Just a reminder to come visit the art festival this weekend.
43rd Street Art Festival
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Gabby Goes to School
A while back I wrote about my hound Gabriela and her "issues."
So, I decided to take her to one of Jenn Kyzer's classes. We have made such great progress with our at home work, it's time to socialize a bit. Alas, the only class that fit my schedule is puppy class. Oh lordy, sorry Jenn, no slight meant, but GEESH I had forgotten how boring puppy school can be.
Don't get me wrong, I think every puppy needs a puppy class and the humans need it more. A good instructor covers a lot of territory. Not just commands (like sit, stay, wait, etc.) but she/he will also talk about health, playtime, feeding, etc. Jenn is a thorough instructor.
While the instructor verbalizes all this information, the pups are actually learning to sit quietly (or as much as a puppy can sit quietly) and the humans are also learning how to handle their pups when they get bored. Was that stated? Well, no, it's actually one of the subtle benefits of a class. But lordamercy me. give me Patience.
Ok, here is a sample of the first class for me and Gabby. We are all gathered in a loose circle in an outdoor parking lot. Pups are chewing on leashes, wiggling, laying down, trying to play with the pup next to them, etc. So we do this exercise called "settle" where we basically wrap our arms gently around our dog, pull them to us with a thumb in the collar and say settle. Hmmmm. well, Gabby is 4 years old. She is settled. She has no clue why I want to hold her in public. It's weird, mom. But she lets me and then she sits. So I let go and she stands and backs away. I hold her, say "settle" she sits. I let go, she stands and backs away. Gabby believes that sitting is the magic answer to everything so duh, she sits to get out of it. I'm baffled. So I hold her. Repeat the above. Until I get tired. In the meantime Jenn is talking about - I don't know what. (sorry again Jenn)
Now that I am standing and Gabby is by my side, being the polite girl she is, a woman walks by in the road behind us. I hear a growl. uh-oh. "shhhh....it's ok." growl. "shhhhhh...." The woman has a hat on. double uh-oh. growl. "shhhhh..." Thankfully a plane flies overhead (we're near the airport as the crow flies) and Gabby sits down and pulls her neck back, looking up to see if the plane is going to fall on her head. Oh yes, she really does not like things in the sky. But, it gets her mind off of the hat lady. yay.
Next we do sits. Well, we have that one down. Then we do "look at me." Eye contact. Now here is a challenge. No way on earth Gabby is going to look at me. I don't care how much food she gets, she isn't gonna. Nope. So I give up. in class. and after a bit more talking from Jenn we are done. ugh.
This week I have been practicing "look at me." Gabby learns very fast when she feels safe, so she's eyeballing me like crazy. She always looks me in the eyes when she wants something anyway, but now I'm training her to look at me when I want something. Huh...so far so good. But will she do this in class?
We'll see what happens next.
So, I decided to take her to one of Jenn Kyzer's classes. We have made such great progress with our at home work, it's time to socialize a bit. Alas, the only class that fit my schedule is puppy class. Oh lordy, sorry Jenn, no slight meant, but GEESH I had forgotten how boring puppy school can be.
Don't get me wrong, I think every puppy needs a puppy class and the humans need it more. A good instructor covers a lot of territory. Not just commands (like sit, stay, wait, etc.) but she/he will also talk about health, playtime, feeding, etc. Jenn is a thorough instructor.
While the instructor verbalizes all this information, the pups are actually learning to sit quietly (or as much as a puppy can sit quietly) and the humans are also learning how to handle their pups when they get bored. Was that stated? Well, no, it's actually one of the subtle benefits of a class. But lordamercy me. give me Patience.
This is what Gabby would much rather be doing.
So in the meantime, my little anxious houndy-hound is not a happy camper. She's nervous, likes only one of the puppies so far ( a cute little Boston Bull) and I'm trying to let her get near, but not too close to the others to see how she reacts. Growling is not a good thing. But pups have E-N-E-R-G-Y. And now Gabby doesn't like that. Which is hugely ironic because it's what causes her such anxiety much of the time...her OWN energy. Ha. She can dish it out but she can't take it so well. anyway, it's why we are here, the 4 year old dog in the puppy class. To learn to socialize without being deathly afraid.
Ok, here is a sample of the first class for me and Gabby. We are all gathered in a loose circle in an outdoor parking lot. Pups are chewing on leashes, wiggling, laying down, trying to play with the pup next to them, etc. So we do this exercise called "settle" where we basically wrap our arms gently around our dog, pull them to us with a thumb in the collar and say settle. Hmmmm. well, Gabby is 4 years old. She is settled. She has no clue why I want to hold her in public. It's weird, mom. But she lets me and then she sits. So I let go and she stands and backs away. I hold her, say "settle" she sits. I let go, she stands and backs away. Gabby believes that sitting is the magic answer to everything so duh, she sits to get out of it. I'm baffled. So I hold her. Repeat the above. Until I get tired. In the meantime Jenn is talking about - I don't know what. (sorry again Jenn)
Now that I am standing and Gabby is by my side, being the polite girl she is, a woman walks by in the road behind us. I hear a growl. uh-oh. "shhhh....it's ok." growl. "shhhhhh...." The woman has a hat on. double uh-oh. growl. "shhhhh..." Thankfully a plane flies overhead (we're near the airport as the crow flies) and Gabby sits down and pulls her neck back, looking up to see if the plane is going to fall on her head. Oh yes, she really does not like things in the sky. But, it gets her mind off of the hat lady. yay.
Next we do sits. Well, we have that one down. Then we do "look at me." Eye contact. Now here is a challenge. No way on earth Gabby is going to look at me. I don't care how much food she gets, she isn't gonna. Nope. So I give up. in class. and after a bit more talking from Jenn we are done. ugh.
This week I have been practicing "look at me." Gabby learns very fast when she feels safe, so she's eyeballing me like crazy. She always looks me in the eyes when she wants something anyway, but now I'm training her to look at me when I want something. Huh...so far so good. But will she do this in class?
We'll see what happens next.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Coming Up
The 43rd Street Festival of the Arts is Saturday, September 25 from 10 - 5. I plan to be there and it is a rain or shine event. This is another of my favorite shows to do. Although small, the quality of work is outstanding and I'm just tickled to be included.
I sent out my email newsletter this morning, but aol addresses are kicking them back to me. So if you are a friend, fan or client and want me to keep in touch, please be sure my email address is in your address book. Of course if you DON'T want me to send you newsletters, let me know that, too.
On a similar note, because I have a website (in addition to this) my email address has been and continues to be phished by spammers. That means you may possibly receive an email from my address that is quite obviously spam. If so, it did NOT come from my address book, nor did I sell or share your information. "They" have even spammed me with my own address. Which is how I know this happens. And why aol, among other servers, tends to kick back group emails.
It's been hectic lately, but I'll hopefully see some of you soon.
I sent out my email newsletter this morning, but aol addresses are kicking them back to me. So if you are a friend, fan or client and want me to keep in touch, please be sure my email address is in your address book. Of course if you DON'T want me to send you newsletters, let me know that, too.
On a similar note, because I have a website (in addition to this) my email address has been and continues to be phished by spammers. That means you may possibly receive an email from my address that is quite obviously spam. If so, it did NOT come from my address book, nor did I sell or share your information. "They" have even spammed me with my own address. Which is how I know this happens. And why aol, among other servers, tends to kick back group emails.
It's been hectic lately, but I'll hopefully see some of you soon.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Yay! Art! Yay!
Finally, a few pieces to share.
43rd Street Festival of the Arts is coming up and here are 3 of the pieces I HOPE to have ready for show.
43rd Street Festival of the Arts is coming up and here are 3 of the pieces I HOPE to have ready for show.
not settled on the title, but I'm leaning towards
"Reigning Cats and Dogs"
In progress.
Complete, but not yet titled
These commission pieces are finally complete and delivered.
"Micki"
"Plum"
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
For Kokomo Joe
I have been blessed these last 6 years with the privilege of meeting and getting to know so many pets and their humans. Each family is unique and wonderful. They all have special relationships, some quirky, some amusing, some touching. All loving. It's such a joy to get to know the animals I paint when that is possible. Of course, I never really get to know them the way their humans do, as my time with them is typically short and with a camera between us for a good portion of that visit. Yet, I still have an attachment to these precious beings that do not live with me.
Last night I received an email that Kokomo Joe, a handsome Newfoundland that I'm preparing to paint, had lost his battle with a very recent and baffling illness. I first met Kokomo in April of 2007, during our first photo shoot. He romped with his partner Maggie Mae in their backyard. Maggie is actually the most photogenic of the two, but Kokomo had the most personality. What a pair.
My first reaction was typical. I burst into tears. I had just taken another round of photos this past June. Linda and Mike are the most gracious and accommodating clients and clearly love their fur-friends. We spent some time trying to get better pics of Kokomo. Maggie had had her hair trimmed and looked like a gigantic black lab. Anyway, about the same time that my Gracie became ill, a few months after that photo shoot, Kokomo took ill as well. Linda and I shared updates via email, so I wasn't surprised so much by the latest news as I was simply hard-hit. The connection to this family had been made, so of course I grieve their loss.
Our animal companions give us so much and ask so little of us in return. All they really want is food, shelter, some play time and lots of love. Kokomo had this in buckets-full.
To all of the special creatures whom we've loved, who've passed on, who continue their journey in the Universe without their earthly bodies, I say thank you for sharing a moment of your life with ours.
Last night I received an email that Kokomo Joe, a handsome Newfoundland that I'm preparing to paint, had lost his battle with a very recent and baffling illness. I first met Kokomo in April of 2007, during our first photo shoot. He romped with his partner Maggie Mae in their backyard. Maggie is actually the most photogenic of the two, but Kokomo had the most personality. What a pair.
My first reaction was typical. I burst into tears. I had just taken another round of photos this past June. Linda and Mike are the most gracious and accommodating clients and clearly love their fur-friends. We spent some time trying to get better pics of Kokomo. Maggie had had her hair trimmed and looked like a gigantic black lab. Anyway, about the same time that my Gracie became ill, a few months after that photo shoot, Kokomo took ill as well. Linda and I shared updates via email, so I wasn't surprised so much by the latest news as I was simply hard-hit. The connection to this family had been made, so of course I grieve their loss.
Our animal companions give us so much and ask so little of us in return. All they really want is food, shelter, some play time and lots of love. Kokomo had this in buckets-full.
To all of the special creatures whom we've loved, who've passed on, who continue their journey in the Universe without their earthly bodies, I say thank you for sharing a moment of your life with ours.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)