Dog Paintings

Let me introduce you to Cookie and Pepper — my family’s two rescue dogs, adopted from a shelter back in 2013. The shelter told us they were black lab mixes, but their actual breeds are anyone’s guess. For a while, people assumed they were mother and pup, though they came to us together and have been inseparable ever since.

During quarantine, I needed something to do with my hands. I bought some canvases, gave a few paintings away as Mother’s Day gifts, and then hit a wall. I had canvases and no ideas — until the obvious answer hit me. Paint the dogs.

I would not describe myself as an artistic person. But I am a perfectionist, which it turns out is a surprisingly useful quality when you’re trying to render black fur without producing a black blob. I found two photos of Cookie and Pepper I loved, sketched them out on canvas, and spent a lot of time on the details.

I was genuinely surprised by how they turned out. There’s something satisfying about making a thing with your hands — something you can look at and say I did that. The whole process was unexpectedly relaxing.

I’m considering painting more. Maybe my ball python next. And my advice to anyone considering picking up a hobby they think they’re not good at: just try it. You might discover something you didn’t know you had.