When I'm painting custom pet portraits

Sarge, my art studio dog, totally bored while I paint a pet portrait!

Poor Sarge, as much as I love to paint custom pet portraits and houses, I look over at him and know he'd rather we be doing just about anything else!

I get so "immersed" in my painting that I literally lose track of time.

And all the while, waiting for a walk, or a snack or a toss of a toy, Sarge sits.

I like to say he's supervising, but you know, he's really not.  And from the expression on his face here, he knows it, too!

Dogs Jumping on Trampoline?

Have you seen the boxer jumping on a trampoline video?  (Link below).  Okay, my boxer dog Sarge is the jumping-est canine I've ever seen.

Flash Boxer Dog

 

He LOVES to be in the air.  Water?  Not so much.  After seeing this video, though, I'm convinced that a trampoline belongs in our back yard, not a pool!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hly0vuXPG-M  Gotta see this!

Sarge the Boxer Dog on T.V.! Oh, me, too!

Sarge the T.V. Star Dog Getting His Beauty Sleep

Sarge NEEDS his beauty sleep, he's about to be a t.v. star!  For real!  On Tuesday, Sarge and I were interviewed by Philadelphia's Channel 6 producer Gaby, for a segment on their newsmagazine show, FYI, which will air on December 15.

I was naturally nervous, but Gaby was a real pro, as was the camerman, Andy.  They really put me at ease. 

Sarge, however, had no butterflies in his tummy, he knew they came to our home studio to see him, naturally!  Sarge was a total ham.  He really seemed to understand what he was supposed to do.

Actually, along with doing a little demo (hands shaking!) and talking about how I started doing pet portraits and telling some stories about the dogs and cats whose portraits I have done, we did discuss Sarge!  Since most of the pieces I've done in my career are sold and gone, I only had a few pieces to show, one was my painting of Sarge in profile.

The other one was Brutus, my nieces's boxer, who was the very first dog whose portrait I did!  The one and a half hour taping will be edited down to a minute and a half, and I can't wait to see what sticks and what gets snipped.

So now Sarge has what Wally and the Beave would call "a swelled head"!  Not really, later in the week Hoss came for an overnight visit and let him know that in some ways, Hoss is Boss! 

Brothers, Black Boxer Dog Hoss and Brindle Flash Sarge

Black Boxer Dog Hoss & Brother Sarge
 

Sarge is my studio dog, my buddy who keeps me company while I paint and draw my pet portraits.  He's the flashy brindle boy on the right. 

On our left is his half brother, Hoss, who is, as you can see, a Black Boxer dog.  Hoss comes out and visits with us often, and we recently had him for a fun week.  What is interesting to me is that they have the same father, and their moms are sisters, so they are very close geneticallly.  But they could not be farther apart in personality!

Sarge is laid back, enjoys romping but likes to take breaks rolling and stretching in the sunshine, amuses himself in the backyard while I get some garden work done.

Hoss?  100% energy.  I think he really resents having to get some sleep, but the way his legs go and his "whooooo, whoooooing" while "sleeping", he's having fun in his dreams!

When you take Hoss out, he wants to play with either Sarge or me the whole time.  His favorite toy at my house is that flattened basketball you see at Sarge's feet.  He never gets tired of having me throw it or kick it and bringing it back.  He's been trained to "back up", so I can safely kick it right over his head and off he goes.

Sarge would rather run with Hoss than retrieve.  Around and around the willow tree, his "fort" is his favorite.

Hoss is skinny, too.  He is healthy as can be but he burns it off.  I want his metabolism and energy!  Since Hoss is a city boy, he actually waits til you put a sheet of newspaper under his behind for him to poop on.  Easy cleanup!

If you haven't seen a black boxer before, they are actually covered with the brindle stripes 100% over the tan.  So in the sunshine, he's a very very dark blackish brown.  His dad is a black boxer, too, and they are AKC registered, one hundred percent boxer...and one hundred percent energy!!!

Studio Dog. Job Description. Maturity, attention to detail, energetic...

Sarge turned 1 yesterday on my beloved late mother's birthday.  I was so broken hearted about losing Otto last summer and I just don't think it was a coincidence that we found our new pup who is so perfect without some heavenly influence!  Thanks, Mom.  My mom really encouraged me to try harder at everything I did.  She wasn't the type to worry about my precious self-worth.  She pushed and I'm glad she did.  She never told me I did well when it was so-so.  Anyway how can you write about your mom when she's been gone almost as long as you had her...anyway, now we have Sarge!

So how does he measure up as a studio dog?  See for yourself!!!!!!   Sarge loves his backyard, and we have been spending a lot of time out there planting, and painting and drawing.  He is so willing to help, if only he could!  He  enjoys greeting people through the fence, has his special friends, and still seems to think that squirrels are just little buddies to perhaps give a half hearted chase with.

So he sleeps well!!  I've been working on some ACEOs that star my Sarge, and will be listing them on Ebay when I have enough.  First...we have more garden to tend to!

Same dog, same chair, the dog that launched my art career!

If you've been to my website, or met me in person at a show, you know Brutus. He's the first dog I ever did a portrait of...just after my wonderful nephew Anthony was born! Pouting in the chair, while we oohed and awwwed! The whole adorable story is HERE

Brutus launched my career and has brought me many, many pet portrait commissions! So naturally (next to Otto), he's my favorite dog!

Anthony's mom posted this photo of him on Facebook...same dog, same chair, same handsome face. Isn't he adorable?


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I'm animal artist, Robin Zebley. Click on the top right box to see my website and my woodcut prints that are for sale. If you'd like to read more of my blog, just click on the banner. If you'd like updates, just click on "following" to your right. If you'd like your own portrait of your pet, just email me at robinzebley@gmail.com. And facebook or twitter connect with me. I'm rzebley on twitter.