NEW LOOK - Website
I'm going to be unveiling my newly updated and redesigned website late in the day on Sunday Sept. 28, 2008. The site was due to be updated, as well, it  needed a more professional look. Please feel free to email me and let me know what you think of the new look once it's up and running.

Where am I this weekend?

Well, I've got a busy one coming up. But first, I won't mention the fact that we did terrible at the CPE trial, and I won't mention all we got was one Q out of 5. But I will mention that the weather was great, as were the hosts.

This Saturday I will be at the 'Art of the Pet' at PawsWay, 245 Queen's Quay W, Toronto ON M5J 2K9, at the PawsWay Pet Discovery Centre, a project of Purina Pet Care Legacy. It is also the home of the Purina Animal Hall of Fame. I will be displaying my art along side a number of other artists who will be attending. This should be a great weekend, with lots of traffic as the Toronto Waterfront Marathon is also taking place this weekend. I will be there from 12:00pm to 6:00pm on Saturday, September 27th. Please come out and see what the artists have to offer, and check out the Pet Discovery Centre as well.

On Sunday, Brandy and I will be attending the JRTCC Nationals. Hopefully they go better then the CPE trial.A

Hope to see you all out at the 'Art of the Pet' event!!A

Finally...it's done!!
Mood:  party time!

I can now breath a sigh of relief - the poppies are done!! Done, delivered and loved. My in-laws were extremely pleased with the final result, and instantly hung the painting up in their recently renovated dining room. I'm happy that it's done and gone, but I'm estatic that they like it so much. Of course, I forgot to take a photo of the final piece for the web, so I will get that up as soon as I can. Whew, what a painting!

Brandy and I are off to the Tee Creek CPE trial this weekend, and the JRTCC Nationals next weekend, so I'll update how we fair after both are complete. 

Um, that spider is huge!!!

Hubby and I had our first experience with a "black and yellow garden spider". Deciding that our wildflower "garden" in the back was a little overgrown and rampint with weeds, hubby decided to pull most of it out. As he was working away, he came across this beauty on one of our tiger lillies.  I've never seen a spider this big,  and of course, the bigger they are, the more feminin they are, so this is an amazing female that was living in our garden. We let her be, but moved her to a little flowering tree after everything else was pulled out - figured she's got to be eating a lot of bugs to maintain a figure liek that! But, alas, she has decided to move on (or so we think - wouldn't be so happy if she decided to move inside with us). so without further ado, here is our adopted for a day, female "black and yellow garden spider" - enjoy!

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, she is not harmful to humans. I found this out after a little research (and panic) because she got a little close to hubby's skin. 

 

 

Last One - "Waiting for the Throw"

Well, this is it, the last in my 5"x7" coloured pencil series, and what a fitting final piece, once again, my little JRT - Brandy. These pieces were fun to do, didn't take exceptionally long, and all turned out the way that I envisioned them to. This piece, Brandy was waiting, less than patiently, in the grass for me to throw the toy, hence the title "Waiting for the Throw". I think I will go back and give the eyes a little more hi-light, other than that, it is complete.

The notorious poppies are still hanging around, but they are well on their way to completion. I have to touch up the background, as well as add a little more colour to it, and then I should finally have them out of my hair. What can I say, flowers just aren't as fun as animals.

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDY!!

Wow time flies. My little girlie is 6 years old today. I wish I could stop time here, but alas, that is not to be. I've had six amazing years so far with this little dog, and here's hoping for many, many, many more. The best little dog anyone could ask for!!!!

Happy Birthday little buddy!!

 

 

 

 

Vacation...why does it have to end?

There are no joys when vacation ends and you are forced back to work (well to my day job anyway). Vacation is just way too short, although it makes you appreciate the time that you have to spend with family, friends and pets. So, back to work it is, though I bought a lottery ticket (my fingers are crossed), and am hoping to hit it big this time. Hubby and I got to visit the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory over the holiday, which was really neat to see (pictures below), as well as Wild Water Kingdom, and we even took the dogs across on the ferry to Centre Island. Some day trips, beer and lots of sun really make it hard to get back into the working mode.

I am still working on my poppy painting, most of the main work is done, just have a couple more leaves to go, and just touch ups on the background. I'll be glad when this one is complete ... it's just not the same as painting an animal - flowers have no personalities. Well, actually I lied, my flowers have personalities, just not the same ones as animals do.

Brandy and I competed at a CPE trial this weekend, picking up our level 3 standard title. Only 2 Q's out of 4 runs, I'm guessing that the rats had a party in the building the night before. Brandy, who dilligently does the teeter, though she's not a fan, got to the pivot point, flipped around and walked off the way she came on - caught a sent that seemed better than completing the obsticle. Silly dog.  A lot of dogs were off that day, so I don't feel too bad.  We'll hopefully be attending one day of the upcoming AAC Campaign Dog Academy trial, as well, I am looking forward to the Jack Russell Rescue of Ontario and JRTCC sanctioned trial Aug. 23rd. Man, lots of trails this summer - but I love it!! So does the little dog.

 

 

 

 

One Horse, and a few great runs
Mood:  bright

Well, even though we didn't place in the ribbons this year at the Canada Cup, I was extremely pleased with how Brandy ran. The weather co-operated if you want to speak of rain, but the heat was pretty intense. I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life (could have had a lot to do with me running ... perhaps?). Thank goodness that the Royackers facility has a gorgeous pond where the dogs, and owners if they're brave, can cool off in.  Brandy acted like the lady she is, and splashed around in the shallows when I wanted to cool her off.

Our first run of the day could have been a disaster - my friend and I (who will remain nameless....cough, cough joanne) ended up missing the walk-though. Don't ask, all I'll say is we are idiots, nothing more. So we ran the course from watching others, reading the course map, and winging it. Lucky for us, both our dogs ran well, and Brandy placed 7th out of 13 in the first round. Becoming wise to our stupidity, we made sure that we didn't miss the second round walk through, and this run was even better, getting us 6th out of 13, placing the little dog 5th overall out of 13 going into the third round. The slate is wiped clean in the 3rd round, and only the top 60% advance, so we had one run left. Well, no excuses here, but the little girlie was hot and tired by then, though she gave it her best shot, we had 5 faults, and time was too long due to some weave pop outs. I'm not sure of the final results yet, but I have to say that I am extremely pleased with her performance, and am looking forward to the event again next year!

I've also been busy trying to finish off the horse that I spoke of in an earlier post. It's been a while since I've put one of these guys on paper, but I'm happy with the result.  A percheron from Mountsberg Conservation Area. Beautiful animals. I think the scan might have turned out a little too dark, but you can get the jist of the image.

 

 

Two more days!!

Yup, that's right, two more days until the Royackers Canada Cup!! I'm hoping that we place well this year (would be nice if we placed as good as last year) but I don't have my hopes set too high. Brandy's been running great, just not as fast as in the past - but I've traded the speed for accuracy, which I am more than willing to do, this fact may reduce her placing - but it should be a good time.

I've completed the 5th piece in my coloured pencil series "Bright Jack". A reference taken from last years JRTCC Nationals. I decided to go a little bolder on this one with the background colours, and am pleased with the result. I can't get away from outlining in black, but I do like the pop-art feel that it creates. My next piece is a horse, and I haven't drawn a horse for a very long time, so I'm anxious to see the final result.

Also, an update on the poppies that have been "haunting" me for the past few weeks. This is the largest piece that I have ever worked on (22"x28" acrylic), so it's hard to find the time when you have to put out that much paint. It's coming along how I envisioned it though, and I should be getting close to completion in the next few weeks. I've stuck to my personal style throughout the painting, so it's more pop-art than realism, but that is the effect I was after.

 

 

Ok, so I chickened out - I didn't use the b-a-l-l at our last trial ... I tried to practice with it - but disaster struck. So, I'm at a bit of a cross-roads as to how we handle the Canada Cup. Do I want accuracy and mid-range range speed, or do I want crazy speed - but uncontrolled consequences? I think I'm going to go with the accuracy. Her final run at the CPE trial was jumpers, and she nailed it ... beautiful run, she was on the whole way, nice turns, good speed and the rewards only at the end of runs are really paying off. She seems to be enjoying herself even more now, so why change a good thing. One more week, and I find out if I'm wrong or not.

Well, the fourth piece is complete in the coloured pencil series. This one I took a reference from my own dog, Angel's Mack Truck. Named appropriately because that's how he acts. I think I'm still getting used the the background that I created on it, but I do like the piece - it does show his personality very accurately. Bulldog (gge) through and through.