Dog Days refer to the hot middle months of summer. While it's not technically summer here in California, it has been remarkably warm and it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so that's why this post got that title. This is a portrait of Brutis, a very fine dog I had the honor of painting. It was one of a few Valentine's Day gifts I was commissioned to paint. He has the best color coat and sweetest disposition.
Brutis
I rarely get sick, but I managed to catch a mild cold this past week. While it's not been too bad, I'd prefer feeling 100%. I think all the homemade soup, mandarins and a few hot toddies helped me get over it nicely.
It's been a very busy week, but different from what I'm used to. I'm reorganizing how I schedule my finances, time and projects. I keep looking for the finish line, when it's done and I get to paint and experiment. I'm trying to be super organized this year and I'm learning to be less busy and scattered as I was in 2013. So far, I really feel the difference.
Midst all this planning, I have cooked a few amazing meals and spontaneously decided to paint the front door of our house. I allowed myself to only choose from leftover colors from a public art project I did last year. I went with 'Navajo Red', a reddish orange color. For some reason, painting the door caused a light bulb to go off in my head and I realized I want to be more creative in all aspects of my life, not just with my art making. I feel like I have been so bogged down in the little details that I have been largely ignoring all the other ways I can make life awesome.
The new orange door
I was too excited to wait until the door was finished, but you get the basic idea. It turned out more orange than the rust I thought it would be, but orange is the color of health, beta-carotene, passion, adventure, transformation and increases creativity and appetite. Sounds good to me.
What do you think?! I love it!