Last night I went with a friend to paint pop art pictures of our dogs. We emailed the picture a couple weeks ago and the artist sketches it onto the canvas for us to paint.
At the time we sent in the photos my dog, Austin, was having a particularly rough week. I was not sure she was going to make it and I wanted to paint her as I wished to remember her. I sent in a picture of her jumping up to eat a noodle. It is one of my favorite pictures of her even with all the beautiful regal pictures I have of her over the years.
Austin is still with me which made painting a lot easier. But the fact remains that she is older, her cancer has returned, and my time with her is running out. As I painted I couldn't help feeling I wasn't doing her justice. It began looking like an abstract blob. My friend and several others in the room voiced the same concern. When time was up and I took a step back I finally saw the whole picture.
It may not be perfect but that in itself is fitting. I have never been a perfect dog-mom and she has loved me anyway. She hasn't been a perfect dog, though I still believe she is as close as a dog can get, and I love her as my child. This rendition isn't perfect but it captures her playfulness and the love we share.
I'm so grateful my friend found this class. I'm grateful for her sharing it with me. I'm so grateful to have a beautiful painting of my first baby. I'm grateful that Austin is still here and stands a chance at making it through Christmas. I'm grateful to get one more day, and one more holiday with my sweet Austin. I'm grateful for the bond her and my daughter have built. I'm grateful for her patience even in her old age. And I'm grateful that my dogs have taken to snuggling as Pippin, my younger dog, gives and gains comfort with some intuition of what is coming. I'm grateful to paint with love.
If you could make a pop art painting of something in your life that means a lot to you, what would you paint?
May today remind us to live from the heart. May we "paint" our day with the priorities that truly matter. Have a beautiful day!
At the time we sent in the photos my dog, Austin, was having a particularly rough week. I was not sure she was going to make it and I wanted to paint her as I wished to remember her. I sent in a picture of her jumping up to eat a noodle. It is one of my favorite pictures of her even with all the beautiful regal pictures I have of her over the years.
Austin is still with me which made painting a lot easier. But the fact remains that she is older, her cancer has returned, and my time with her is running out. As I painted I couldn't help feeling I wasn't doing her justice. It began looking like an abstract blob. My friend and several others in the room voiced the same concern. When time was up and I took a step back I finally saw the whole picture.
It may not be perfect but that in itself is fitting. I have never been a perfect dog-mom and she has loved me anyway. She hasn't been a perfect dog, though I still believe she is as close as a dog can get, and I love her as my child. This rendition isn't perfect but it captures her playfulness and the love we share.
I'm so grateful my friend found this class. I'm grateful for her sharing it with me. I'm so grateful to have a beautiful painting of my first baby. I'm grateful that Austin is still here and stands a chance at making it through Christmas. I'm grateful to get one more day, and one more holiday with my sweet Austin. I'm grateful for the bond her and my daughter have built. I'm grateful for her patience even in her old age. And I'm grateful that my dogs have taken to snuggling as Pippin, my younger dog, gives and gains comfort with some intuition of what is coming. I'm grateful to paint with love.
If you could make a pop art painting of something in your life that means a lot to you, what would you paint?
May today remind us to live from the heart. May we "paint" our day with the priorities that truly matter. Have a beautiful day!
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