Cricket

Cricket is such a sweetie!
She was the baby of the family...

 ... until... she wasn't...

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas
[GIFT]

Teddy

Meet Teddy.

He's Dexter's brother. He looks like a serious little old man. 

Cutie!

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Dexter

Meet Dexter. 
He's a cutie.  

Does anyone else have a pet who gets needy when you're working.  Sometimes my little pup, Olivia, whines and begs to sit in my lap while I paint.  Once she settles, she's pretty still, so I don't mind.  







Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas.
[SOLD}

Bear the Chihuahua

I have so many memories of time with my cousins at my grandma and grandpa's house.  They lived far down a dirt road with only my uncle and aunt as neighbors.  Their son (the first grandchild) was grown by the time  the cousins near my age came along, but Aunt Muriel (which we all pronounced Mearl) had two little chihuahua dogs that she carried everywhere.  Oh, how we wanted to play with those little dogs!  But Sandy and Cocoa would have none of it!  They loved their Muriel the best.  No amount of coaxing could convince them that playing with kids could be better than being held. Although none of us ever actually lost a finger while trying to pet one of them, it wasn't for their lack of trying!

Painting this little guy brought up lots of Sandy and Cocoa memories. Although this little blonde chihuahua looks just like my memory of Sandy, I trust that Bear is much better behaved!

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas.
[SOLD]

Copper

Copper is my grand-dog.
His portrait will go beside his sister-dog, Chewy.  
Next up... their cat.

Good dog.

Bad dog..

Sweet dog.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas.

Mozart the Chihuahua

Meet Mozart. How cute is this little guy!

He belongs to my intern... my intern whom I love and who is going to be a fabulous teacher next year. :)

I asked her if there was anything she wanted to tell me about Mozart.

Mozart was a rescue. He was initially owned by an old woman who passed away, and her husband was going to put him down. Hearing this story, a coworker offered him to me; I got him on New Year's Day six years ago. 😊

He isn't a typical Chihuahua. He's very loving to all people, doesn't yip or bite anyone or anything. He's patient, loves playing hide and seek, and loves to lie in warm towels.
He's my very affectionate fur-baby. 😊

Original Oil Painting - 12" x 12"

[SOLD]

Chewy

"Mom, I have an idea. Will you paint something? 
I want you to paint Whitney's dog as a Christmas present for her."


***


"Oh, it's perfect... she's going to love it... We don't have to wait.  I can get her something else for Christmas...  Let's give it to her now."










Ha ha ha

It is hard to wait when you have something that will make someone special happy.

Coconut Retriever

What's a coconut retriever?

Well, a dog that brings back the coconuts that you send her after, of course!

I've been blessed with some amazing professional opportunities during this 30 year teaching career of mine.  One of them is that I get to represent elementary literacy for Arkansas on a committee. I absolutely love the work... but enough of that... 
I have made some life-long friends that I get to spend a few days with every few months. When we met in Chicago last month, my friend from New Mexico said, "I brought a picture I want you to paint!  Do you ever paint dogs?" I paint images that tell stories, and when I heard the story behind this dog, I couldn't wait to put her on the canvas!  

I asked my friend to write the story.  Thanks, Sheryl!

She’s a girl’s best friend.  
This precious “coconut retriever” was born at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on the island of St. Kitts, where she was adopted by a student who named her Smarty Jones. Why? Well, because she can run like the wind!  
Since becoming part of the girl's family, Smarty Jone has traveled the country far and wide as a loyal companion, living from Oregon to Canada to Minnesota to Florida.  
Smarty Jones is quite an amazing dog. She can “talk,” and she endures serving as a “couch” for her two wiener dog sisters with nary a complaint. She's such a well-mannered girl who loves her “cookies.” However, she does have a history of sneaking bread and even fresh tomatoes off the kitchen counter. 
  Her bark may be big, but her bite is small, Using that big bark, she saved the girl from an intruder one night. For that, the girl's family will be forever grateful.

Smarty Jones will forever be loved.

So fitting is this poem….the girl’s love of Smarty Jones.

My sunshine doesn't come from the skies,

It comes from the love in my dog's eyes.

Author Unknown

The girl is my friend's daughter.  And that girl will be receiving this painting for her birthday.  I hope she is surprised and pleased!