Happy New Year

Some of us had a great new year party.  One of us did not.
It all started when I began cooking.   Mully hates the smoke detector and gets into a frenzy when it goes off.  She is beginning to sense earlier and earlier that it is about to make that awful noise and starts panicking.  Unfortunately  I bake by smoke detector. I am capable of burning anything and everything. 

She did join us and presided beautifully at the head of the table.  All was going well until the noise makers came out. 

That didn't go well at all. Almost as bad as the smoke detector.   Sorry Mully next year we`ll go out and leave you alone. 

This is the first painting of 2018 - a quick painting of how sad she is. 

Mully's unfortunate New Year

Happy New year to all and hope you had more fun than Mully

The Road to the Woods

I have to prod Mully to get up in the morning for out early morning walk.  A 65 pound dog that doesn't want to wake up is hard to move.  We have a ten minute drive to the top of the mountain.  At 5:30 am the world is dark, very dark.  We enter the forest and no one else is around.  We are alone. I have to walk slowly because I can barely make out the path.  The world is silent.  I am alone in a forest surrounded by a sleeping big city.

 Too many cop shows flash through my mind. "Why was she on the mountain alone at that time?  What are those stains on her hand? Is the sketchbook a clue?" they say after her body was found by a jogger.

The sky changes from indigo to a pale blue, there are some red streaks from the rising sun.  Mully and I are joined by joggers, walkers and other dogs.  The silence is gone.  the forest is no longer scary and mysterious.  No one murdered us.  Mully and I go home, she to her breakfast and me to my coffee and easel. Mully  has her first of many beauty naps and I struggle to capture the menacing moment.

The Road to the Woods

Just Chillin

I haven't painted a dog in just about forever.  It feels so great to run back to my comfort zone.  Mully is complaining that I spend more time painting her than playing with her - she may be right.

 

Just Chillin

What if I use a View Finder

I have a confession to make - I rarely paint from life.  I mostly paint dogs and even though  I generously give cookies to Mully, she refuses to hold a pose. Besides I am not talking to her - she got into the garbage for the first time and made quite a mess.  She even looked proud, so we are through until she says she is sorry.

I working my way through Carol Marine's book in my other blog artbythebooks.blogspot.ca  and this section is on using a view finder which I did.  I like the composition, I love the lemon and the cup at least looks like a cup which is progress for me.

I can always go back to dogs.

getting harder all time

You would think it would get easier but it doesn't seem to.  Probably the more experience you have the higher your own expectations.  I have a show coming up in our community centre.  I have a vision of 28 small dog paintings split  by 4 large ones.  I made a good start on two of the big ones. Yesterday  I was started working on the third.  Actually yesterday I worked on one version wiped it completely off.  I  just learned you can wipe it down with alcohol and it made a very nice toned surface to start again today.  Can you see the differences between the 3 paintings?  The answer is about an 2 hours.  Hard to believe eh? (that's the Canadian in me).

I am done for the day and whipped up small one.  Who doesn't love a puppy - maybe just Mr. Grinch. To all you Americans have a wonderful Thanksgiving and happy shopping

Sometimes painting is very addictive.  I said to myself put the brush down go to bed and start again tomorrow.  It never works when you paint while being tired.  Just one stroke I said.  An hour later and I can barely tell the difference.

Maybe I should listen to myself. 

A wonderful Guy

I am married to a wonderful guy.  Since I injured my knee I have been slow to move in the morning and he has been  bringing me coffee in bed. Is there anything more loving than that? Well there is. He bought me a stool  so instead of standing I can turn on my stool and look at my painting in the mirror.

Isn't it beautiful.  In my chair's honour I cleaned up the studio.  Swept, scraped paint of the table and put away supplies.  I think the chair appreciated it.  If you think I am crazy watch this ad and tell me you didn't feel sorry for the lamp. 

Ikea lamp commercial

The chair is so pretty and shiny, that I almost don't want to use it.  It is like getting the first scratch on a new car - painful.

I am preparing for a show and I have a vision of a whole bunch of small paintings with a couple of large ones.  I have one large one completed and I am working on another one.  

This is 24 X 30.  I started it this afternoon after cleaning my studio. It is a pretty good start.  

Thank you Gerry for the support - I feel warm and fuzzy. 

Just throw the ball

There are times my dog is so loyal - the look of love she has when we are eating ice cream is so touching.  She is also loving when we are holding a ball and other dogs are around.  A little competition goes a long way

I think I caught the attentive look but what I like most is the hand a couple of strokes and I got it. I am really pleased that it isn't overworked.  

Day 4 - Ceci Pas une Chew Toy

For some bizarre reason this painting made me think of  Magritte's "Ceci n'est pas une pipe".  Miss Mully is just sitting there chewing on her tennis ball  - squeezing all the yucky tennis ball juices out of it. It is not a chew toy but it has the essence of one.  Very existential for this morning.  So continuing with profound thoughts here is  a quote from Magritte  "We must not fear daylight just because it almost always illuminates a miserable world". Mully would disagree - she would say let's enjoy the sun. As long as there are tennis balls, dog cookies and hugs, life is good.

I know dogs shouldn't chew tennis balls and that it wears down their teeth.  You go ahead  and try to get it out of her mouth.  Good luck.

Day 2 Run Mully Run

Normal people have normal dogs that walk together with them through the woods.  All my dogs have always ran crashing through the forest.  They usually find the only mud spot, roll in it and return to me with glee. Hmm I wonder if it has anything to do with  me.
Mully is no different but unfortunately she loves to run back to us at full force and sometimes she doesn't stop in time.  I do get a secret thrill in their speed and but mostly I bask in their joy.
So run Mully run.

Through rose colored glasses

Well not really rose coloured but purple lenses.  I can't wear them because it is too weird to see everything looking purple.  I think I could have painted them all day.  It is fun to paint reflections but instead I decided to keep killing Mully's portrait. Yup it is definitely dead.  Actually I wanted to kill her today.  We took her out to a walk in the woods.  We have had a lot of snow this winter but she managed to find the only mud hole for miles around.  I am pretty happy that you can't remember bad smells because this is one I don't want to think about.  Damn dog.

Sitting on the Dock Side of the Bay

Dock diving is the fastest growing dog sport in America according the the dock people we went to see in Ottawa. It is really beautiful to watch when it is done well. The toy must be thrown precisely and the dog soars with joy to fetch for his master.

This isn't the right way to do it.

Pretty sure this can't be right either.

T

Not even getting close.

Yup the ball is still there.

and then there is the Mully way

Monday with Mully- July 12

We brought her into our home, lavished her with love and this is how she rewards us or rather just me. She stole my keys from my purse and waved it in my face. We have to admit that she is a juvenile delinquent. A minute later she took my cell phone out of my purse. My new cell phone that now has dog slobber all over it. Hard to pick a contact with drool covering the names.

She will have to go back to the breeder. We can't have a dog that keeps stealing valuable things. Wait one moment, I have a brilliant idea - whenever I can't find anything, I'll blame it on the dog, Mully must of stolen it. I didn't lose it, it's Mully's fault.

Okay she can stay.

It's been a long time coming

My dear one has pointed out that it has been a long time since I blogged and I guess it is true since the last one showed a lot of snow on the ground and now we have a lot of weeds in our grass. He is proud of the weeds because it shows that we don't use pesticide and we have a lot of variety in our lives. I don't think that variety in your weeds proves that you are exciting, it just means you don't know how to weed or are too lazy to do it.

It is hard to know where to start - a lot has happened and yet nothing has. So lets not start at the very beginning but continue as if I have never missed a week.

July 1 is our moving day. It is estimated that 290,000 homes move in Montreal alone, on this day. It is a tradition from about 300 years ago. The law was passed so farming tenants wouldn't be forced from their homes in the dead of winter and this evolved into moving day being May 1st. Later it was mandated to July 1 so that students wouldn't be have to transfer to a new school in the middle of the school year and so no one can enjoy Canada day. It is a legal holiday so movers charge a lot and you can't even get one unless you book way, way in advance. A lot of animals are abandoned - that part is really shameful. These pictures were taken while I was driving or actually while the car was driving - I was the passenger. That is real bird poop on the car windows. That's just disgusting.

Today was really hot and instead of going to a beach or relaxing in the before mentioned weed infested back yard, we decided to go to the gay village and see the art show there. The street is blocked off to cars and artists show their stuff. I think I am going to try to enter next year. It can be a crap shoot. Today was almost too hot and it could rain so you waste your money renting a tent, but you never know. We spoke to one artist and she said it was worth it. This artist came from Toronto so she had more expenses like eating out. The village has a lot of great restaurants - it is easy to to spend a lot and fun to people watch. The dog on the bottom left is the gorgeous Mulligan. Here is another picture of her - because well I just like pictures of her. I told you it was hot - look how long a dog's tongue can go.

This one I just didn't understand

Baby It's cold outside

Sometimes, but very seldom, winter is beautiful. Today was one of those days - it wasn't too cold and there was no wind, it was really a nice day to be outside. We snuck onto the golf course. There were other dogs there but Mully for all her faults is really, really loyal, and always returns to us. It must be our sparkling personalities. Watching her run around is the best part of having a dog.

Our friend made a heart, I don't know why, it just seems to be something she does.

Her partner - I don't want to mention names because he is a really famous actor, has a cool hat. I covet that hat, but I always look dumb in hats. I'll let him keep it.

You might notice Gerry is carrying something - picking up after your dog when no is watching, is a sign of being a really nice guy. Gerry is a really nice guy.

Gerry used to be a golfer, he takes his golf course maintenance very seriously - don't step on the greens when he is around. Really - don't step on the greens, if you do, he turns red.

Mully decided to take a swim in the stream. She didn't seem to notice that it was cold. She didn't seem to notice it was winter and she really didn't notice that she didn't smell too good.

On the way home she jumped into the car and made the seat all wet before I had a chance to get in. I let her stay there because I wasn't going to sit on that wet smelly seat. I swear she is sticking out her tongue at me and laughing because I am in the back.

I may survive this winter but I doubt it.

A very sad day

Today an email was sent out that Stephen Huneck had taken his life.

I remember when we drove to his place in October. We thought we were crazy to drive 2 1/2 hours there and the equivalent back, to spend 2 hours on a mountain in Vermont. We weren't the only ones. Dog lovers from much further had come to share the joy of a day with your dog and the freedom of hundreds of dogs running up the mountain and swimming in the pond. They supplied hot dogs for the humans and I think Mulligan might have stolen a few. Mulligan was in her element. She was surrounded by mostly goldens and labs. Her kind. We were with our kind too. People who like to be with their dogs, people who joke about how bad their dogs are and people who know that they have the greatest dog in the world. It was a very, very good day.

I don't know if they will be able to keep the dog chapel open. It was a place where people sent pictures of their past dogs and reading all the notes was touching. It was a place to see his art work. There are very few places like that and very few people who are talented and generous as he was.

Today is not a good day.

Stephen was kind enough pose with Mully.

I recently submitted 2 paintings to a juried show and one piece was accepted. This was my first time being judged and my first reaction was great, I was accepted. Of course, my second reaction was what was wrong with the other painting. My third reaction was it can't be much of a show if they are accepted me. I react too much.I was thrilled when we arrived at the vernisage and was told that my painting had sold. See you can see the red dot if you squint hard. The other works were impressive. Half the proceeds were going to Animatch which is a dog rescue, an organization I am proud to help.

Elana's pants are in the background. Every painting I have done of her feet has sold. She thinks I make her look fat. She has fat ankle issues.

The only thing was I forgot to take a picture of Mulligan with her portrait. So I returned on Monday. Let me say in advance is that I don't think I thought this out. Mully is the most

beautiful dog in the world (I know because my husband agrees with me). she is also the worst behaved dog in the world. I am sure there is probably some dog who is worse but that dog doesn't live with us. Well she burst into the gallery and I didn't know that the owner of the gallery brings her own dogs with her. Mully thought she was at a dog park and just started running around and playing.

Galleries shouldn't leave cookies on the tables or candies or wine either.

I finally got her to pose. Lots of cookies were used. Right beside our picture was a glass table with pretzels.

Thank God the table was stronger then it looked.

I don't think we will be invited back to the gallery.

I say tomato you say......

When we were first looking for a dog, (not big , not hairy and not in winter) a trainer said this line was stubborn. Sometimes stubborn means they are doing something repeatedly that you don't want them to do. If it is a behaviour that you like they are called determined. Mulligan can be very determined. I tossed a box down the stairs to be put in the recycling bin. (garbage is Mondays, recycling Tuesdays, composting Thursdays - remember that). She, of course being a retriever, did what she was bred to do (besides beg for food) and retrieved.

We did what we like to do which is torture her and threw it back down and she retrieved it. again and again. Who is stubborn and who is determined? Poor Mully.

Okay you win, chew in peace.

If a tree falls in the forest, does the dog still pee on it

We found a new place to walk our dog. It is practically perfect. The parking lot which has plenty of room for cars, leads to a big field full of playing dogs. I am always worried at dog parks about my knees and today was no different. It is especially scary when a great Dane puppy is running your way. Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures because my camera said I had no memory card. I hate to disagree with a computer, but we never took the card out because we don't even know where it is. Likely my system administrator fixed it. It is good to travel around

with your system administrator.

There were a couple of rusted cars. How did they get there. The trees looked fully grown around them and there wasn't a road to drive in.

Another one one of those mysteries you never solve, like the missing chicken.

Mully played with a Basset for the first time.I love the looks of them. They only thing I now about the breed is if they don't want to move, you are stuck. We walked with another golden for about 5 minutes and the owner and I both agreed each other's other dog was beautiful. I lied. I really know I had the prettier dog, I mean just look at her. Well maybe this wasn't her finest moment and to tell the truth she didn't smell too good either,. but still it was a great day - out with my dog, my son and my system administrator.

Where do you find a Mulligan

We took her to the golf course today. I have made a decision that she will stay in the trunk when we are driving. Of course she can come out when we get there. Although keeping her in the trunk all the time has some appeal. she doesn't really like it back there but it is safer and cleaner. She didn't really smell too good when we came home.

She is a weird dog. She is frightened of so many things - a dog barking on the street sends her bolting with her tail between her legs and yet there is this.