Then there was ONE...

ONE of my earlier paintings...

 Dukie In Sun

11x14 oil on gallery wrap canvas

This painting was my first painting of Duke. In painting it I noticed every sweet detail on him, as I do when I paint all my dog portraits. I noticed his beautiful colors, his nails - some clear and some black, the spots on his paws, his pink pads and those puppy eyes. Can I ever love another dog as much?

Well...Tanner came over and he was cute, he was fun, active, curious and very alpha male. Duke was not sure what to think..."who's this tough guy in my territory"? They were hysterical running through the snow in our yard but indoors was another story...

Duke would not let Tanner be the only dog on daddy's lap, wasn't sure about sharing his toys and certainly did not let Tanner take all the attention. No way, not Duke he was right up and center - showing off his voice, his speed and his tricks - all this as he glanced over at Tanner as if to say, "why are you here"?

So needless to say, Tanner is a great little dog but Dukie just didn't seem to approve. I don't think he's ready to have a brother around and so we said our goodbye's...

and for now... there is ONE. ;-)

♥ 

Is TWO better than ONE?

Here are two commissions I am working on for this lovely lady who is the owner of two beautiful Labs. She will be surprising her husband with these on his birthday...

 CHAMP

6x6 oil on panel board

 

HOPE

6x6 oils on panel board

 But back to my question Is TWO better than ONE?

DOGS that is...

my husband, Pat and I are struggling to make a decision. We absolutely love our Duke (Dukie) he's wonderful, he's smart, he doesn't bay or dig wholes in our yard like everyone was telling us he would because "that's what beagles do". Nope not Dukie he only pulls my sleeve when I spend too much time on my computer and it just cracks me up! So the question is...do we get a second dog? 

There's a rescue (beagle, of course) who needs a home. This all started  several months ago when we said it – jokingly, so I though. Well, it didn't take long for Pat to sign up to SOS (SAVE OUR SNOOPIES) Beagle Rescue - love the name - here is the link www.sosbeagles.org 

So here we are...within a week or two from getting an email and some pictures of Tanner, we are scheduled to meet him today! Duke will be at this meeting, he will have final say of course but are we crazy!? What are we doing? Double the food, double the baths, double the hair, double the toys....and not to mention a baby in May - oops did I say that? More on that some other time. So yeah 2 dogs and a baby - funny sounds like a movie title.

And so, before I go off to meet little 16month old - not potty trained (yet) Tanner...I will leave you with what my client said to me. I thought it perfect to ask her, her opinion about life with two dogs  (these two beautiful Labs) and she gladly shared her thoughts. She loves having two dogs. And she says"....it is eight paws instead of four, four eyes staring at you and twice as much fun and twice as much love."

More fun....more love? hmmm how can anyone say no to that!

It's white. It's cold. It's beautiful...

S-N-O-W! Winter is holding on tight. Another snow storm and I say...

let it snow - it's beautiful!

Here are some photos I took today...

  

Our pretty bench that never gets used...

 

It sounds like spring. Birds chirpping in the snow - 

something doesn't fit. 

I know, I know little birdie I want Spring too! 

Sing little bird sing-g-g...  

  

A bud holding on...

 

A sign of Spring? 

Or wait, is this one of those hardcore winter plants

hmmm...  

  

He's crazy for snow

Now out to shovel! I am excited to see what tomorrow brings...till then.

♥ 

Hello world!

 

My name is Ivy and this is my beagle Duke - our baby. He is my inspiration as an animal portrait artist. I am a artist who can't help but want to do it all... everything creative, and so the name "Ivyallover" emerged. I have been a designer/art director for several years focusing now on my own work. Using my hands is everything to me – I enjoy many creative disciplines; I paint, design, illustrate, write, knit and take photos to name a few. Being creative is absolutely vital and nourishing for me, its what makes my heart sing. I decided to start this personal blog in order to keep my skills evolving as an artist and to share a little piece of art everyday. Observing the beauty in things that otherwise would have gone unnoticed is a big part of my approach as an artist and so— I look, I see,  I observe, I create and now... I share. :)

♥