Saying goodbye to Florida today after a good long stay here with my Dad. Sunny, actually a Hawaii dog, lives in the Pacific version of Florida, so she is representing the tropics today.
Enjoying Palm Beach, FL.- beach dog
Feeling sorry for the people of the north. It's 3 degrees in Chicago, 79 in Palm Beach.
Looking forward to the New Year- from a dog point of view
Contemplating the coming year.May your horizon be calm, expansive, and warm, with your dreams on their way to you.
Happy Turkey Day! The dogs would like that . . .
Dog Art in New York City- Buddy in Central Park
Another painting I did years ago with New York City as a backdrop. This time it's the other huge landmark, Central Park, which provides the setting, and was a favorite spot for Buddy. Buddy's person said that at the time, take-out Chinese food and Cokes were the picnic items, and Buddy NEVER tried to get into the fare. He was only interested in the ball. The photo is a panorama shot I took last week when i was in NYC walking through Central Park. It highlights the use of artistic license in the painting!
New York, New York- my dog in the city
I recently returned from a wonderful trip to NYC. Stayed where I stayed at a friend's loft twenty years ago, two blocks from the Hudson in lower Manhattan. Twenty years ago I painted my dog, Shake Sugaree, sitting near the river in front of a long distance view of the Statue of Liberty. Same view twenty years later.
Digital dog art- Ivy and Sucia at home in Seattle
Ivy and Sucia, a digital painting created on the iPad, soon to be an actual painting. Ivy, the black adolescent, is a Rhodesian Ridgeback/Yellow Lab mix from South Africa. Sucia is a Catahouia Hound rescue dog from New Orleans. Quite the duo. No one comes into this house without their permission. This painting was ordered as a wedding present but without enough time to create the actual painting before the big day. Since I can create a painting on the iPad in a couple of days, a print of the beloved pair was presented as the wedding gift with the painting to come later. Now time to get out to the studio and turn this into something made with brushes and canvas and paint that comes in jars.
Dog Art Wedding Gift- Portland, Ore.
Tis the season of weddings! Opening the gift of a print on canvas of Arlo, a digital painting created on the iPad.Congratulations to Jocelyn, Colin, and Arlo on your marriage! All three of you.
Greyhound rescue dogs- digital painting created on the iPad
Fuzzy and Time, greyhounds who spent their early years at the track are retired. Now they are "40mph couch potatoes"- either bolting or lounging. Their human companion and greyhound rescue advocate, Robin, says about greyhounds, "they are like potato chips . . . you can't have just one." She says that they are sweet, loving, calm, and funny. I want to hear why they are funny.Digital painting created on the iPad.
Little Daisy- long, loving life.
Another beloved dog has passed. Little Daisy was sweetness embodied: joyful, loving, and so treasured. What a gift they are, these beings who come to teach us what unconditional love is.From Daisy's human companion: "Our sweet Little Daisy peacefully departed this world in the arms of her family earlier in the evening. She was the light of our lives and will be missed more than words can say." I will miss you too, Little Daisy, furry bright flower.
Tribute to Angus, the most spiritually evolved dog I ever met.
Another great soul has passed. I received this note yesterday from the human companion of Angus:"Angus was the sweetest dog I ever knew and one of the rare genuinely good people to grace this earth."
Angus was one of those zen-like dogs who seemed to be kind in every cell. He possessed equanimity and grace. Except for squirrels. Maybe for them too, as I don't believe he ever caught one. He did keep us safe from them however, when we took a walk at Lincoln Park years ago. Angus was a sweetheart of a dog. I painted a second painting of Angus for myself, of him napping, and it hangs over my desk. He keeps me company always. I like that.
Have a ball! Golden Retriever shows us how. Denver to Durango, Colorado.
Back to Seattle from a trip in the unbelievably gorgeous San Juan mountains in Colorado with my dad, sis, and niece. Had a ball!This is one of my first dog paintings, of my sister's Golden Retriever, Zeb, named after Zebulon Pike, explorer for whom Pike's Peak in Colorado is named. We didn't visit Pike's Peak, but other peaks which I think were impressive, remote, and beautiful. Zeb is no longer of this world, unless he has reincarnated in some other form. He was a very good dog- gentle, spirited, a ball freak and a bit goofy. We still miss him.
Studio in the setting sun- backyard, Seattle, WA
Studio in the setting sun. Looks tilted but that's the camera. A hummingbird is visiting too. A small backyard green space can be a such a refuge for urban wildlife, and me. I've seen peregrine falcons, doves, all kinds of finches, warblers, cedar waxwings, and racoons. This is in the middle of a big city, on a standard lot. Creating green space matters. We all need it. Strikes me as odd to say "creating" it, since green space was here way before we were.
Who Let the Dogs Out? Snohomish, WA
Five dogs, all rescues, share a peaceful home in Snohomish, WA.From left to right, Allie- who is certain she is alpha to the world, Pearl- the equanimous Buddha, and watcher of all creatures in trees, Lou-the real pack leader; tolerant of all and friend to all, Ruthie- the gentle one, but can be sneaky and crafty, and Gussy- the Diva, who knows she is the prettiest. This may have been the most fun I've ever had painting!
Big Splash by a Big Dog- LEAP!
It's that time of year!
A painting of a life must include the dog. Seattle, WA and the Utah desert.
A portrait of Woofie and Ron, a painting of a life. Every image in this painting is representative of experiences from their life together- moving towards the desert from Seattle, the rattlesnake that nearly took Woofie's life, the magical ability of Ron to transform his life through courage and self investigation, the jay that teaches fearlessness, the cairn guiding the route, the yellow and black guitar shape representing Ron's creative accomplishments. The tree is the bodhi tree, under which we all may sit. Ron knows enough to actually do it. The box represents the unknown gifts that we receive when we are seeking.
Coastal Canine magazine likes my dog art! Santa Cruz, CA
Coastal Canine magazine recently did an extensive interview with me for their summer issue. The magazine serves the central CA coast (dog lovers of course), and exactly the people I'd like to include in my client base! I surely would not be averse to a trip to Carmel to meet some new clients! Full article in an upcoming post when the magazine comes out.
Manny- Chocolate Lab who thinks he's doing the right thing.
Manny tries hard to be a good dog, but he's not real sure what that is.Manny was found wandering the streets of Wenatchee. The person who found him brought him to a shelter. Manny is 106 lbs and 8-10 years old and nobody wanted him, so his time was up. Somebody at the shelter (kill shelter) convinced PAWS to take him, which is where Nina and Dave found him. Nina says Manny is just a great dog. He is very loyal and follows them from room to room. He loves tennis balls and swimming in Lake Washington, after all, he is a Lab. He is looking forward to spending his senior years lounging by the fire and getting into any unattended food he can find.
Georgia mutt Riley as an iPad painted dog portrait- backyard in Athens.
Riley is a dog who looks like a living cartoon character. And he does have a crooked nose. Lives in Georgia. Can you tell?
Dog walking the tracks, or just the tracks? Both versions, iPad dog painting.
Dog or no dog on the tracks? No train.
