Chubs for Luck

oil and egg tempera on masonite, 6x6"

The first night of our honeymoon in Hawaii, we ate at an outdoor restaurant that was surrounded by chubby little statues just like this guy.  I took about a million photos on the trip--but I snapped a shot of this statue because I thought he could make a good painting.  I started this painting when we were still in Boston and I was taking the Renaissance painting class.  Now, almost a year later, I have finally finished it.  

If you wonder why I have done so little painting since we got here, here's one reason.  Someone doesn't like it when I paint because it means I'm not playing fetch with him.  So he climbs up on the sofa that backs up to the half-wall that separates my studio from the family room, hangs his feet over the wall just like this, and drops his ball into the studio.  He then barks and whimpers until I pick up the ball and throw it for him.  Then, he climbs back on the sofa to do it all again!  It's quite an exciting and unpredictable game, but it's hard to resist that fuzzy little face.

What's the cone for?  Well, to save money, a friend offered to groom him for us.  The nearly $300 vet bill that resulted from Hero getting his ear cut with the scissors really taught us that some things are better left to professionals.  He got his stitches out and the cone off today, and immediately got a professional haircut for $40 (which, it turns out, is a lot less than $300).