke and to not want to spend time outside in a Minnesota summer... and the fact that my 17 year old is an expert in AQI is NOT a good thing... that he went off to work this morning with a ventilator mask does NOT make me feel like a good parent.

Dudes, really- climate change is happening, and we need to make sure we are voting for people who believe this and who CARE enough to work to fix it, if we hope to have any kind of future for our kids, which I do!  Okay, enough of a lecture for now.... It's just weighing so heavily these days-

Which is why I love these projects!

SO the dog of the day is Luna, and I wanted to paint this one because of that intense eye contact and all the wonderful fluff of ruff and fur... SO fun!

Here's what Gennae wrote about her friend-

"Luna is 4 year-old German shepherd/malinois rescue. She’s a true representation of the breeds….loyal, intelligent, and very energetic. She often accompanies her family to work where she’s learned to open doors and stir up some chaos."

12x6 acrylic on wood

$300

click here for purchase info!

July 15, Pepper!

 Today's dog is a black lab, a black dog, like my Bingo who was the first black dog I painted. I really feel like Bingo taught me how to paint black, on black... it is extremely fun, and quite satisfying, like completing a puzzle. I sketch out the portrait first, and then paint it in sections, not overlapping much and attempting to honor the brush strokes, making each stroke count.

And here is what Shestin said about Pepper!

"Meet Pepper! I volunteer with Can Do Canines and Pepper is a service dog in training. She is a goofy, fast learning, hard working lab!  Can Do Canines trains service dogs for mobility, hearing, seizure, autism assist, or facility dogs (like you might see at Children’s hospital)."

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

July 14, Valdez

 I thought this guy just looked so intriguing.... Laura sent me two photos and one was of Valdez sprawled on a chair, looking kinda sexy, and I thought about painting that one, but that would have to be a bigger canvas, honestly! For these projects, just the face works best for a one-day painting!

Here's Laura's story!

"We adopted Valdez on the very last day the Humane Society was open before it closed for the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. At the time, he was 4½ years old.

From the moment we brought him home, Valdez was incredibly loving and cuddly with both my husband and me. He had been labeled a "Hidden Gem," but we didn't realize that meant he was reactive to other animals. By the time we discovered what that label meant, we were already completely in love with him. Since we didn't have any other pets, it wasn't a problem for our family.

We worked with an amazing trainer at Trinity Dogs Training, and thanks to a lot of patience, consistency, and hard work, Valdez has made incredible progress. Today, he can walk calmly and interact with other dogs.

He'll always be our good, goofy boy, and we couldn't imagine life without him."

8x8 acrylic on wood

$275

click here to purchase!

July 13, Bramble!

 This is Bramble, Charlotte's parent's corgi! She sent a few pics and I was debating between two and my son said THIS ONE! Which I agree with! That is such a wide open, beautiful corgi-smile!

I also hope you are staying cool today, if you are in Minnesota where we are expected to feel like 100 degrees everywhere... I didn't get a Lake Hiawatha video this morning because we had to drive Max out to Roseville for his AIC camp... it felt cool out there at 7:30am... I just hope all the kids manage to stay cool all day!  It's gonna be a toasty week~

This one is a 6x6 and is available!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$160

click here to purchase!

July 12, Harley!

 This is Harley!  I made another little video as I did some of the finishing touches... I'll post that separately on instgram~

And his owners came yesterday to the sweltering St Kate's Art Fair and brought me freshly made chocolate chip cookies with the chips all melty! That's the best part of this job, if you can call it that!

Judy wanted me to make sure I got Harley's streaks- I hope I managed!
Here's what Judy wrote about Harley~

"I went looking to adopt a dog after my dog Frank died unexpectedly.  Harley was being fostered outside Bel Plaine. He was with 4 other dogs at the time.I just loved the name of the rescue group---Redemption Road. He was just 10 months old but he acted much older. He's a hound mixed with shepherd mixed with maybe husky. He loves sniffing, meeting people and finally, other dogs."

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

July 11, Clover~

And this is Clover~

Sorry for the delay~ I was at St Kate's Art Fair all day and am at home in the air conditioning recuperating... it was pretty darn hot!  Thank you everyone who came out to explore art and hang in the shade under those beautiful trees!

I'm not sure this one is done yet, but I am just wiped out from the day so I'll adjust later~

Here's what Tanya wrote about Clover~

"Clover is a 1.5 year mini American shepherd, blue merle in color with those piercing blue eyes. She's a petite girl, around 17lbs, and has already learned lots from her older "sister" Skye like catching a frisbee and riding in a car. They play and tumble with each other, and Clover jumps over and under Skye before Skye knows what's happening. Clover has developed the nickname "pillow princess" as she will perch on top of a mound of couch pillows, and she loves to snuggle when it's time for bed, basically saying, "can we go to sleep now please?!" "

8x8 acrylic on wood

$275

click here to purchase!

July 10, Frank!

 And here is yet another face that just could NOT not be painted! As in I just had to! And also, it was sent to me by a high school friend on whom I had a huge crush back in the day~ so of course!

This is what Paul wrote about Frank!

"Here’s a little bit about Frank - he’s an Australian Shepard but for Dog purists, he is officially an American Shepard.  He will be 12 this fall.  He’s been the family dog for most of this kids life.  He is docile yet the greatest defender of a threat to anyone in the family.  And he is a great looking dog.  Everyone in the neighborhood knows Frank."

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

July 9, Gracie~

 Isn't this the best face? My friend Rachel lives in Wisconsin way out there somewhere and has these wonderful little rescue Frenchies and axolotls and a compulsion to photograph insects and to run! She's the best!

And Rachel says of Gracie "she's a special rescue gal with a gummy bear body type and an insatiable need for food and affection!"

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

July 8, Goethe

 Oh my word, what an elegant creature this is... 

I've painted several dogs for Nick and his partner, and this is the second Giant Schnauzer- last year I painted Ingo who in his sprawling position as a delight to extend widely to the edges of the canvas. Goethe is a bit more reserved, and in a square format feels a little more contained. Here's what Nick said about Goethe~

"For a long time we have wanted to ask you to make a painting of the first of our Giant Schnauzers - Goethe - he sadly left us in the early 2000's. He was a formidable chap, very serious but loving and loyal. If you would like to add him to your 30-in-30 list we would love to buy the painting so we can include him with the paintings of Werner and Ingo that we love so much.

The futon was his favorite place -  I used the word serious to describe him, perhaps a more accurate word is sincere."

 I love using the word "sincere" to describe a dog such as Goethe...

10x10 acrylic on panel

sold

July 7, Huck

 And this stunner is Huck!  here's what Mary wrote about him~ great story~

Huck was a wild dog who had been to 4 homes before mine and had been kept in kennels for long periods of time because no one could handle him. I was asked by my daughter who worked with the rescue if I could give him some attention and training since I was retired and had time on my hands. I said I would foster… he never left. 

Once he arrived he got to work destroying everything I owned and my mantra became, “Huck has come into my life to show me what I don’t need anymore.” As a giant schnauzer/border collie mix, he was big enough to peruse the top of a book shelf and choose the most irreplaceable thing  it held. He would grab tubes of paint from my easel and run around the house squeezing paint out onto rare antique rugs and new furniture alike, resulting in a rainbow of colors in his white beard that I would carefully clean to avoid poisoning him. He went through 2 rounds of dog boot camp and even the trainers were perplexed about how to address his behavior.

I should mention that he was also incredibly sweet and funny and I was willing to work with him as long as it took for him to become a (semi) well behaved boy. Just as I was at my wits end in that pursuit, a trip to a friend’s cabin helped me stumble upon the answer, SWIMMING! He could swim for hours a day and found pure joy in the water. He swam back and forth in long laps across the lake. He swam next to boats and canoes, It had a calming effect  on him and he became a different dog. With this discovery,his

behavior,even between lake visits, miraculously changed. 

Huck became my constant companion and protector. He accompanied me on numerous cross country road trips for the 8 years he lived. He entertained my 102 year old father immensely and was a treasured visitor to all at his assisted living. 

Sadly,Huck was struck suddenly with an aggressive form of lymphatic cancer in the autumn or 2024 just after my father’s passing. By the time we discovered it he was suffering and struggling to breathe and we had to say goodbye far too soon. 

He remains in our hearts and is the subject of many true stories that all sound like tall tales  and despite his initial years of challenging antics, I fell in love and he became a cherished family member and a really good boy.

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

 

July 6, Heidi for Judy!

 It is still lovely and green in Minnesota- I hope you are finding cool spots wherever you are! It does get humid here, and you move slower and seek water, both to be in and to drink. I leave water out for the butterflies and birds and critters... and neighborhood dogs as they walk around. My pups always appreciate a bowl of clear fresh water as we walk the hood!

And this beauty is Heidi, who is Judy's Soul Dog, and who has a Magic Eye, as you can see!  Judy said this about Heidi~

"Over the years we had purebred hounds, Whippets, an Italian greyhound and a retired Greyhound. But I always wanted a “hippie dog”, which meant I could walk her with a leash as thin as a string of hemp. (Not bolting out the door like the Whippets) A dog so chill. My dreams came true when I met Heidi through “Homeward Bound”, and I am forever grateful. Heidi had a lens in one eye that refracted a moonlike glow which added to her magical vibe. All Goodness."

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

July 5, Waylon

 Here's one that I just couldn't resist painting... can you tell why? Those big freaking eyes, that whole expression, the little bit of a lip...

Goodness! Who wouldn't want to paint Waylon!

And it is said about him that "He’s a cute little sausage who keeps up with his doggy siblings."

6x6 acrylic on wood

$160

click here for purchase info!

July 4, Lulu

 And this is Lulu~

She just seemed kind of an All-American Dog to me...

I hope you are having a safe, kind, communal, friendly, amusing 4th of July! 

8x8 acrylic on wood

$275

click here to purchase!

July 3, Lily for Donna!

Whew!  Lots going on around here! And this is LILY!!! Who doesn't love a sweet faced fluffball? And Donna wrote our her little story~

"Lily is an adopted pup we were happy to find. We don’t know her back story.   She  nicknamed the trash panda. She needs petting….her happy tail never ever rests!"

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

July 2, Cleopatra

 This is Cleopatra!  Doesn't she just really do the name justice?

And here's what Don wrote about her~

This is Cleopatra, our beautiful girl. When we were stuck at home during COVID lockdown we thought it was the perfect time to adopt a puppy. She's six years old now, very sweet and affectionate, but only has one thing on her mind... B-A-L-L!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

July 1, Lucy's Dog! and the OFFICIAL LIST!

 Okay, this is the first dog of the 30 Dogs in 30 Days and I don't know his or her name!  Lucy had shown me the photo and sent it to me, asking me to paint it, and I believe it is a relative's pup, and so possibly her nephew/niece pup... and since Lucy owns Diamond's Coffee Shoppe where I've been curating shows and hanging my 30 in 30 Projects for over 15 years (holy cow!) AND since Lucy is CLOSING DIAMONDS this weekend, I needed to make the first dog hers. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have without having her as a consistent and gentle space in which I could experiement and play with my work.

Here's to Lucy!  And GIT OVER TO DIAMONDS! I'm going today!

Oy, AND the OFFICIAL LIST of the 30 in 30 for this July! With the understanding that I am human and it will be switching around as the month goes...

8x10 acrylic on canvas

spoken for~

And the OFFICIAL LIST!

July  2026

1- Big Ears for Lucy  8x10

2- Cleopatra for Don 6x6 

3- Lily for Donna 8x8 

4- Whiskey for Dawn 8x8

5- Waylon for Kelly E 6x6

6- Heidi for Judy S 8x8 

7- Huck for Mary 8x8 

8- Goethe for Nick 10x10 

9-  Orion for Julie M

10- Frank for Paul D 6x6 

11- Clover for Tanya B 8x8 

12- Harley for Judy Fi 8x8 

13- Bramble for Charlotte 8x8

14- Valdez for Laura A

15- Pepper for Shestin L 8x8 

16- Shepard for Gennae 12x6

17- Old Cutie Kirby for Lisa A

18- Black and White pup for Kellie H

19- Percy for Andrew K

20- Rocky for jereed

21- Lucy at Camp for Angela

22- Jojo for Amalia 8x8 

23- Baby for Susan H 6x6

24- Cosmo and Comet for Betsy N 9x12

25- Tiley for Paula R 6x6

26- Harlow for Katie F 6x6

27- Catherine Palmer/Kim whiteford- Louise Ann, aka wheezy 6x6

28-  Cheena Marie for Kendyl B 6x6

29- Don and Rythmn for Joe L 9x12

30- Mochi for Max 12x12