I first heard Rachel Harrington perform with Guy Clark in Portland a few years ago. After that, there were two or three house concerts and other shows. We had mutual friends. She liked my art. I loved her music. We discovered we shared a middle name. You’ve probably seen her name pop up on my blog under the “soundtrack” listing of many paintings. Her CDs are on my go-to list in the studio.

When I found out she had a dog – now three – we struck a deal that will keep her in pet portraits and me in CDs for life.

I just love artsy folks.

Awhile back, I was feeling anxious about not selling any paintings in recent days. Yes, I still had a to-do list of 15 or 20, but when I don’t see the emails coming in I get antsy. So I put out a 21st century call to the universe via Twitter.

And voila! within 10 minutes @RuffHaven had answered the call. Amazing. Next time, I might ask Twitter for a pony.

Tucker

Completed: February 10, 2011

Soundtrack: Rita Hosking, Come Sunrise

Beverage: Diet Ginger Ale

I recently painted these two birds for a client. Parakeets, I think.

And when I was done, they reminded me of something. I couldn’t put my finger on it until…

Maybe they’re cousins.

Maybe I need to spend less time on the computer.

According to Twitter, it’s Bastille Day. Everything I knew about this holiday was forgotten somewhere between now and 9th grade history class, so the only thing French I can contribute is this.

French Bulldogs.

I read this post on The Pioneer Woman’s blog about her cow, and just had to paint her. I mean,  how could I NOT? And now this painting is going to live with Ree and Daisy in Oklahoma.

Moo.

Daisy

Completed: July 6, 2010

Soundtrack: The Pretenders

Beverage: Diet Coke

It’s a very rare occasion that I receive an email from a client that says simply, “Here’s a photo. Please paint it.”  In fact, that’s never happened. Usually, I get to hear a little bit more of the story. A description of the subject, be it man or beast, from someone who really knows them. An anecdote about the person the painting is for (most often, a gift!); or a story about the day the photo was taken.

They’re all good stories, and I think they help shape the final portrait.

Chickenbone Jones is a little dog with a big story. In fact, many stories. You can read about how he was named by a rap star making a music video; how he was paralyzed (but recovered!); how he was almost on a wine label; or most recently, how a portrait I painted of him was someone’s very first Father’s Day gift.

He's a Chugweenie. And proud of it.

I receive messages from clients every day filling me in on the next chapter; how they felt when the painting arrived, the reaction of their friends and family, the special place in their home they’ve chosen to hang their new artwork.

It’s nice to be part of other people’s stories.

A few months ago, I painted Neil Gaiman’s lovely white shepherd, Cabal.

A dog so noble, he even has his own Tumblr page.

Since then, Mr. Gaiman has adopted another white shepherd, Lola. I couldn’t possibly allow Lola to feel left out, so I was compelled to paint her as well.

Lola

She’s younger than Cabal and seems a bit more puppyish in the photos I’ve seen. I thought this image with her tongue hanging out captured her youth!

Today is the official start of voting for the Mutt Lynch Winery label contest! I am conjuring up all the powers of Twitter, Facebook, the interwebs and beyond to launch a campaign of shock and awe.

Let’s get this face on a wine label:

Chickenbone Jones really wants you to vote for him. Really, really.

Voting begins today and goes through May25. Vote here.

For the second year, I’m entering the Mutt Lynch Winery wine label contest, which of course, combines two of my favorite things – art and wine.

The wine to be labeled will be a “Muttitage” blend of the winery’s finest barrels.  Only 500 bottles of wine will be produced and the Sonoma winery will donate 10% of the proceeds to the San Francisco SPCA. Wine for a good cause!

Last year, I composed a piece specifically for the contest.

Two Dog Night

This year, I’d like to enter something I’ve already done, and I want you to help me decide. I’ve narrowed it down to these guys.

Murphy

Chickenbone Jones

Spanky

Try to picture their little faces on a wine label. Who will you choose? Murphy’s playful exhuberance, Chickenbone’s soul-searing eyes or Spanky’s hang-dog hopefulness?  Or do you have a better idea? Entries are due May 15, so vote early!

I am SO shy. I am shy and socially awkward. In fact, it would be better for everyone if the only place I ever was, was where people are not.

That said, The Pioneer Woman came to town today and I was not about to miss it. So I packed up myself and my crippling insecurity, spent way too much time contemplating an outfit, actually put on make-up, got all Spanx’d up and drove to Portland to meet her.

I took an entire half-day off work.

Portland is a great town, and I really don’t get there as much as I’d like. The book signing was at Powell’s in Beaverton, which is Portland sprawl to the west. I stopped at Washington Square to check the Disney Store for treasures (bribes) and to browse through Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn without my kids whining at me to come on already. My next stop was Art Media, a place I probably haven’t visited since I was a student at Portland State. It’s a cool store, but they were out of Yupo (have I started a trend?) so I moved on.

I met my friend at Starbucks, and luckily it was the right one. This is Portland, after all. From the stoplight at Powell’s I could see three Starbucks.

They started giving out tickets for the signing at 4:30, but the line was already well underway. They announced that someone had been there since 10 a.m. I’m not even kidding. I had ticket 110 and last I heard, they stopped handing out tickets at number 375 and everyone else just had to fend for themselves.

We sat in the back. I’m claustrophobic.

There was quite a turnout, of course.

I waited patiently with my cookbooks on my lap. I brought Ree a pendant with the Charlie painting on it (secret: it’s what I send my clients as a thank-you if they order a large portrait!)

I started to fidget.

My pink ostrich boots seemed right for the occasion.

Ree came in through the back of the store, but I don’t have a photo of that. I also don’t have a photo of her impersonating Ethel Merman, giving life advice to soon-to-be college graduates or calling Reese Witherspoon “blonde, petite and narrow.”

But that all happened.

You know how she looks on her website? She looks just like that, but real.

Okay, this is the part where I turn into a complete idiot. I probably blushed. I know I stammered. I walked up and said, “I’m Rachael. The one who painted Charlie?” And instead of calling security she stood up and gave me a hug.

And then I asked the person in line behind me to take a picture of us with my camera. And then Ree asked the same person to take a picture of us with her camera. I’m glad she’s good at Photoshop.

Here I'm thinking, "Is there lipstick on my teeth?"

When I got home, my kids greeted me with, “what did  you bring us?” I tossed some kettle corn in their direction, but H spotted the cookbook. The girl who only eats carbs unsurprisingly flipped right to the Twice Baked Potato recipe and squealed. My husband asked suspiciously if it was a vegetarian cookbook and I assured him that no, it is filled with meat, butter and bacon recipes. He was pleased.

Here's what the cookbook looks like on my counter. Because that's important.

I like to think if Charlie had been there, he would've signed it too.