Maxwell

Another Christmas commission, ready to show in the big world.
Max has white eyelashes, which are perfect for a 15 year old, and fur like cotton candy. Spunky but just a little creaky, this old guy is a workin' dog and great friend to his family.

Peppy

This is a special gift for a good friend. It is pastel pencil on tinted watercolor paper. Started as a black and white charcoal, but I couldn't help getting these amazing tones in.

Four Noble K9's!

From way out East, I got this commission to honor a retiring K9 Cop and his four favorite partners. A great thank you gift for a man well loved by his staff and co-workers and a wonderful honor to his historic canine heros.

Dr. Delac's Mini

This is the tiny little furbaby of my wonderful vet, Lori Delac. She has helped so much with The Dude, I want everyone to share her love of beasties, and head to Indian School Animal Hospital in Scottsdale. Great care!

5" watercolor on Canvas

A Christmas Memorial

This is dear Dakota. She recently passed and her mom was the winner of the Golden Retriever Golf event this year. A great memory of a wonderful friend

Christmas Diamond Pup

The first of the 5", deep canvas diamond gifts. More to come.

Madie Girl - A Christmas Memorial

This is the first from my recent demonstration at the Friends of Animal Care and Control charity event. The FACC is one of the greatest rescue groups around! They put their money where their hearts are and their goal is to have NO unwanted animals! SPAY NEUTER!!!

A couple of Golden Smiles

These lovely blondes were at a park a few years ago and I found them to paint at the Golden Retriever Rescue event last month in Scottsdale. Mostly done, so ready to post!

First Christmas Commission

This cute little Boxer is officially my first commission for the holiday season!

Don't forget to order early!

(Minis are available until I can't finish them in time!!!)

Blessing The Animals

My great friends at PACC911 asked if I would donate art for their T-Shirt design for the Blessing of the Animals Adopt-a-thon at the Franciscan Renewal Center (the Casa) this October.

They have approved this design and I can't wait to put it on my own back!!!

Loving that Ball

I have been trying (with much effort and low results) to help a charity book featuring a red Golden Retriever. I have been making realistic sketches that really don't suit the format of the book, but I came across one I had completely forgotten!

And boy, did it cheer me up!

Finished Portrait in Mat

We are trying to send it out ASAP.

Rescues are not often cute puppies and kittens. The neediest are the animals with very little time, lives that will be short and the most wonderful rescue people give these guys a quality of life at the end that makes us understand what humane REALLY means. Just respecting all life as much as our own.

Good Bye Jesse

A Memorial in Progress.

I support so many rescues. Now it is time to support a rescuer. My local group has suffered the lost of a sweet rescue and this is something to ease the pain of the loss of a tiny life that was too short on earth:

Waiting for a little critique before I finish it.

A Little Silverpoint of My Cat

This little 5x7" board is gesso with stain, I thought it would look like spilled milk, but it is in the R&D stage.

My cat, The Dude

A New Blog from Me.

I am trying to generate some funding to help my cat, know as The Dude, get a radiation treatment to cure his hyperthyroidism.

Way back when he was first diagnosed I featured his good looks in this blog. And now I am hoping to use social networking to finance the one time treatment that will allow him to have his own life... and I can have mine!

In the hundred plus degree days we have in Arizona, there is very little opportunity to find work as I used to. With a healthy, normal CAT cat, who can be alone a few days at a time, I am going to be able to go to art fairs around the country and at the very least, go up to cooler north country for fairs and festivals!

If you take a look at my new blog: http://mycatthedude.blogspot.com/

You will see a button below that links you to a fund raising site.

The beauty is that my budget can't handle the full amount. Neither can most of my friends... but a lot of friends can donate a very little bit and it will help!

My once portly 18 pound Dude is looking a bit gaunt:

If you want to help, just follow the blog and send it to your friends! I am going to paint a few more portraits of him and every donor that sends their snail mail to me will get a thank you card of the boy and a hand written note... not that THAT is a prize!

Thank you all

100!!!!!!!

I am so happy! Today I have 100 followers...

Of course I am not painting a dog a day. I have a few other things in the go, so I am slacking!

With some luck (any commissions out there?) I am working to get a few more furry faces for you all. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support.

(a sample of the new stuff and a self portrait)

Always at your service!

dj*

Dakota's Project - The beginning.

I have been asked to help illustrate a charity publication. The little author has written a great little book on aging pets and their challenges. I am going to donate the work for illustrator's credit so it is going slow, between gigs.

This is my favorite picture so far. There are plenty more to come.

Bella Can Do No Wrong

This is a gag gift for a client's client. The "Perfect" pet is a spoiled brat to everyone but daddy who loves her.....

The Johnson Dogs

We put in a suggestion of the beautiful yard they call home and a little tail that Dexter needed to wag!
Finished size is 24 x 29" wrapped with a two inch side. I will try to photograph it in its home when installed.

Darling Dexter

This little boy is a very gentle soul. Must weigh all of 6 pounds! Right up front in the picture, he is a little vignette of sweet.

Isabella, the sweetie

This poodle mix... Maltese, Bichon...terrier? Not sure but she is a girl with a huge soul. Amid the ruckus of four roommates she just cheerfully chases a ball, and loves life!

Roxy, the noisy one!

She is a bouncing barking bundle of puppy nerves, but very beautiful when sitting still!
I worked hardest on this fur of all the others put together.

Next: Daisy

This is the same wonderful old gal I did as a mini mini round vignette earlier. She is the oldest and I always love when people let me MEET my model! Older dogs, when ill, tend to get the attention of owners who always wanted a portrait, but by the time the call me, I just HATE it when they turn into Memorials before I get done...

The Johnson Dogs... Scooter

I am near completing a large portrait of five dogs and thought you all might like to see the progress of the whole piece.
It is watercolor on canvas. I do the diamond dogs on canvas, but this is the largest piece so far.
This is the first dog, a great little Scottie named Scooter!

I will post them all one a day and so I should be finished by then!!!
dj*

Best In Show...

I feel like it is WESTMINSTER!
I was awarded the BEST IN SHOW for the Arizona Art Alliance celebration of 250 Years of Veterinarian Medicine with the AZ Vet. Assn. this evening.
My piece from THIS POST won and the art from Dec. 22 will be part of a set of greeting cards produced as a fund raising event from this show.
I am pretty stoked!
dj*

Veterinary Medicine is 250 years old!

And three of my pieces are accepted into the celebration at the Scottsdale Pavilion's Arizona Art Alliance Gallery from March 3 - April 5. We are having a nice little opening on the 5th with goodies and schmoozing. If you love art or animals, be sure to stop in and say hello.

The pieces are in my blog... below on the 18th (fresh off the easel)

and on Dec. 22.

And a real oldie but cute:

All the info is here online!

A vignette for a clent

I am doing a bigger piece for a new client and while we are planning, she asked for a 2.5" circle for a favorite frame....
SMALL but mighty!

Back Office

My entry to a show about veterinary medicine....

Zoe

This was the donation to the Friends of Animal Care and Control Hero's Dinner. Cute little Cairn:

First real commission of 2011

I met this lovely girl at my storage unit!