Two More Dogs for Christmas

When I began doing these commissioned portraits, I remember saying to Tim "I hope I don't get any dogs, I'm not sure if I can draw them. I just want to do rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and cats". But mostly, I've been painting one dog after another.

Here are the last two for the year. Both were commissions for Christmas presents and although I planned to get them done earlier, I was working on them right up til Christmas day. I knew both these dogs.

This Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, I never really liked him again after he bit my hand with a growl when I was trying to untangle him from his lead as Tim and I were giving him a car ride up from Manjimup to Perth one day. He might have beautiful, silky fur and a grand name, but he'll always be not the sharpest dog to me. I've seen him cocking his head from side to side when being talked to, and I've been told he seems to like listening to stories read aloud to him. It is amusing that he is an adult but still has lanky limbs, and sentient looking eyes. I tried to make him look pretty cute and smart still, if not in intelligence, in way of dressing.

"Gabby" the corgi was a grand old lady who passed away recently. Corgi's truly are very regal looking in the way they hold themselves, and Gabby really looked forward to and enjoyed her walks, so this is "Gabby on a Sunday Walk" in her Sunday Best clothes and walking stick. She was such a pleasure to paint, I love the colours I got to work with and her face was beautiful and elegant to draw.