Who Let the Dogs out?, 8x10 , oil painting, Maryanne JAcobsen art, paintings of dogs, pugs, bull dogs, Wine-tasting, Santa Cruz, MJA Winerie, Canson paper pads for oils

"Who let the Dogs out?" ,8x10, oil sketch on Canson paper

On our way to Yosemite last year we stopped and had a wine-tasting at MJA Vineyards tasting room in   Santa Cruz. The fun and laid back atmosphere was perfect after a stressful drive !

While we were enjoying our tasting , we met a nice fellow from San Franscisco who was there with his two adorable dogs. We chatted and the dogs were a huge hit with everyone who came in, especially me! The owner gave me permission to photograph them and they did their best to hold still!

Last night I decided to try out my sample sheet of Canson paper panels for oil and acrylics that I rec'd in a gift bag at a Paint-Out recently. I chose the dogs for a quick study. The paper has a nice tooth and is sturdy enough to take a palette knife and even frame. The best part is that you don't get too attached to your work while you're painting because it is an inexpensive support. So I did this quick study in about an hour or so.

I'll definitely be buying more of these supports as I loved painting on it.

If you're ever in the Santa Cruz area and looking to relax, be sure to stop in at MJA's and enjoy a delightful and casual wine-tasting . And maybe you'll be lucky enough to meet Eda and her brother, too!

"Harry", 12x16, oil on board, paintings of dogs, hound dogs, palette knife paintings of dogs, dog portraits

"Harry", 12x16, oil on board

Harry, my son's dog, loves to bark. At squirrels, at people, at cats, at other dogs. Literally, Harry would stand at the window and howl all day if it were up to him . Which it isn't. The neighbors have already made that abundantly clear. At least made it clear to me through nasty notes in the mailbox. Not that that matters to Harry.

So Harry was officially uninvited to my house for the unforeseeable future. Not that Harry cares. You see, my son's neighbor has decided to have a hen and a rooster in his back yard so he can have fresh eggs each day. Which drives Harry nuts, since he can't have the eggs or the fowl. So now Harry howls at the fowl day and night and drives the rooster and hen, as well as my son and daughter-in-law bonkers. Which makes the cockatoo that lives on the other side of Harry very happy. And if you think Harry's howling, the rooster's crowing and the hen's clucking is bad, you should come around when the cockatoo joins in the choir.

So thankful I don't live anywhere near Harry and the boys.