Two Yorkshire Terriers, One Adorable Painting

Do you know that almost all of the portrait commissions I receive are commissioned as a surprise gifts for a loved one? This recent portrait of two adorable Yorkshire Terriers in their hand knit sweaters was no different!

Earlier this year, I was contacted via email to about painting the portraits. The client emailed me the photos. As, the dogs were not together in the photos, I sent back some simple sketches of how the dogs could be painted on separate canvases or together in a composite. The client liked them together, and I quite agreed.

It was a pleasure to paint these little dogs, so full of personality. And painting that little pink tongue and co-ordinating sweater was priceless.

Oh, and about paintings commissioned as a surprise - I personally love to be the recipient of a thoughtful , heart felt surprise, and in no way would I ever want to deprive someone of that lovely moment. This is why, in this age of share everything on social media, you never see my portraits online as works in progress, etc. It is only after I am sure that the recipient has it and loves it, that I may post the portrait. .

If you are interested in a portrait from a photo, please feel free to contact me. OR to read how to commisson a portrait, sizes, prices and examples click here. Portraits can be of people, pets, objects, places, homes, and of course, polar bears! I ship worldwide.

We've had such a great winter here in the Toronto area. The artists at the Williams Mill have been more than grateful not to face the ice and snow on the steep hills that lead into Glen Williams and the Mill studios.

But still, I felt a great sense of relief that spring officially arrived this past week. And this expressed itself in the painting seen centre of the photo above. Meant to be the finished painting "Dog in Fog" inspired by the study at the left (also done last week ), I 'm thinking it could easily represent the departure of the "dog days" of winter and that the title needs a rethink.

About the chair. My daughter adored this chair owned by Naomi Assenheim, (Opal Wing Creations) the talented young jeweller here at the Mill. Naomi was my studio mate in the Stone Building, until her move to a new studio in the Williams Mill Yellow Mill (The Mill has four buildings housing artist studios). So I purchased this magical chair as a surprise gift for my daughter, but somehow it's never made it out of my studio. Any visitors to my studio who are old enough to remember their parents having such a chair, or have owned one themselves, are not too impressed by this new edition. But for those into retro furniture from the sixties and seventies, it's a definite hit.

And for me, its soft green and gold material inspires thoughts of spring and magic in the air.

What do you think?

PS. Normally, I load my high walls with my paintings. I enjoy this airier look, although it won't last for long as new paintings come to life.