Not a kind of ice cream

This is Stella. She's not a labradoodle or an overgrown terrier. She's an Italian Spinone, sister to Aggie, and an all around good pup.

Leslie and Matt decided they wanted this breed of dog when they heard that there were NO incidences of dog biting a child with this breed. With two kids, and boof them working very intense jobs, and having very active lives, they wanted a dog with a good track record that could be counted on. (Even as a lover of rescues, this is one argument I understand, especially if you aren't going to devote your entire life to the dog.)

Stella's the only Italian Spinone I've known (although I did see a guy at Greenlake with one), but she's gentle, patient, and good natured.

I used to think that Aggie, a Hungarian Visla, was smarter, but they just have different brains. Aggie learns commands quicker, but will forget them if not reminded. Stella learns slower but once she knows, she never forgets.

Madison

Madison is the first dilute calico I've personally known -- and the first one I've painted, unfortunately, post humously.

She and her sister, Amber, were at Rainier Veterinary Hospital, when I was volunteering there. I wanted them to come live with me, but my house was being renovated and I was staying at my boyfriend's.

My friends, Patti and Todd, came down to meet all the homeless kitties and fell in love with Madison and Amber.

Maddie and Amber came home with them. Amber still lives happily ever after, but Maddie died a few year ago.

Patti and Todd's child, Amelia, has wanted a painting of Maddie for a long time.

Skookum, Remembered

Meet Skookum. A very handsome retriever who helped his guardian through the death of his wife.

He has such an expressive face that he was very easy to paint.

My only issue was the background was supposed to be "Cape Cod Blue." I tried, coming up with an almost periwinkle. Then, I asked the person who commissioned the painting (it's a surprise for her father-in-law). Neither she nor her husband could decide. I took a sample that they agreed was close. It was almost a cobalt blue, which I then added to the periwinkle.

Skookum's handsome face faded in the cobalt blue. Frustrated, I put it away, adding a status line to my facebook account that I'd be finished if I could just come up with "Cape Cod Blue." One of my Facebook buddies sent me this link, which I then used to finish the painting. The shade is much more calming than the cobalt and balances the oranges and reds very nicely.

Binky

Now that Binky's finished, I can say that I've successfully painted all three of Kris's cats. Simon and Maxey are also Kris's cats, painted in 2007. I also used Binky as a model for What you looking at, painted in 2008.

You can also see how my style has matured somewhat -- at least some times. Every time i pick up a paintbrush it's still a new experience as I feel the creativity flowing from my fingertips.

I just finished one more acrylic and am 2/3 done with two more......... so expect to see some more in the next week or so. Plus, I have one watercolor that needs to be done by Christmas.

A raffle for Eros

A while back, Grisha from Ahimsa Dog Training, was trying to raise $$$ for a friend whose dog needed surgery. Having been there myself with Penny needing 2 TPLO surgeries, I donated a 6x6 dog painting. The dog that I was painting was so cute. I did an 8x8 painting.

Meet Taran, a 13-month old welsh springer spaniel cared for by Lindsey Hein, a dog trainer in Florida. He's mischievous and very goofy........ Can you tell?

Emma 2

So, my friend, Tina, has been incredibly supportive of my art from the beginning. One of my first sales, Gracie, is of her cat. The sale was not to Tina, though.

I also painted Eddie, her big black and white boy, on paper. I scanned it twice because I didn't like the background.

So, when I painted her cat Emma, in 4x4, a size that's not cost effective to do regularly, but which I do for the Feral Cat Project as a donation, she offered to buy it. Well, it sold again to someone else and I said I would paint it again.

Here it is. And, like the saying says, practice makes perfect. She still looks like Princess Crankypants, one of Tina's endearments for her, but the colors are a bit better. When you click the tag Emma, you can see both to compare.