Three Labrador Retrievers

Rex, Magnus and Ami

My 24 x 30 oil portrait of these three charming labs went home to their owner last night!
Two of the old fellows are pushing 14 but the young center Lab, Magnus takes care not to overpower his elders :-)

I took the original photos and then combined their images and personalities into one large oil that now hangs proudly over the mantle.

Originally the owners called me last year  but we were not able to get together until August. 

The owner of Ami said it best when he said, "This is frickin' awesome!"
Yep-does my heart good :-)

Dec. 6, 2012 update: Rex, the yellow Lab on the far left passed away Nov 25. RIP old fellow-you will be so missed by your owner.

Seattle and fish and babies......and art

Kennedy Hazel Boone

So here I am in Seattle Washington where my daughter gave birth to her first baby-little Kennedy Hazel Boone on Sept 9 at 7:30 am. 
Mom and baby are doing just fine after one of those dramatic ER c-sections that was not in the initial plans :-)

Actually I have been here since Aug 27, but baby Kennedy slipped on by her due date of Aug 30 and so I extended my stay in this beautiful area just east of Seattle.

Artists at their small stalls

Tempting local vegetables and flower sellers

One area I explored was an historic  place in Seattle long known as a market for fishermen and farmers and now including artists and musicians called Pike's Place.

In business since the turn of the century

The place was packed-seems it was also the location (and still is) of the original Starbucks-a big tourist draw.

me with the Needle behind me.

A visit to Seattle would not have been complete without a visit to the Space Needle.See it behind me? Yes, I did get much closer...we ate dinner there (a bit pricey) and while walking the perimeter of the observation tower later I looked below to see an artist painting a trompe l' oeil version of giant spiders!

So see? There is some art in today's blog :-).
I fly back to NC on Sept 17.
 
The life of an artist...never dull :-)