Stray Dog Arts

Yesterday my husband, Vinny, came home from the grocery store with a surprise for me. He had a big smile on his face and a plastic bag about 3 inches thick in his hands.

"I got you something" he said with an especially cute smile and handed it to me.

The bag sort of melted in my hand--square, but curving at the edges the way a small pile of magazines will do.

Eeeeeeee! Squeal of delight! I knew what it was immidiately: the November issue of the Mpls St. Paul Magazine featuring "Custom Made" artisans and a two page spread of yours truly! :)

I don't mean to geek out or brag, but I just have to say that I am a little bit giddy with excitement. I can't help it. I'm excitable when it comes to being featured in glossy publications. Especially good ones! :)

I immidiately took one of the magazines out of the bag, circled the living room a couple times and then sat down in a chair next to the window. I was about to go straight for the article, but decided to torment myself and savor the moment as long as possible. I opened the magazine to page 1 and looked at every single page until I got to page numero 56...which is when I started ooooing and awwwwing and giggling like a maniac over the beautiful layout and my incredibly gorgeous Chesapeake love, Louie: front and center. What's not to love?! He glows! He's practically levitating in the foreground and there's me in the background...glowing, too! And that's exactly how this work makes me feel. Thank you to the photographer, Stephanie Colgan, for capturing that very deep and wonderful feeling.


The article, written by the fabulous Christy DeSmith is absolutely incredible. I moved from the living room window to the kitchen where I read it out loud to Vinny (and any dogs and cats that might listen). Louie, like a giant piece of Velcro, pressed up against my leg the entire time while Ella, our youngest pup, raced circles on the couch behind us. If a family can morph into one huge smile then, in that moment, that is exactly what happened to us. It is an absolute honor to be featured among such hugely talented artists of the Minneapolis area.

Out soon! The November issue of the Mpls St. Paul Magazine is all about custom made. And guess who's included!




ps.
Keep another eye on my shop. Great new products are on their way!

This past weekend a dog-loving friend of mine (Mary Wick) and I took a road trip up to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue to deliver a car load of donations that began with 2 igloo dog houses from Rachel of Rotta Love Plus. The dog houses turned into a shout-out for more donations on Facebook and in less then two weeks we had our vehicle filled to the brim with more that we were weren't even able to take!

Quite frankly, I am amazed by how little effort it took to gather so much STUFF. I can only wonder how many hundreds of pounds of dog food, cat food, kitty litter and miscellaneous goodies we had packed in the back of my Honda Element. The load also kept us firmly attached to the snowy roads on the way up.

Karen Good of RLRR sends a great big THANK YOU to all of the individuals, organizations and businesses that went out of their way to get this stuff to us. You can be sure that every last bit of it will be put to good use.

It was good to see Karen and to be at the shelter again. It had been almost a year since the last time I've been there and, being my home turf, it felt good to be back again. The landscape of northern Minnesota is where my blood and bones feel most at home. Of course, being surrounded by dogs, trees, fields, open sky and really incredible people makes it even better.

It should come as no surprise that I met some beautiful beings in the process. There was one in particular that I especially fell in love with. A husky named Zenith. Had conditions for adopting a new babe been better, this little guy would have come home with me (without a doubt!). Despite my inability to adopt him, he has lodged himself deep in my heart. In my imagination I've named him "Jack," after my Grandpa Jack whose spirit I always feel near. I have no doubt that this little guy will find a home quickly. And hopefully it will be the best home in the universe, since this is what this lil' puppy deserves.

There was another puppy that stole my heart as well: a baby Spaniel mix who was shaking with cold due to the fact that she's so skinny that her rib and hip bones are sticking out. Puppy food donations are sure to fatten her up. She also lacks a full coat of hair due to mange. What she did receive, however, was a new polka-dog fleecy jacket and a warm place inside the cat house along side another puppy named Boots. The spaniel girl LOVED being held and could not give enough kisses. While I held her close and rubbed warmth back into her little body she just kissed and kissed and kissed me. As you can imagine, I felt a wee bit spoiled with love.

There were puppies galore. So many, in fact, that we took 16 of them back with us to Minneapolis the following day. And so, from Karen's vehicles to ours, we loaded the back of the Element with precious souls headed for the warm houses that awaited. Winter weather has arrived in Minnesota and Karen was so relieved to see her babes get out of the cold--and we were thrilled be taking them.



All in all, it was a great trip filled with more dog-love than one blog post can possibly contain. It's difficult to write about a trip to Red Lake Rosie's. The experience is always deep and full and expansive. It lodges itself somewhere deep inside your spirit and makes it impossible to return as the same person you were before you got there.

Karen is an amazing, glowing spirit who does amazing and incredible work. I love every moment that I've been able to spend with her and urge you to take the plunge and get involved in whatever way fits you best. Maybe you want to take a trip up to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue and help hands on. Maybe you want to do a transport. Maybe it's easier for you to simply donate resources or money. Maybe you have a special talent that you're able to contribute.

Personally, I love working hands on with the animals. I like getting dirty. I like being kissed to death. I like the smell of puppy breath. I like winning the trust of an unsure dog. I like seeing Karen in action. She inspires me. Red Lake Rosie's inspires me. These puppies and dogs inspire me.


You can learn more about Red Lake Rosie's Rescue here. Read their blog here. And learn more about donating time and/or resources here.

Read this.

The best paintings often start with a great photo.

Now get that camera out and go have some fun!

about the project…
As an artist, I am fascinated by the way dogs of particular neighborhoods reflect the people who live in them. I am also interested in the way dogs bring people together and create a common ground between those who might otherwise remain strangers. These layers of culture and community that are built around dogs and their people interest me greatly.

I am currently looking for participants to become part of an upcoming exhibition: “Dogs of Edina.” This project, the third in an ongoing series, reflects a sense of place and is rooted in a celebration of community.

If your dog lives, works, or plays in the Edina, MN area and is interested in taking part, please contact me.

20% off regular commission prices given for participating dogs!