Jax the Border Collie

"JAX"

13" x 16" acrylic on canvas

I don't know if you remember the "sneak peek" I showed you a few weeks ago of JAX, the Border Collie...the almost finished dog commission. Well, he's finally finished! I have to say a big thank you to my client, Jenn who was most patient with me after Abby's passing. She really understood that it would take me awhile to be able to paint again. Sweet JAX is no longer with us here on earth...so I hope he and Abby are playing and having a blast together with the tennis ball.

And since it's the last day of National Poetry Month...I found another poem about Abby spewing out of my brain this morning. James and I thought about her so much this weekend and felt like she was right there in the backseat of the car riding around with us...like she always did.

Here's to you, my precious girl...

I CAN SEE HER

I can see her still
beautiful white fluff
of pearly softness
nestled by the wall
watching me
while her shadow
splashes a reverent
outline of loyalty
against a
barren white wall.
She asks now
that I let my sadness
be carried away
in the palm
of a tender spring.

-Linda O'Neill

An Artful Orange

"Orange"

8" x 8" acrylic and collage on canvas

As usual...I am drawn back to fruit! Fruit and vegetables always appeal to me in color, texture and shape. Maybe it's because I'm a vegetarian as well. All I know is I love to paint them.

Here are a couple of interesting, fun facts I bet you didn't know about Oranges...

1) Oranges were once considered the fruit of the gods; they were referred to as the “golden apples,” that Hercules stole.

2) After Francis I saved Marseilles from a Spanish siege, the ladies of Marseillaise pelted him with oranges as a token of their love and gratitude.

3) An orange tree in Europe referred to as the “Constable” is said to be four hundred and eighty-eight years old.

4) Oranges and orange blossoms have long been symbols of love.

Happy Friday!

Poetry and a Path to Recovery

Abby Louise

My good friend, Rebecca from Art Paw and Art Dog Blog told me that it's actually National Poetry month this month. In the spirit of that...I'm posting another poem from the book, "When Only the Love Remains". I feel like I'm very much in a recovery period after Abby's passing so this seemed very timely and appropriate...and it's really beautiful.

RECOVERY

You must recover,
Somehow, someday;
They will all go -
Every last one of them
To a God who will love them
Just as much,
To a place where illness will
Never again touch them,
To a comfort of the
Greatest proportion
That shall ease any lingering
Degree of pain;
To a new life that will
Deny them
Nothing.

And for any of you poetry fans out there...one of my favorite books of poetry is, "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair" by Pablo Neruda. It's amazing...Neruda is one of the best in my opinion.

On another note...just finished up two paintings today so I will be excited to show them to you in the next day or so. In the meantime...have a nice Thursday night!

Nothing better than walking a dog

"Walking the Dogs" by Louise Almon

I miss my walks with Abby. I thought about that a lot this weekend every time I saw someone walking with their dog, enjoying the day. She and I used to put on many miles together when her legs were good and she was healthy. We had such memorable and wonderful times out and about...enjoying the fresh air and thinking of nothing but how nice it was just to be together.

I have been reading a great book called, "Dog Years" a memoir by Mark Doty. It's a very moving book about a man's relationship to his dogs and what they taught him about love, life and loss. Mark is also a Poet and you can tell that when you read his luminous words. Below is an excerpt from the book about him walking his dogs and how joyous and spiritually uplifting it always was for him. It reminded me of all those walks with Abby and how everything felt right in the world when we were out enjoying a good long stroll together. Whenever I was feeling depressed or sad...a walk with Abby would always pull me to a different, better place. She will always have a place on the path next to me.

"Walking is an affirmation of physical life. We're in the world, we're breathing, we're together. I move in a straight line, more or less, along the paths, and sometimes the dogs are right in front of me or beside me, but more often, they are threading around the path, padding in the woods or thickets or marsh on either side of me. I begin to conceive of us as one extended consciousness, reaching out in different directions, sensing, our bodies making a braided trail but our awareness overlapping. That helps, just now, when a self seems fragile, erasable. With the two of them, I'm joined to something else, perception expanded, not just stuck there in the world in my own bereft, perishable, limited body."

It's the little things that help

"Yellow Apple"
6" x 6" acrylic and paper on canvas

The above painting was almost finished before Abby passed. I put the final touches on it this week.

There seems to be a lot of sad hearts out there right now. With the heaviness of the world lately...I thought I would post a sweet, simple poem that always makes me feel better. It's from a beautiful book by Joyce Rupp and Barbara Loomis called, "Rest Your Dreams on a Little Twig". My yoga teacher used to read these to us after class.

It's also another way for me to say thank you to all of you who have helped me deal with the loss of my sweet girl, Abby. Take care today.

The loveliness
of a single flower
in radient bloom
can sing
my drooping spirit
into joy

The loveliness
of a single person
with a listening gaze
can sing
my heavy heart
back into life.

I've come across
both kinds
in my time of need

and both
have brought me hope.

Back in the saddle...sort of

"Yellow Tree"

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. I decided I'd best get back in the saddle today and blog...something!

The above "Yellow Tree" is a painting I did a couple of days ago. I just had to sit myself down and splatter some paint around and this is what I came up with. Getting back to painting has helped with the grief...and I've been working on a little Abby mixed media piece that makes me feel good. Hopefully I can show you that soon.

My sweet brother sent me a wonderful book of poems by Emily Margaret Stuparyk. The title of the book is " When Only The Love Remains - The Pain of Pet Loss". The poems are beautiful and I would recommend it to anyone who has lost a pet. The following is one of them called "Everywhere" and it really makes me think of Abby. Following the poem is a digital piece I did of Abby several years ago. It's always been one of my favorites...it is how I picture her now. Have a lovely weekend.

"EVERYWHERE"

Not anywhere,
Yet everywhere,
An empty red throne,
Curled up and sweet.

A spot by the window,
Her ghost lays quietly,
At times, moves stealthily
Through the room,
Searching for me.

I look no longer;
She's in every animal
I love,
In every animal I see,
Every animal I touch.

Living the rest of my days,
Without her, seems forever;
Optimism lies on the wings
Of a dove,
To carry me safely home.

"My Angel"

Our Anniversary and Abby

Geeez, I can't believe it's Friday already. I feel like I've been in a time warp since Abby's passing two weeks ago. Still haven't painted yet...but I told myself Monday is the day I need to get back to work. I'm gonna ask Abby to give me a swift nip in the butt to get me moving again.

Tomorrow is our 7th wedding anniversary so James is determined that we leave our sadness behind for a couple of days to celebrate. He is taking me to the Hotel Monaco in Denver which is where we spent our wedding night. Abby has stayed there too. She always like the finer things in life (little diva) and loved to stay in beautiful dog-friendly hotels that catered to her whims. The picture below is of Abby several years ago on New Years Eve...sipping champagne with a feather in her hair...living the good life.
The picture at the top is of our wedding cake. It was the coolest cake ever...made by a woman here in Boulder. It was funny because in some ways...the Hotel Monaco reminded us of our cake...with it's striped wallpaper and bold colored rooms. It was like a wedding night inside the cake!

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend. Sending hugs and many blessings your way.

Abby's friends

"All Dogs Go To Heaven" by Jill Beninato

It's been difficult getting back in the swing of things after Abby's passing. I haven't been able to pick up a paintbrush just yet but I know I will soon. I need to do it for Abby and for myself. It's hard to be without her though...she was my sunshine.

I wanted to post two very special pictures today that meant so much to James and I this past week. The first one above...from a wonderful friend and artist, Jill Beninato who painted this beautiful "Abby Angel" for us. Thank you again, Jill for such a sweet gift.

The picture below was drawn by Miss Julia Saltz...our little five year old friend and neighbor. She was worried that James and I were sad...so she wanted to paint a picture of Abby to make us feel better. You know this one got us!

"Abby" by Julia Saltz

And thanks again to all of you who wrote such lovely mails, sent cards and kept us in your thoughts and prayers. You made all the difference and lightened our heavy hearts.

With love and gratitude,

xo,
-L