Sunday, July 31~ Zodi!

I hate to admit that I couldn't finish this one today, but man~  it is HOT out.  Whew.   I was pretty wiped out yesterday after sitting in the heat until after 7pm, oh yeah no it was later because we stopped at a friends' house on the way home, seeing as the neighbor was kind enough to listen in on our sleeping Max...  So it has been an incredibly long weekend, tho the Red Hot Art Festival was really fun with lots of great people and a number of new commissions!  But it was really hard to paint there, first because people kept wanting to chat, and because it was just so HOT.   It felt like my body would let me paint and concentrate for a little while, and then YANK my attention back to the fact that I was drenched with sweat and flies were biting every bit of exposed flesh, and it was almost too hot to breathe.   I wonder when it is too hot to be allowed to be outside?
So ANYWAY-
THIS is ZODI, whom I will be finishing later this week~  i just wanted to get the post in so you could understand that I AM NOT superhuman. 
thanks~

July 30th- Buster & Bassa!

Buster

Wow- this was a bit tougher to do~  and I will be going back into Bassa's face yet, as his expression is just not quite fully available here... 
And believe me, I did attempt to get the plaid blanket behind Buster's face, but it just wouldn't go so I stuck with the emphatic shadows and the rather strong gaze, which reminds me of Vincent Price...  I hope that isn't an insult!

Bassa

And we are at the moment loading up the truck to head over to Steven's Square, and Duane is cursing at the mess in the garage as he drags out tables, and there will be a birthday party down the block for a young friend that I will miss as I sit in the sun selling our ART!




I hope to see some of you out and about today!
And there is SO much going on!

And TOMORROW is the LAST DOG!!!!!!!
Wow~

I'll sure miss them...

July 29- Ditto!

It is funny that I would do a repeat of a dog named Ditto...  I actually did THREE versions before I was happy, and now have two that look like completely different dogs...

Ditto is a very lucky dog, in that he is on his second set of owners who are close to his original owner who will be turning 92 next month!  What a great way to live~
And what a mischievous face!  Personality up the ying-yang on this one!

Sorry, I'm a bit pooped, and trying to get my stuff together for the Red Hot Art Sale tomorrow at Steven's Square!
I hope you are coming by!
It's been a VERY long day-  I dropped my piece off at the State Fair (wish me luck!) and was very happy with how quickly it had all gone and the conversations I'd had in line, and as I was shooting out onto Snelling, I had a call from the head art guys saying I had to come back and get the piece and frame it....  Now, I KNEW this, because I have entered work in the State Fair for a few years now, so I couldn't be mad at THEM, but this piece is painted on a gallery-wrapped canvas and therefore NEEDS no frame.  And one of the women who was helping there looked at it and said," I really like it like this!"  So, I took it home and Duane and Max and I went on a run to Home Depot, and Duane took it back to the studio while Max and I played in the sandbox with the mosquitoes and ants and Duane had to miter the corners twice or something but then he very kindly ran it back over to the Fair for me so I haven't seen it yet.  I hope it gets in.
thanks for letting me blurt...
See you tomorrow!
the two scotties I have on the list for tomorrow will be done in the morning... wish me luck with that too...

July 28th- Goldy & Sota!

Goldy!

Sota!

Yup, another two-fer~  and both sweet white Golden Doodles!

Here is what their loving sports-minded owner says about them~

"Goldy is six and I got her shortly after I moved into my house.  I got her for company, security and a running buddy. She is named after my beloved Golden Gophers.

Ultra social going to baseball games and all dog friendly event she also loves to swim, run and fetch. She exceeds the phrase “Woman’s best Friend."

"Sota is only a year old; I got her last summer for Goldy from the same breeder. Although not related they look very much alike!  She too is named after my favorite college team Minnesota. She is a little on the crazy side, likes to “fetch” which really means steal the ball from Goldy. A newbie to the lake she is still getting used to the idea of swimming.   A great addition to the family, she makes me laugh every day!"

I gotta admit, these two were awfully fun to paint, with the challenges of white fluffy fur~

Thanks Jill! 

July 27th~ Cody!

Darn John, you sent that e-mail just a bit late~  I got to work early today because of some plans later.  Cody's owner John was hoping I could take a photo of me painting the painting, as it is for his mom.  And actually, the space is a mess, and you really wouldn't want to see it anyway.  It's kinda like seeing the wizard behind the curtain-  takes some of the magic out of it... or maybe not.  Maybe you like to see the underpinnings of the business of painting... well, I'll include some shots of my varnishing rack with a buncha dogs spread out on it in the backyard yesterday afternoon while Max was napping...

And here is what John has to say about the sweetly concerned little pup~
"This is Cody.  He is my mom's dog.  My mom and I picked him out last July at a Petsmart adoption day event from the Last Hope organization.  He is a sweet little boy who loves to give stinky kisses.  My mom lost my dad about a year and a half ago and Cody has helped my mom to not feel too alone at home.  This picture was taken the day we brought him home.  He is a Chihuahua and Mini Dachshund mix."


Cody looks to me to be fully capable of providing as much loving as a person could need.

Thanks John!

And here is a crop of paintings, settling into their varnish...  gotta happen on sunny, coolish days with not so much humidity.  Been a great summer here for those...
I gotta admit, it is really fun for me to see them all together!  And this isn't all of them either!  Man, this has been SO fun and it is almost over!  I'll bring a couple dogs along this weekend to the Red Hot Art Festival at Steven's Square in Uptown! Come see me!

July 26th- MOXIE! For Rob~

Rob doesn't know that I've painted this of Moxie.  Rob lives in Winona.  Rob is a very great man, and he and his wife and son and this dog Moxie were all incredibly supportive at a time when I really needed it, and when a dear friend of all of ours desperately needed it-  this is one of those paintings I've been meaning to do for a while, so thank goodness I finally made myself get to it!  Moxie is a Burmese Mountain Dog, one of the best, and I was fortunate to get to go winter camping with her once upon a time~
So thank you Rob!

July 25- Eddie!

At first, I was going to paint a puppy version of this sweet daschund/beagle, but after careful consideration, I was drawn to this amazing gaze.  I am so awed by the sheer intelligence, warmth, compassion, and gentle humor so often clear in a dog's eyes...

With that said, here is Eddie, in his own words!

"Hi, I’m Eddie. What’s your name? Huh? Wanna play? Huh? Huh? Did I tell you my name is Eddie? Let’s play! Ok? Ok!!

Sometimes I have other names: “Stop Barking” is one and “Oh No!” is another. I hear “What a Cutie” from strangers.

I was born the day after Christmas, the only boy in the litter. My mom is a beagle and my dad a miniature dachshund. I get my looks from my handsome dad, but there’s no mistaking my mom’s contribution! I can bark as loud as a hound dog…that’s because beagles are scent hounds and that’s what I was bred to do. The cats I live with don’t seem to like it, but it’s my job and I gotta protect the household.

The people I live with have rearranged their lives for me. I know that, but I have some issues. They want me to stop whatever I’m doing when they call me. They want me to pee on command and they want me to be quiet when I know the world wants to hear from me. What’s a dog supposed to do? I tilt my head and peer into their eyes, trying to figure it all out.

People come from far and wide to get their “Eddie fix.” I’m not sure what that means, but I love it when people come by.

Hi, my name is Eddie. Wanna play?"

july 24- Sully!

This is SULLY!  A wonderful gentleman of a dog, a hound/St. Bernard if I remember correctly~  He lived next to Duane's house with Grace and Russ and then moved when they did, I think to California, and are now back in the midwest!  I remember most how sweet he was when Duane and I bought Star (a yorkie/poo who now looks more like a schnauzer/poo..) for my parents for an Easter present, and Sully just bounced around the backyard with that little scruffy black puppy, bowing low to the ground and acting as if HE were a puppy, although a much bigger, floppy-eared and more graceful puppy!  Such an incredible dog!  And now he has a human baby to hang out and drool all over!

july 23- Basil~

And here is Basil, an incredibly intelligent dog, if I am to be any judge, after painting that face and those eyes....

We are enjoying the change in temp and air movement today, and I've been cleaning the car up for the Art Car Parade this evening!  Come watch the parade at Lake Harriet at 6pm!  All the cars will be lining up by the Rose Garden at 5 if you'd like to come see them up close~
Dang- I can't find the pic Ruthanne took of me and my car in front of the Weisman...  you'll just have to come see me in person!
xokat~

July 22- Scout & Peeps!

Now, THESE two were a heckuva pleasure to paint!  Not that any of our other canines have been unpleasant, but this was quite fun!  All the HAIR involved, plus the incredible expressions....

well, you'll just have to tell me what you think!

Oh and while I'm at it, I would really appreciate all of your input on which five paintings should have prints made of them~  I will have greeting cards of all of them, but the prints require a bit more to do, and cost a LOT more, so I am only planning on doing five of the dogs...  if you have a favorite already, you can cast your vote!

And here is what Helen writes of her two canine companions~

"Scout is a border terrier mix and quite possibly the best dog we will ever have. She is the perfect dog that everyone hopes for - well adjusted, well behaved and sweeter than sweet. She came to us from West Virginia via Underdog Rescue. Scout is a true athlete. Her athleticism is  a beautiful thing. At almost nine years old, she still has an amazing vertical that lets her effortlessly jump up on five foot retaining walls as she casually walks next to them. When we first got her, she would jump up on the 4 inch wide railing on our back deck and walk around like a cat. She's 30 pounds of grace, love and fun."

"Peeps is a Brussels Griffon puppy mill rescue from Missouri (via Underdog Rescue). While four-year-old Peeps had a hard luck start to life, she is resilient. Thanks to lots of love from a great foster home and us, she is beginning to embrace life. She's overcoming her fears, and is not afraid to show enthusiasm. She's so enthusiastic sometimes it's like living with a cartoon character as she slides across the wood floors, moving too fast to make a turn or come to a stop. Looks-wise, she's a show stopper - snaggle teeth, big eyes and messy hair. When her tiny tail wags so goes her whole body, earning her the nickname Tiny Dancer. "Busta move, Tiny Dancer!"

July 21- WOODSTOCK!

What is not to LOVE?!? 
And I got to meet this delicious velvety creature!  On a lovely day last week, and as I drove to my morning rendezvous, I swear I saw no less than THREE other bassets walking their owners!
Here is what Karen, Woodstock's owner, says about him~

"Woodstock is 10 years old and has lived with us since he was 6.  I grew up with Basset Hounds and have always loved the breed.  We have known Woodstock since he was a puppy.  He lived with friends on a hobby farm and hung out with kids, kittens and a pygmy goat.  He would lounge in his dog house and the goat would love to keep watch on top of Woodstock's house.  In the evenings the family would go on walks on the country roads with the dog and goat following along.  Woodstock and the goat would "wrestle" where the goat would head butt the dog and the dog would grab a hold of the goat's horns.  When our friends decided to move to South Africa, we agreed to adopt Woodstock.  He has transitioned to city life well, he particularly loves his walks and has many fans all over the neighborhood.  We are glad to have Woodstock be a part of our family."

July 20- Champ~

 Yes, this is Champ, who was an incredibly fuzzy, velvet-bristle-covered sweet-faced wrinkly fella who allowed children to crawl on him and was placid and even-tempered and loving.  He belonged to my friend Rosemary's siblings and it seems we all got to have him live with us for a time, as I remember having him saunter around my old backyard on Butternut off Shepard Road in St Paul, when Bingo was a pup...  I believe he was rumored to have some chow in him, though his fur and wrinkles suggested sharpei.  I don't know that I got the wrinkly-fuzzy feel right-  I may need to go back into this one too...

And I have also included a photo of me and Liz Sivertson (my favorite local artist since I was a kid!)  taken at the Grand Marais Art Festival!  It was SO fun!  And this other photo is of the German Shepard HONEY posing in front of the painting I did of her in May!  Of all wonderful reocccurances, she was at the Art Festival with her owner, and I recognised her as soon as she walked into the tent~  she was shy as ever and it took quite a bit of coaxing but she did consent to pose in front of her likeness for a few shots.  I gotta say, that really made my weekend!

Liz & me!

Honey with "Steady Gaze"

July 19- Afton!

I gotta admit, this was a difficult photo to work from, as it pixillated horribly when I tried to get it in closer.  So this is what I was able to come up with, and I hope it gives the sense of a delighted dog bouncing about in White Bear Lake~

And here is what the delightful Mary Jane has to honestly say about the enthusiastic Afton!  (You can tell writing is one of Mary Jane's loves...)

"Afton is a rescue dog of uncertain parentage.  Her jowls say schnauzer.  Her tail is a furry curl.  Her fuzzy back legs make her look like she’s wearing pajama bottoms. That, and her neck’s wooly cowl suggest that a husky might have been part of the mix.

Afton is my daughter Ellen’s dog.  We got her when Ellen was a ninth-grader.  Afton would wake Ellen up for school.  On those mornings when big tests loomed or a paper was due, I’d put a red bow around Afton’s neck before I sent her in to Ellen’s room.  “Oh, she is sooo cute!” Ellen would say.  Ellen never said that to me when I woke her up.

Ellen went off to Panama for a service trip one summer, to Portugal as an exchange student and now to Washington D.C. for college.  Afton stays with me, enthroned on the leather couch. Wherever Ellen’s life takes her, she’s always eager for a puppy report.  “Thank goodness for Skype,” says Ellen. “Afton is just no good on the phone.”

I am not a dog person. The unauthorized adoption of a dog was a minor factor in the break-up of my marriage.  I’ve put everything I had into raising three kids and keeping a complicated household humming along, mostly on my own.  I nearly made it through their raising-up with pets no more demanding than guinea pigs.  I was a complete fool to take on a dog so late in the game.

Foolish undertakings do bring silly satisfactions.  I love my kids. I love my mate. I do not love my dog. However, I am very, very fond of her and deeply grateful for the joy Afton brings to my nearest and dearest."

July 18- Spencer~

 This is Spencer, a standard poodle, who lives and loves Shawna, who tells an incredible story about him~

"Spencer was rescued from a puppy mill in southern MN by Second Chance, a non-profit animal group, in late August, 2005.  We had been looking for a second dog for quite a while, but with allergies in our family, there are only a few breeds of dogs that work for us.  We already had (and still have) our dog, Luna, who is also a black Standard Poodle.

When Spencer came up for adoption over Labor Day weekend, 2005, we raced to his foster home to meet him, with Luna in tow.  When we introduced Luna and Spencer in the caregiver’s back yard, it was love at first sight for the two of them.  They immediately began playing, running and jumping.  We knew Spencer was meant to be in our family.

Spencer had never lived in a home before, and I believe he was confined to a small space outside.  When Second Chance took him, he was matted so badly that he couldn’t lift his head up all the way (the hair on his chin was matted to the hair on his chest, and his jaw was pulled to the side as a result).  He also had a skin infection, and old scars from where he was apparently bitten in the face.  He was a year and a half old, and I don’t think he had ever had a toy, regular meals, or much love.  Now he is healthy (that means chunky) and is just about the sweetest thing you could imagine.  If he had his way, he would be attached to me (Shawna) 24/7.  We taught him how to “shake” and if you ask him to do it once, he will lift his paw up over and over again to get your attention. 

The nice thing about rescue dogs (he is our third) is that they just want your attention.  Spencer will let you brush his teeth, clean his ears, and pick burrs out of his coat without a fuss.  He just wants to be touched and loved.  Luna has to take allergy medication, and Spencer gets jealous when you have to stick the pills down her throat.  He will actually try to eat her pills.  So, I make him sit alongside her and then after I open her mouth and toss the pills in, I go to Spencer and pretend I’m putting pills in his mouth by just tapping on his tongue.  This makes him happy.  It’s the little things, truly.

Until recently, he really loved spinach stems as a treat, and cucumber peelings.  He finds all the acorns in the yard during the fall, and eats them, too.  But if you want to make his day, give him some popcorn, pretzels or wasabi peas.  Besides sitting on a lap, those are his favorite things."

I gotta admit, I wasn't expecting such great stories about these dogs!  Wow~  what an amazing bunch of people~

thanks!

Sunday, July 17- Coco!

Wow, what a scorcher-  we had a brunch today and actually had a number of people show up despite the heat- Duane set up the big tent in the backyard over the kiddie pool and we all ended up out there, with our feet in the pool, drinking Duane's punch while Dave cooked eggs and fresh-picked mushrooms on the grill...
Yup-  what a life!

And here is our lovely dog for today, Coco, whom I painted at the tail-end of the brunch with some on-lookers~  I enjoy painting with people around.   And here is what Bethany has to say about Coco, who happens to be her parents' dog~

"I know little about Coco, except that he brings my Mother and Father-in-Law much joy.  They adopted him a few years ago when he was surrendered when an older woman was no longer able to care for him.  He lives in Charlotte, NC and I know he loves ice cream.  I think it is funny that my in-laws denied a dog to their four kids when they were young and never considered themselves dog people, but now Coco is a major part of their family and among the four kids, each of them now have 2 dogs."

Funny how our families turn out, ain't it?  Coco looks like a sprightly little sweetheart of a pup~!

July 16- Smokey~

 An apt name for a day like today, I guess... and I gotta admit, this one was really tough to paint and I am STILL not entirely happy and so some messing around with this image may happen before the final showing.

And here is what Smokey's loving owner has to say about this special dog~

"I just thought I would send you a little information about Smokey who I occasionally refer to as the Smokster.   I loved reading about Atticus.  I have had Smokey for around 8 years.  His history: My son and I received him as a Christmas present from my sisters.  I had decided it was time; I was ready to get a canine companion and mentioned it to one of my sisters and she jumped on the opportunity to get one for us for Christmas.  I really had only a few criteria; one to go with the Humane Society or a rescue foundation and second was thinking a beagle mix.  One of my other sisters got involved so there was a good balance and I trusted their decisions.  They got Smokey from a rescue foundation called ARF in Superior Wisconsin.  He had been abandoned with a cat in December.  The foundation said they thought he was a beagle mix, the vet thought he looked more like a hound, he does do hound speak once in awhile.  When I first get home and he is so excited to see me it sounds like he says heellllooooooo, so cute, other than that his coat has the texture and coloring of a German Sheppard and a little of their temperament.  

It took him a while to settle in to our house.  He was my first dog and because he was rescued came with a lot of issues; I learned a lot that first year, his fears such as thunder, fireworks, riding in the car, abandonment, things that make him crazy, bikes, trikes, trucks pulling trailers, the UPS truck is a big one and well, squirrels.  I had a cat when I first got him who he so wanted to be friends with, but Sammy never really warmed up to him, then I got Josie, two years ago now and they are the great buddies.  It really was fun to see him interact with a crazy kitten and now cat.  The other day all of us, my son Isaac in his wheelchair, Smokey helping me pull Isaac along and Josie the cat went for a family walk around the block.  It was entertaining for the neighbors. "

Sounds like a perfect family!

July 15~ Bitsy & Otis! Two fer One!

Bitsy

 Today I painted a pair of dogs again, and they were meant to both be in the usual square format, but I just COULDN'T crop the Boston's EARS for crying out loud, so she got painted on a rectangle...  It's my game and I can change the rules if I want to!  Speaking of changing rules, there is a shift in dogs- tomorrow I will be painting Smokey for Kelley, instead of the two Scotties for Mark, who asked for a later date because he says the dogs were out in the big backyard running around in the rain and he won't be able to get decent pictures of them til they are drier~  at least, I think that was the reason!

And here is what Krista has to say about HER lively pair of pups!

"Bitsy came to me from a friend, an old co-worker, who's sister's husband passed away, not allowing her to care for Bitsy and her two brothers anymore.  I had been thinking about fostering a Rottie, and got the call from my friend saying "I have a little girl for you if you're interested."  Of course, as a responsible parent, I immediately said yes, THEN decided I should meet her first.  It was love at first sight.  She hasn't stopped following me since.  She's my best friend, and we take care of each other.  She has many nicknames, Bitserella Psychedella, Ritzy, Farfle, Bit-Bit, and the list goes on.  She's a very happy dog.

Otis

"Otis came to my boyfriend Chris 5 years ago after he got kicked out of service dog school.  Not because he was naughty,  but because he was so independent and opinionated. =)  Before his stint in service dog school, Otis was found wandering the streets of Saint Loius and got picked up by a woman who transported him back to MPLS.  When Chris got Otis, the woman told him he had to always sleep in the bed under the covers.  And he does until this day.  I always say it's like putting a blanket over a bird cage...put a blanket over Otis and he falls right to sleep.  Otis has many nicknames too, Otiewan Kenobi, Otissima, Otis Lampinian, and so on.  He can be a challenge at times, but we love him dearly.

Otis and Bitsy have now lived together for 2 months.  They are the best of friends, and get into lots of trouble together.  They really bring a lot of personality and love into our lives.  Don't know what we'd do without them.  =)"

 I also wanted to mention that I have posted my Art Talk on my website under the "Welcome" page, if you feel inclined to read up on my background...

July 14- STELLA!!!

Honestly, I LOVE the name Stella~  I once had a great student named Stella, who drew an incredible iguana in 3rd grade and was the epitome of creative student...
I have had the honor of meeting THIS Stella, who has a great dignity and beauty about her, and an elegance that can be seen in the bearing of her head here... she is not beyond silliness and joy, however...
And I have to say it was difficult to chose a photo to paint from the selection Kari gave me, because Kari is an incredible artist herself and sees the world in a refined, elegant and dignified way, and many of her photos are beautiful works of art, which are nearly impossible for me to paint from as I need to feel my own interpretation in the painting and if the photo is already great, what do I have left to do?!?

oh and Kari titled this photo "Ear Wings" which just about explains it all~


And come tonight to hear me talk at Private Art 2 if you can~  I've been writing all afternoon~  I need people to read it too!

July 13- Gucci~

What a fabulous name for such a FABulous face!!!  This is Gucci, with a lovely grin, and here is what his loving owner Megan has to say about how he GOT that great name!

"Gucci boy is such a sweet dog. I adopted Gucci on Labor Day weekend two days before my first teaching job. He reminds me of my great memories of Minnesota... Gucci  loves to play tug-o-war with his little sister Stella. She hand feeds him one doggie food nougat at a time. They are inseparable, but have their moments... While in Minnesota I nannied for a family who had a dog named Georgio...named after Georgio Armani... I loved the thought of naming him after a brand. So... being the shoe and purse enthusiast that I am, Gucci fit perfectly.  He may be the only Gucci I'll ever own, but I'm okay with that! :) "

Stay tuned for more!

July 12~ Gizmo AND Blueberry!!!!

 Today I painted TWO dogs, just because I didn't feel I was challenging myself enough and I don't want to go soft in my old age...

Their owner Michelle is a painted herself, and came by to see us in Grand Marais this weekend which is where my mom and I met her in May at the Art Colony!  Isn't it fun how the world spins so smoothly?

And here is what she has to say about her two sweet pups~

 

"Gizmo came to live with our family about 6 years ago, when he was just a puppy. He grew up playing with our son and daughter and our 2 cats, and they all got along famously. One of Gizmo's favorite games was playing fetch with his squeaky penguin toy. "Penguin" was one of the many words the Giz learned over the years and whenever he heard that word, he was ready for action. One of us would kick the penquin and then Gizmo would run and get it, bring it back, and then crouch down, bouncing on his front paws waiting for the next kick of his favorite toy. One day when Jim and Gizmo were out for a walk, Giz walked smack-dab into a tree. That's when we ralized that Gizmo was going blind. We took him to the vet and to a specialist, but no one could figure out what happened to Gizmo to cause his blindness. It was permanent and irreversible. Gizmo seemed to lose interest in a lot of his favorite things, like going for walks, and because he couldn't see any more, playing the penguine-fetch game came to an end. Gizmo was a sad little dog and we weren't sure what to do for him."

"Then we found Blueberry. Blue had already lived with 3 other families in his short life of 7 months, and he was about to go off to his 4th--in Canada. Our neighbor, and the owner of Blueberry's mom, was worried about making plans to get the little guy across the border. What if things didn't work out at his new home? Soon someone made the suggestion that Blueberry might be a good companion for Gizmo maybe he should come live with our family. It seemed like a good idea. So now Blueberry has been with our family for just about a year, he and Gizmo are great friends and Gizmo likes to go for walks and play again. The puppy energy of Blueberry in our lives has been good (most of the time) for all of us, and as you can see, they make a very cute pair!"