Sunday, December 23, 2018

Kasey

"Kasey"
14 x 18" Acrylic on Canvas

Meet Kasey. Kasey is a service dog who goes to the hospital with her owner and makes everyone feel better in less time than any prescription can do its magic.

Ask any parent of a four-legged pet.
Ask any child who falls in love with a furry bundle in the pet shop windows of the world.
Ask anyone who adopts a stray dog and gives her a safe home.
A pet will return your affection with complete and unwavering devotion. And she does not have to be asked twice.

Kasey is a Schnoodle and my latest dog portrait this year. She is a cross between a Schnauzer and a Poodle and this sweet little girl seems to have inherited the best traits of each breed. Google says that the temperament of Schnoodle is to be clever, obedient, devoted, intelligent, strong-willed, protective, active and loving. A great family dog, Kasey was all that and more as she leaped into my house with delight, accompanied by her dad, Scott, to pick up her portrait.

Each time I do a pet portrait, I first consider the composition and the colors. I spend a great deal of time absorbing the lay of the fur and I try to find that special quality that makes each pet unique. It could be the gleam of the eyes, the tilt of the head or the expression of longing or curiosity the camera picked up just before it captured its image. When I have the urge to lift the dog off the canvas and caress her warm fur, I know I found life in the fur. Kasey's soft body came to life under my brush strokes pretty quickly.

As I work directly from a digital image, I do not always meet my models before painting them. So it was not unusual for me to first see the real Kasey until after her portrait was completed, signed and framed. When she came over this week, I was struck by how much darker her fur seemed. And the hair around her face was much shorter than the photo showed of her. But when I bent down to pet her, I knew her fur was as soft as I imagined. And in one sweet glance, Kasey looked up at me and a moment of instant recognition was there. In her eyes was the same glint of light and life that I found on my canvas. I got to know her well in the days I spent with her painting.

It is always an honor and a pleasure to portray the pets who are so loved by their families. I hope my portrait of Kasey brings Scott and Dawn many years of enjoyment.

Happy Birthday, Dawn!

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Kasey

"Kasey" 14 x 18" Acrylic on Canvas Meet Kasey. Kasey is a service dog who goes to the hospital with her owner and makes ...