Proud Moment

"Partners"
Oil on Canvas
16"x20"

To say I'm not thrilled with the finish of this piece would be a lie. I always have difficulty with patting myself on the back because I always feel I could do better. Not this time. However, I know this piece was not totally in my hands. First, the good people at Canine Partners for Life provided me with an inspiring photo. Second, I constantly felt divinely driven while painting and never felt alone with this piece. Finally, this piece has an important purpose and I felt certain that the universe wouldn't allow this to go wrong. So, this is a very proud moment for me, I did my job well.

What excites me so much is that I feel the goal of this artwork has been met. Let me tell you that this is a rare event. My intention was to bring awareness to the human-animal partnership and to show its beauty. Many people have emailed me that they would hang this painting in their homes and they find it to be very beautiful not just touching. I find this particularly interesting because so many of us tend to avert our eyes when we see someone in a wheelchair. We don't mean to be rude but we often don't want someone to see in our eyes what we feel. The presence of a service dog does make us more comfortable but we still tend to shy away. This painting has the opposite effect. That is what makes this a success in my eyes.

So make sure you look for the September issue of Pet Companions Magazine. Also, I will be selling prints and cards of this piece and portions of the proceeds will go to CPL. Stay tuned for major happenings with Soulful Studios like the launch of my new website as well as dates for upcoming events where you could meet me in person.