The Tube

I went to throw away a paper towel tube yesterday, but something stopped me. I realized that I still have an instinct to save cardboard tubes for Geordie to destroy. It’s funny the way these memories pop up at random times.

Cairn terrier sits surrounded by Christmas toys.

Me? A destroyer?

(OK, so 10 minutes after this picture was taken, every toy was shredded….)

I still miss that crazy boy.

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It’s back to school season…time to expand your horizons and to increase you knowledge of the art world!Dream Our World provides an opportunity to discuss both classic and modern works of art.

Inside, Geordie and Toby view the world of art from a canine perspective while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun. There are a lot of hidden gems inside Dream Our World, and it is a joy for all ages. Treat yourself to a read that is both fun and educational!

Dream Our World, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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Memory Items

Memory Pillows on a chair. My weeks before Christmas were busy with projects. In this case, I was making Memory Bears and Memory Pillows for a woman whose husband had passed.

Memory items are typically made of the deceased person’s clothes. I can make them into teddy bears (similar to the one below) or pillows. With the pillows, I try to incorporate pockets, buttons and sometimes collars from the shirts used. With the bears, I often use the buttons from the shirts as the bears’ eyes. Some bears get bow ties. Some get long trailing ribbons.

The lady who ordered these gave them to her grandchildren for Christmas. She told them that whenever they wanted to hug Grandpa, they could hug their teddy bears.

Of course, the challenge was making sure that my playful pups didn’t think any of those stuffed animals were for them!

Peek-a-boo!

You sure that’s not for me, Mom?

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Don’t forget to order your copy of Poopiter. Poopiter “illustrates” the first year that Bitey Dog and his pesky little brother spend getting to know each other. A fun read for any dog lover!

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Landscapes and Memories

Hillside landscape in Autumn colors

As a painter it is my nature is to create pictures that are meticulous and exact. While studying the works of artists such as Van Gogh and Chagall though, I found myself swept away by the freedom expressiveness of their artwork, and I loved it. I want some of those feelings for myself!

I decided to explore the area around me and see what I could find to inspire me. Then I want to see what I can create – more creating a mood than a replica of the place, however. This was my first attempt at quickly capturing a scene from the neighborhood.

This particular location holds a special memory for me. When Geordie was a tiny pup, only a few months old, we were sitting at this same place. Suddenly Geordie jumped up and began growling and pulling as if he wanted to catch something. I checked all around and couldn’t find any rabbit or deer or anything. When I followed where his nose was pointing, I found a car driving on one of the roads on the facing hillside. From where we were sitting, it looked no larger than a beetle.

I hadn’t realized until then that my puppy didn’t understand perspective. The only way I could think to explain it to him was to pick him up and reach one arm out as far as I could toward the car. When he saw that even I couldn’t touch it, he finally settled down.

I still have a lot of work to do before I am comfortable with a more abstract style of painting. This one is driving me batty because I want to go back and make it right. Except, I don’t want “right” I want “mood”.

It’s a good thing I have a lot of paper because I’m pretty sure I am going to need it!

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