Don't Be Fooled: Black Dogs aren't Black

Tito, oil on canvas 20x16" . A special commission in progress.

I start with the eyes. That always makes them come to life and then I feel like they're monitoring the process start to finish. Speaking of starting things, during this piece I started listening to Ocean Vuong's "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" and it struck me for a few reasons: 1. Perhaps a dog's only fault is their short life spans. 2. immediately this book launches into the complicated life of monarch butterflies and our personal monsters and.. the narrator is nicknamed Little Dog... who happened to be the subject of my studio attentions for the duration of the book.
I felt like I was entering the twilight zone wielding my paintbrush. 
There are few things artists find more challenging than rendering hands, ears and... black animals. 
My advice? From someone who never went to art school, take it from me. A black dog is really not a black dog. If you look at the palette  I posted on my instagram story, black was actually completely absent. Ultramarine and Burnt umber will take you far enough into the darkness.

There are certainly pet portrait artists concerned with picking out every whisker but I leave that business to the laser jets. 

​If you want a painting?
There is always room on this easel for dog portrait commissions. 
Now that my solo show 'Pink Lions Paper Crowns' is up at Cole Gallery, I'm looking forward to getting back to personal projects.
I have several loose ends to revisit and then onto some really weird new adventures I've been dreaming about for far too long.