Happy Halloween!!

My adorable Abby Louise...best Dracula dog ever! Abby used to really enjoy Halloween...can't you tell by her expression? NOT! She was a trooper though and didn't mind some of the costumes we put her through over the years. Some of my favorites were her as a Cheerleader, Bee, Cowgirl, Cat and Witch. I miss my little spooky girl this Halloween.

Hope you all have a wonderful, scary night out there! You can be sure that I won't open my door if any clowns or old antique doll baby heads come to my door...two of the scariest things in MY world!!

Another Painting and a White Dog Christmas!

"Moonrise"
3.5" x 5" acrylic on paper
available at my Etsy shop

Above is another new abstract. Do YOU see a Moonrise too? I don't know...could just be me!

As for the image below...it's another Christmas Card created from the "Bianca" painting I did this year. They are available at my Etsy shop too. The message on the card says, "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!".

And be sure to check back tomorrow for the scariest Halloween picture ever! If you DARE!!

New Abstract Painting

"Sprout"
6" x 7" acrylic and collage on canvas
available at my Etsy Store

I felt the need to head back to some abstract work for a couple of days so the above piece is a result of that. (Hey Ro...I used your paper again here!)

I really enjoy the variety of switching back and forth from painting dogs...to still lifes...to abstracts. There is something about it that really works for me. What I learn each time from doing the abstracts helps with the dog art which helps with the still lifes and so on and so on. It also gives me the chance to express myself in three very different ways. I sometimes wonder though if I stretch myself too thin by doing this ...and that maybe I should focus on one specific subject matter to produce a more cohesive body of work. Then again...maybe this is just the way I need to work to get where I'm going.

On another subject...I have a Halloween movie recommendation for you. If you haven't seen "Freaks"...it's the perfect creepy movie to watch! We're taking it over to some friends to watch on Wednesday night after all the kiddies come. It's a classic and surely one of the strangest movies ever to come out of Hollywood. Get it!

A Piggy Christmas!

8 cards/8 envelopes
For sale on Etsy

I just listed these Piggy Christmas Cards in my Etsy shop today. If you recognize this sweet face...it's because it was created from the original painting I did of Pandora, the Pot Bellied Pig earlier this year.

I can create holiday cards from any of my original paintings so if you had a painting commissioned this year and you would like to have some cards made...just give me a holler!

Also, if you would like to commission a dog portrait as a special gift for someone for the holidays...please contact me by November 15th! Time is going by fast!

Have a beautiful Fall weekend everyone! xo

New Dogs of 2008 Calendar!

I added this new desk calendar to my Etsy shop today. It's chock full of beautiful little doggie faces to brighten every month of the year in 2008! Hope you enjoy it.


And on a more serious note...I want to send out my very best thoughts to Shari Beaubien today. She and her husband, Steve have been very close to the fires in Los Angeles. Please keep them in your thoughts...to keep them and their house safe and out of harm's way.

Happy House

"Happy House"
6" x 7" acrylic on canvas

I guess the ol' mind/body connection did me in this week as I've had a nasty cold the last few days. I was so upset about the whole house deal that I think my immune system crashed and let all those buggie boos in. At least I'm better now...after 10 boxes of kleenex!

I did the above piece last Tuesday. I guess I needed to paint a "happy" house...one that James and I will find soon in our future. I was inspired by two very wonderful artists...Ro Bruhn, who sent me the beautiful hand painted paper peeking through the background AND Jamie Johnson, who's paintings of houses I just adore.

Have a nice weekend! xo

Two Cutie Pie Dogs

"Tycho and Zeus" 13" x 16" acrylic on canvas

This is my latest painting of two adorable Shepherd mixes, Tycho (left) and Zeus. They are both rescue dogs and live with their mom, Jessica up in beautiful Vancouver. Jessica won this commission in an auction to raise money for one of my very favorite places, SAINTS which is a sanctuary for senior and special needs animals.

It was a cool, rainy day here in Boulder yesterday. The higher elevations had a foot of snow! Since the temps dipped so much over the weekend...I had to pick the last of our basil and unripe tomatoes off the vine. My sweet friend and 86 year old neighbor, Dorothy told me to put the tomatoes in the basement under newspaper and that would ripen them right up. I hope it works because I'm not ready to be done with my tasty sweet tomatoes yet!

Below...a splash of beautiful fall color from one of our backyard trees.
And thanks for all of your uplifting thoughts about our losing the house. You guys are the best!

No house...sad girl

"Bummersville"
image from Cuteoverload.com

The title of the above image "Bummersville" pretty much describes my mood today! We didn't get the house. Let's just say the bank really screwed us over by accepting another offer without even addressing our counter offer. And we were the first people to be under contract with them. All in all...I can honestly say that it's been a very negative experience so if you are thinking of buying a foreclosed on home...run the other way! The good thing is that this is over now so James and I do feel relief. We just have to get up and dust off our real estate pants and start over again. We know that eventually we will find something right for us...and even better! Thanks to all of you who have been so thoughtful with your support through this. It has meant so much to me.

On a more pleasant note...James and I went to the new Anthropologie store in Boulder the other day and it was a real feast for the eyes! I saw the below Greyhound print there. It was very large and commanding hanging on the wall...and really beautiful. It was printed on hand woven paper. I'm starting my Christmas list now.

In Limbo!

"Goat Daze"

Roy DeForest 2005
60" x 80" acrylic on canvas

Oh joy, James and I are in real estate limbo! We still don't know the outcome of the house...so our brains are floating between here and there. In order to get my mind off that this morning I thought I would show you the works of a couple of great artists.

I love the paintings of Roy DeForest, who unfortunately passed away last year. We studied him a lot in school as he was a very prominent Bay Area Artist. He loved animals, especially dogs and he incorporated his own dog in many of his pieces. The whimsical child-like quality of his work is a joy to look at.

Another great painter is Agnes Martin. She is a Canadian-American Artist who is a Minimalist. The painting below is probably one of her most unusual and colorful pieces. Get your Tivo set because tonight on PBS there is a special on her life and work. Looks really interesting.

"Untitled" 1952
Agnes Martin
watercolor and ink on paper
11 3/4" x 17 3/4"

Guess that's about it for now. Time to get down to the studio to try and finish a dog portrait commission today. I'll let you know if we hear anything about the house...but don't hold your breath. Geez!

"I can see humility

Delicate and white
It is satisfying
Just by itself...
And Trust
absolute trust
a gift
a precious gift
I would rather think of humility then
anything else.
Humility, the beautiful daughter
She cannot do either right or wrong
She does not do anything
All of her ways are empty
Infinitely light and delicate
She treads an even path.
Sweet, smiling, uninterrupted, free."

~Agnes Martin, 1973

Emmitt the Pug

Mr. Emmitt

I had the good fortune to have a visit from Emmitt the Pug and his wonderful mom, Melissa this week. Yes, that's his mug above. What a personality this little man has! He talks up a storm and is chock full of tricks. And now he knows where I keep the dog cookies so I'm in trouble! He is quite the cutie so I can see why he was Melissa's inspiration for PugNotes.com

Speaking of inspiration...do any of you remember Laurel Burch, an Artist from Northern California? She created beautiful, colorful paintings of cats, birds and other creatures and was very successful. She was especially popular in the 70's. She died last week at the young age of 61 from Osteopetrosis, a rare bone disease. I always had greatest respect and admiration for Laurel...she was one of the first people who really inspired me to become an Artist. Thank you, Laurel...for your incredible work, your dedication and for paving the way for other Women Artists. An recent article on her life is here. You can also view her website and amazing work here.

Laurel Burch in her studio

"Live from the voice in your heart and each day will blossom". ~Laurel Burch

Jefe the Parrot

"Jefe"
13" x 16" acrylic on canvas

Here's the finished painting of Jefe...in all his perdy birdiness. He gets varnished today and shipped to his Mom in New Jersey tomorrow.

And check out this amazing African Grey Parrot on YouTube...it'll get your day going in a good way. What a smart girl she is!

Happy October 1st!