Lady

Lady was a wonderful, mellow collie who helped to raise my grandson.  She was smart, loyal, and a joy to have around.  She crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2011 and I memorialized her in a painting from the following photo.

Lady

The beauty of working from a photo is that I don't have to worry about my subject moving around.  In this case it allowed me to relive the memories after her death as I painted.  One of those memories is of her laying calmly amidst a bevy of boys who were engrossed in their video game.  One time I even found her sitting on top of one of those boys.  He didn't seem to notice that he was being used as a sofa.  You can see the finished painting here.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

This delightful creature inhabits the high mountain country, scurrying across the rocks and tundra, often giving a distinctive whistle.  They have gotten used to the tourist incursions during the summer and often pose for photos as this one did.

Photo of Yellow Bellied Marmot

He was the perfect subject for a painting.  You can see the painting here.