My last dog went to the Rainbow Bridge just after Christmas. I drew her a lot. I also drew pictures of a lot of my friends’ dogs. It helped but it didn’t completely heal.
Enter Nikki and Kody. They are foster dogs from MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue. I think I may be drawing and painting a lot more now!
Meet Nikki:
Sadly, MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue lost another life yesterday. It happens too often. But, in a way, it’s a good thing. While MaPaw rehomes many young, healthy dogs, they genuinely have a soft spot for special needs dogs and seniors. And they often just don’t have that many years left. The years they have, though, are lived with love. They don’t spend their last days in a shelter, sleeping in a cage. They share a home with a family. If they are still able to jump high enough, many sleep in the foster parents’ bed! So, yes, we are all terribly sad that Sadie has left us. We are also extremely pleased that she spent her final days in comfort, surrounded by love.
Day 49 of my one a day resolution: Yes! I skipped a few days. You caught me! I haven’t been keeping up with my resolution to draw every day. Been busy, been sick, etc. No excuses! I will be catching up! I officially owe days 38 through 48. I already have a landscape drawing and a dog painting to post, so I’m not too far behind. Guess I’ll be busy drawing today!
Day seventeen of my one a day resolution: When I made the resolution to draw or paint every day, I also committed to post whatever happened to drip out of the end of my pencil or paintbrush. For the most part, I have been happy enough with what I’ve been drawing…but not last night! My attempt to capture the sweet face of my dog, Harley, just went so wrong. The angle is off. His mouth is odd. His sweet smile is a bit crooked. Never-the-less, a resolution is a resolution, so here is my drawing.
Day thirteen of my one a day resolution: We lost our last dog, Juno, at the end of December. I’ve been spending some time rummaging through my photos of their lives with us. It makes me miss them a bit less…and then a bit more 
It is somehow cathartic to try to capture a bit of their spirit in my work. I don’t know why, but it helps.
This is Junie when she was much younger…I’m getting closer to capturing her. She had a sweet, pensive quality about her when she rested under a tree, which is what she is doing here. She loved to settle into a shady spot at the border of her yard and keep an eye on things. Even though she was kind to all other dogs, she was without question the alpha.
Day elevan of my one a day resolution: Tonight’s quick sketch…meet Meadow:
Day one of my one a day resolution: Meet Meadow. She is a five-year-old Siberian husky who has been a guest with MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue for over a year. She has a sweet disposition and is wonderful with children. Her only flaw; she suffers from a seizure disorder. Despite the fact that her seizures are completely controlled by medication, people seem afraid to commit to her. This sketch of Meadow was done on paper with a pencil.
Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas. 2012
I just listed an original painting on e-bay to help raise funds for MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue. I am on the board of this 501-c3 organization, which rescues and re-homes neglected, abandoned and abused dogs. We just completed construction on new kennels and will be able to welcome more huskies into our care. We do, however, have a large vet bill to pay and with more dogs come more expenses. Please help spread the word! Thank you!
Every day I watch my old dog get a little bit older. I watch her stumble a bit more and eat a bit less. I wonder if she will be here tomorrow. And somehow, miraculously, she is. So I continue watching my old dog get older.
This is the last painting I did of Junie. I’m sure I will paint others, but for now, this one tells her story.
MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue recently rescued three adult and six 14 weeks old Siberian Huskies from a farm in Pennsylvania. This is one of the puppies. I plan to do several more paintings of the puppies and will be selling them on eBay to raise money to help MaPaw pay for their care until they are adopted.
Puppy Breath 1, Watercolor and colored pencil on paper, 9′ x 12″, 2012
For this painting, I used a combination of watercolor and colored pencil. This is a new style for me. I will continue to experiment with it as I work on more puppy paintings.
Joey, Acrylic and pastel on paper, 2012 | Joey is a blind, husky mix who is a permanent guest of MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue.
