Jingle Belle

This is Belle. Her full name was Jingle Belle. She was a Christmas present to a young Georgia Family.
I was contacted by the wife to paint Belle. She wanted an anniversary present for her husband.
Belle had been in Dog Heaven for five years when I painted her portrait. The husband had grieved so hard for her, he never wanted another dog. She had lived to 17 years old.
I painted Belle.
The wife called me and asked if she could pick her up. She told me her husband would be with her.  She also told me that the painting was a surprise. She wanted to give her husband the portrait in my studio where I had created it.
They walked into my studio and I excused myself.
The wife called me back into the room in a few minutes.
The husband had been crying.

He said, "you don't know what this dog meant to us. She rode in the front seat while my kids were learning to drive. Her favorite thing was to ride in the front of our boat. You painted her there didn't you?"
The wife had the most beautiful smile on her face.
They have a new puppy.

Doc

This is Doc. I painted him for an old friend. Sometimes my friend will call me out of the blue. We talk about Doc, our Families, then back to Doc. Doc gave my friend and I a wonderful gift. We got a reason for two old friends to reconnect.

Daisy

This is Miss Daisy when she was a little girl. Daisey had a wonderful life. She lived to be an old lady, surrounded by humans that loved her. She now lives in Heaven, playing in fields of daisies. 

Sugar and Saint Frances

 I love the stories that I hear from the folks that ask me to paint their animals.
Sometimes I get to meet the animals, sometimes they are already in Heaven.
I have a prayer from Saint Frances of Assisi that I always hand  the person, picking up the completed portrait.
 I love this prayer because I love the thought of this good Saintly Man caring for our animals while waiting for us.
This happy, tennis ball loving girl was a very beloved member of her family.
Her name was Sugar. It was the perfect name for her.
She slept with and guarded her person, all night long.
She loved to swim in the pool and would often mistake happy splashing for the "need to rescue"!

I love to think of Sugar splashing happily in Heaven, while St. Frances laughs.dottiebassett8152@gmail.com