Nina

One of my students, when she learned that I paint dogs, lent me a photo of Nina, her Siberian Husky. She wasn't commissioning me; she was just showing off her dog. I knew right away that I had to paint her. I've always thought Siberian Huskies were beautiful and I've never met one I didn't like. It was a fun experience to paint her, the latest in my series of breed paintings which are on sale in my Etsy shop.

Oh...lest anyone think I'm a meanie, I'll be giving a print of the painting to my student on the first day of school in September. [Thanks, Christy!!]

Jake (2 of 2)

This is it: the fourth of four paintings for my friend Sharon. This is Jake the Chihuahua. I featured a bigger painting of him a month ago (exactly a month ago, actually), and two paintings of his brother three weeks prior. After creating two paintings each of Sharon's two Chihuahuas, I feel like I know them. But I have yet to meet Jake and Elwood. I'll be getting together with Sharon soon, so I'll meet the boys then.

The other day, my friend Tara's dog Quincy saw one of my Chihuahua paintings and started barking at it. I guess I should take that as a compliment!

Butter & Tosh

I've been working so long on this project that I am so excited to post it. This is a ceramic tile mosaic of two English Cocker Spaniels named Butter and Tosh. My client, Carol Ann, commissioned this portrait as a gift to her son, who owns the dogs. Carol Ann speaks so highly of these dogs (both rescued from a shelter), that I can't wait to see her reaction when I hand the mosaic to her.

In between commissions, I'm working on a series of small (8" x 10") breed paintings, which will be for sale on my newly created Etsy store. I couldn't resist using one of these dogs for such a painting!

We've got gorgeous weather here in New Jersey. Hope the sun is shining where you are!

Daisy the Dachshund

I got this idea to paint the dogs from my childhood and my mother's childhood. I dug up her old photo albums and scanned several great pictures. Among them was this—a picture of me and our Dachshund named Daisy, circa 1975. My parents tell me that I used to follow her around and imitate her every move.

As for the artwork, I'm almost finished a mosaic of two English Cocker Spaniels. I can't wait to grout that baby! It will be posted soon...

Cozmo

I was commissioned by a dear friend of the family to paint her dog Cozmo. This little cutie, a Pomeranian/Eskimo mix, recently passed on. He meant the world to his family and so I feel honored to paint him. This was my first all-white dog painting. White fur presents interesting painting challenges, which I enjoy. Good thing, because I have a Westie painting in progress.

14 years later...

I just dug up this etching I did in college. It's called "Frustration," dated 1993. I absolutely love love love printmaking. Something about scratching into a zinc plate is so mesmerizing. And dunking the plate in acid is fun, too. Sniff; I miss it.

I'm not sure how I got the idea for this design, but I remember that it cracked me up. If anyone told me then that 14 years later—at at age 33—I'd be making a (partial) living out of drawing dogs, I never would've believed them. Funny how life surprises you.

Pearl

The aforementioned non-dog painting is finished and this is it, titled "Pearl." For about two years now, I've had this idea in my head for a painting series and I finally, FINALLY, got started with it. I draw countless parallels between fruit and the female body—both aesthetically and metaphorically. I'm exploring cross-sections of fruit, painted larger-than-life. Avocados are at the top of my list of My Favorite Fruit. The juxtaposition of the convex and concave—one half has the pit and the other half doesn't—is particularly symbolic, as I just had a huge thyroid cyst removed from my neck. No more bump! And, speaking of bumps, my sister's stomache is getting bigger and bigger as the twins grow.

Sitting on my easel, waiting for paint, is a portrait of a Pomeranian/Eskimo mix. And sitting on my drafting table, waiting for tile and grout, is a portrait of two English Cocker Spaniels. I'm eager to complete these portraits. But, I must say, the avocados provided a fun departure.

WOO HOO! This just in: This painting was selected to hang in this summer's juried biennial exhibition at the Noyes Museum of Art in Oceanville, NJ. I'm so excited!!