Bella

My friend asked if I would be willing to do a painting of their young English Bulldog, Bella, who recently passed away due to complications with cancer. I love doing animal portraits so I jumped at the opportunity!

I had never tried to paint an animal with so many wrinkles before … it truly was a challenge! However, I learned a lot, not only about the “how to’s” of trial and error, but also about the bulldog breed in general. In the process, I discovered that several other friends also have bulldogs as pets.

I certainly hope that this painting will bring comfort and closure to the family along with some good memories of Belle during the short time they had her in their lives.

If any of you would like a portrait done of your pet, please don’t hesitate to call or contact me … would love to help you!

 

Quincy, Illinois ... generational gratitude!

 I have had another opportunity to participate as an artist in a commemorative work related to early LDS church history, working with Glenn Rawson of the History of the Saints TV program.

Here is brief history regarding these pieces ...

After Governor Boggs of Missouri issued the “extermination” order in 1838, the saints were driven from Missouri and sought refuge across the Mississippi River in Illinois. The good people of Quincy, though outnumbered by the refugee Saints, were among the only ones who would give quarter and refuge to them. They literally saved their lives during the winter of 1838-39! John Wood, the founder of Quincy led the effort to help the beleaguered Mormon refugees.

The LDS church will be placing a permanent exhibit in the new History Museum in downtown Quincy, Illinois this spring as an official “thank you” to the people of the Quincy area for the kindness of their ancestors so many years ago.

In these two paintings, I was able to render how the Quincy downtown area may have looked in the 1840's, and how the Jonathan Browning home may have appeared just before he and his family left Quincy for Nauvoo around the time of their conversion to the Church in the early 1840's.

I am again honored to have been able to participate in such a project.