This Old House

Vedder House

Castine, Maine

10" X 8" pen and ink

2009

The Vedder House is a beautiful example of New England Colonial style architecture. It's located in historic Castine, Maine. Unfortunately, the two venerable elm trees that bracket the house in this portrait are gone now, a combination of Dutch Elm disease and a violent storm, I think. I'm glad I was able to capture them in this drawing.

Feline Yogini

Sascha
7" X 5" pen and ink

2009

When I mentioned that I was one cat short of a calendar for next year, my niece Damaris leapt into the breach and commissioned this portrait of her beloved Sascha, who is now the astounding Ms. December in "Cats 2010." I'll let Damaris, who is as dexterous with words as Sascha is with her hind leg and her tongue, describe the pose:

"The portrait captures her in all her individuality, with the delicately swivelled ears, the oriental extravagance of her whiskers and eye-fronds, the knotted virility of her hind leg, and the lunatic roll of her narrowed eye. We spent quite a while on the sofa last night gazing at the portrait and giggling foolishly, like the doting cat-owners we are. It's such a a quintessentially feline pose, too."

Thank you, Damaris, for adding the last cat to my calendar! It's at the printers now, along with "Dog Days 2010."

An Etsy Treasury

Copper

One of the cat cards in my PenPets Etsy shop has been selected for a Treasury. This means another Etsy artist has included my image in a selection of images that she likes. Caitlin Sianio, a crochet artist who grew up in Maine, has put together a beautiful treasury of cats and sea green colors. I hope you'll check it out! This is the first time my artwork has been selected for a treasury. I'm honored!

A New PenPets Dog

Clancy

8" X 10" pen and ink

2009

I think Clancy's eyes say it all. He's a Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier and a total sweet-heart. Can't you tell?

Triple Scoop

Cinnamon
Strudel & Oscar
8" X 10" pen and ink
2009

Three doxies
Three flavors
All delicious!

All three doxies were rescued. Cinnamon came from a puppy mill where she had countless litters and lost all her teeth. Thus the little droop in her lower lip. The trio is now living the good life in Tennessee.

We took down the DIAA exhibit last night. There were five sales, none of mine. Tom and I came home and cracked open a bottle of good wine to console ourselves.