Tag Archives: animal

Endangered One

“Endangered One” 6x6in. Acrylic on MDF.

I met this fellow some years ago at a Big Cat Rescue, only to learn much later that the animals (about 300 of them) were being abused and neglected. Today, the previous owner is gone, a new organization has taken over the care of the cats, and many of them have now been moved to more suitable forever homes. Fortunately for me, I have photos of him, so wherever he is today, this painting is in honor of him. As one of my collectors said when he saw this, “The Bengal Tiger is one of God’s most beautiful creatures.” Agreed.

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Bucky

This painting is available as Note Cards.

“Bucky” Acrylic on MDF, 6″ x 6″ (See Note Card option below)

Growing up I was fortunate enough to have 3 dogs I loved (at different times), and several cats I adored. But each time my family would move to another state, my parents would give away my dog to strangers and drive off leaving my cat behind to fend for itself. To my parents, dogs and cats were animals with jobs to do around the farm: kill the mice, ward off intruders– my dogs were never permitted in the house. Dogs and cats were not something to be hauled around from state to state. Obviously, I grew up with a highly distorted attitude toward family pets.

By 10th grade, I’d become indifferent to pets—I’d loved and lost too many.

When I had kids of my own, my wife made it clear that pets are essential to the needs of children, and are full-fledged members of the family. Pets were to live indoors and sleep at the foot of the bed.

So, in 1979 we adopted this little guy, and named him Bucky (Starbuck). It took my wife and both kids to shatter the indifference I had acquired over the years. Them and Bucky. It would be 17 more years before I was again able to love cats as I had done as a child (also thanks to my remarkable kids). 2017 marks the 20th year I’ve had a pet that lives in my home, and has never had to earn its keep.

This painting is in memory of Bucky, beloved his entire life by his family.

NFS

“Bucky” Note Card

This painting is available as Note Cards (4-1/4 x 5-1/2″). Note Cards can be viewed and/or purchased here: “Bucky Note Cards” (Secure Zazzle page will open in new tab.)

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So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams, 1949)

“So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams, 1949)” 5x7in. Acrylic on MDF.

A cold, early, shadowless spring day in the Rockies, nothing much going on outside except for this lonesome robin. Probably scouting nesting areas. Reminded me at once of the old Hank Williams classic song, “So Lonesome I Could Cry,” in which he asks, “Did you ever see a robin weep?” I learned about Hank Williams as a kid from my mother. He was her favorite– she even helped get him an early gig in her little town when she was a teen. Mother’s Day was not far off, but Mom has been gone for a couple of years now. I painted this in her memory. The poor robin had ten more weeks of intermittent freezing weather, with our last snowstorm on May 18-19.

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