"Shadow" Pet Portraits In Charcoal

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Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about  Shadow,  his breed, and other Pet issues…WHEN YOU FINISH…If you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in. Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world, and included in one of these blog posts for the world to see… Please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

Shadow was owned by Elisa and Mike from Broomfield Colorado. Shadow was a present from Mike to Elisa after Elisa graduated from Nursing school. Shadow is half  Black Labrador and half Chow Chow. Shadow exhibited traits from both of  these breeds and I will touch on this shortly.

Elisa chose Shadow because when they went to adopt, they noticed Shadow (not named as of yet) crying and distraught in his little area. Apparently his brother was just adopted and Elisa and Mike just could not resist bringing him home. Mike said” Say hello to Mom” and his wonderful life with his new owners began. Shadow got his name because he constantly followed Elisa everywhere she went, like her shadow. During walks Mike would have to sometimes pick up Shadow when he was young and carry him home, sometimes stopping by the neighborhood little league baseball games to watch and rest. Elisa states that Shadow was a five person dog, staying close to people in the immediate family plus a close family friend, Jeanette. For some reason Shadow and Jeanette just hit it off.  Shadow passed away at the age of 13.  He is dearly missed but had a wonderful life with Mike and Elisa. They took very good care of him throughout his life and he reciprocated by being a faithful and protective companion. I am grateful to be able to portray Shadow in this Portrait, He is a beautiful Dog.

A Black Labrador is happiest when he can have both a family and a field. He has a very favorable disposition and is very good with children. They are bright and alert with an extraordinary sense of smell. This breed enjoys being trained as a gun dog. Shadows  “five Person dog”  characteristic comes from his Chow Chow side. They are a very intense breed and his loyalty makes him a one man dog . They are highly intelligent and can show aloof disdain for anyone other than his master. The Chow Chow is the only dog in the world with a blue black tongue. Shadow had the best characteristics of both of these wonderful breeds.

Thank you for reading My Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog. Please share this Blog with anyone who may be interested. Next up will be my second addition of the Pet Portrait Painting, Step by Step series.  Have a wonderful time with your animals!  Cy

"TC" Pet Portraits In Charcoal

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Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about  TC, his breed, and other Pet issues…WHEN YOU FINISH…If you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in. Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world, and included in one of these blog posts for the world to see… Please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

TC  was owned by Betty from Westminster Colorado. TC”s breed, in Betty’s words is a “plain old short haired white cat”. More about this breed, and its more specific name in a  moment. “TC” stands for Trash Compactor.  This name came about because Betty’s daughter found this little thing at a recycling center next to a Trash Compactor machine.

TC past away a couple of years ago and is dearly missed. He lived to be 17 years old. For his first 10 years he lived with Betty’s daughter, and her husband, and then moved in with Betty shortly there after. Betty had two other cats and apparently they all got along wonderfully together. Betty says that TC was a quiet, good, social kitty.

Before moving to Betty’s house TC was living with a couple of dogs and he would get a little skittish at times. In an attempt to find a good hiding place, at one point, he almost got sheet rocked into a wall during a basement renovation. Betty’s son and son in law had to be extra careful with TC around on the construction site!

TC, as stated earlier, is considered a “Short haired plain old white cat”  Now I was not able to find this particular breed in my breeders manual so I am going to figure he was either a British or American short hair. The American short hair originally came from the British breed and was introduced to the new world from Europe by working aboard the ships coming to America as mousers protecting the ships stores of supplies. They quickly developed the special characteristics needed to cope here in these different  regions and climates.

TC was a beautiful cat, and from what I learned, had a wonderful life, (other then being born near the trash compactor thing of course!). He was very well cared for and loved, and for sure was blessed to end up with this family.  I am honored to have had the opportunity to draw him.

Thank you for reading this Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog. Please share this with our other cat lovers! My next Blog will be the first in my new Pet Portrait Painting, Step By Step series. Also, of course be looking for more of these Charcoal Portrait Blogs soon!  Some beautiful dogs are up next!  Cy

"LuLu" Pet Portraits In Charcoal

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Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about  LuLu, her breed, and other Pet issues…BUT FIRST…If you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in. Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world, and included in one of these blog posts for the world to see… Please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

LuLu is a hybrid breed, A cross between a French Bulldog, and a Labrador retriever. I will be discussing her breed shortly but first…..LuLu is Jon’s dog. He is 12 and is the brother of Julia, (who owns Clare, the object of my last Blog). LuLu is one of the 5 animals in the household, and she is basically the boss. She herds the other animals, is very vocal, will talk to you, and loves to sleep and snuggle with everyone in the family, including the other animals.

LuLu is an excellent watch dog, but has a very sweet disposition. She loves to chew her bone and she eats her dinner lying down, which earned her the nickname “Lazy Lu”  from the family. Jon and LuLu love each other very much, Jon says he was looking for a special dog for three years before they adopted LuLu, and In his words, ” It was an Instant connection”. LuLu keeps tabs on both Jon and Julia and herds them whenever she can. LuLu is a great addition to this house hold and this is another wonderful example of the story of a boy and his dog. 

LuLu is called a FrenchieLabrador, half French Bulldog, half Labrador Retriever. She has the best characteristics of both breeds. The French Bulldog was bred in 19thcentury England as a companion dog, called a “Toy Bulldog”, it is small, muscular and has a smooth coat. Its best known characteristic is its over sized “Bat” ears. It is very affectionate and is considered an excellent Lap warmer.  It got its name because it became very popular in France and it was here that the breed gained notoriety.

The Labrador retriever is the most popular breed in the U.S.. It originated in Newfoundland as a companion to fisherman, and eventually, a retriever for game. Its prime objective in life is to please its Masters so it excells as a guide dog, and with its even temperament and train ability, it  is a wonderful Family dog.

I have spent a fair amount of time with LuLu and she for sure has all of these great characteristic qualities from both of these breeds. I would highly recommend a Frenchie Labrador for the family who wants a medium sized, low maintenance and loyal dog.

Thank you for reading this installment Of Pet Portraits In Charcoal! In the coming weeks I have many more fun and interesting animals to share with you. I will be posting at least one Blog per week and many weeks more. Also be on the lookout for my “Pet Portrait Painting, Step by Step Blog” featuring the daily work progression that took place during my painting of  “Abbey”. Please share this if it may interest your friends, and I will be blogging with you again soon! Cy

“Clare” Pet Portraits In Charcoal

This is a post written a year ago featuring “‘Clare”.  Clare is an Affenpinscher and I am re-posting this because Clares’ breed won this years (2013) 137th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show BEST IN SHOW award!! And I wanted to share some information about this fun breed.

Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about  Clare, her breed, and other Pet issues…BUT FIRST…If you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in. Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world,  Please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

Clare is an Affenpinscher. an interesting little breed  that I will provide some info on shortly. Clare is owned by Julia, a sweet 11 year old who lives in Thornton Colorado. In Julia’s household there are a total of 3 dogs and 2 cats. Clare is Julia’s dog and they are very cute together. Julia will carry Clare around with her and they can often be seen snuggling together. Clare is great with kids and other animals, but she will get a little nervous when a stranger enters the house. A friendly dog however, and warms up to new people quickly.

In little Julia’s words she chose Clare for adoption because she thought Clare was showing off to her when they first met. Apparently Julia was throwing a little toy bracelet for some dogs and Clare would run after it and bring it back to her. It was a perfect match, and their love for each other is readily evident upon watching them play together.

Affenpinscher translated in German is “Monkey Terrier”. It is one of the most ancient of the toy dog breeds. It originated in central Europe (Germany and France). During the 17th century these small terriers were bred as Ratters and were kept around farms and stores to keep the mice and rat populations down.

The Affenpinscher is a very peppy dog and has the impish nature of a monkey.  They also were nicknamed “Little Dog With a Moustache”. This wire haired terrier struts around and acts as if it were a much larger dog. Nowadays they are fun loving, mischievous, very intelligent and a great house pet. Julia and her family will happily attest to the fact that her Affenpinscher Clare loves kids and gets along with other animals as well.

Thank you for reading my Pet Portraits In Charcoal blog, Check back soon to read about many more interesting animals. Feel free to share this blog with whomever might find it interesting!  Thanks and please take good care of yourselves and your pets! Cy

"Jarvis & Lucy" Pet Portraits In Charcoal

Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about ”Jarvis & Lucy”, about their breed, and other Pet issues…BUT FIRST…If you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in. Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world, and included in one of these blog posts for the world to see… Please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

Jarvis and Lucy are owned by Jenni and Jeff from Louisville Colorado. Jarvis is 3 years old and Lucy is 11. They are both Pure bred Dachshunds and are happy little dogs, enjoying a loving relationship, with their owners. according to Ali, Jenni’s friend, they enjoy jumping from surface to surface  around the house, and are not happy if their masters leave home. But I am sure all enjoy an exuberant and happy reunion upon the return.

The Dachshund breed belongs to the hound family. They were bred in Germany hundreds of years ago to hunt Badger. “Dachs” is in fact the German word for Badger.  The Elongated body and short legs were bred into this dog to dig the prey out and go inside their burrows, forcing them to leave their dens. The miniature variety was bred to hunt Hare and stoat (Weasel). Dachshunds also hunted Fox and Otters.

The Dachshund is now mostly seen as a companion rather than a hunter. They are very clownish and mischievous, and is a very intuitive dog. This breed loves people, is friendly, fun loving and outgoing and steals the hearts of everyone he, or she meets. They can become jealous and irritable at times, being complex in both mood and temperament. Proper training, care and affection is important and advised, and  children should be gentle and considerate. This wonderful and cute little dog would be a great addition to  any home.

Thank You for reading about Jarvis and Lucy, I hope you found it enjoyable and educational. Check back  soon for the next Pet Portraits In charcoal Blog.  I have a lot more fun animal pictures and stories to share. Next up I will be showcasing three of the most beautiful cats that I have portrayed.

Please share this with anyone you know who may be interested….. Thank you and  I will be talking with you through my Blog soon,  Cy

"Smarty Jones" Pet Portraits In Charcoal

Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about “Smarty Jones”, about one of his greatest fans and about his wonderful career as a thoroughbred racehorse.…BUT FIRST…if you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world, and included in one of these blog posts for the world to see… please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

Smarty Jones is a retired champion thoroughbred racehorse. In 2004 he won both the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes, and narrowly missed the triple crown by running second in the Belmont stakes. He earned $7.6 million over a wonderful career running against the worlds best horses.  Upon retiring he stood stud at Three Chimneys farm in Midway Kentucky, and now resides at Ghost Ridge Farms in Felton PA.

I was commissioned to draw Smarty by Tara from longmont CO. As a sweet gesture she wanted to give this piece as a gift to one of her good friends and as it turns out one of Smartys most avid fans, Tammy from Niwot CO.  Tammy fell in love with the Smarty Jones story shortly after his wonderful 2004 Triple Crown run. She has traveled to Three Chimneys or Smarty’s other farms at least once a year since 2005 to see and learn more about him. I would consider Tammy an expert on this horse, and as a racehorse fan myself, I found it very enjoyable, and informative to discuss him with her. 

Smarty Jones’  Sire (father) was Elusive Quality and the Dam (his Mother) was I’ll Get Along .  Smarty’s blood line includes some of the most famous racehorses ever to run including, on his fathers side, Secretariat, (his great, great grandfather), Bold Ruler, and Native Dancer.  And on his mothers side Fool-Me-Not and his sire, Tom Fool.  Smarty Jones has sired some fine horses himself since his retirement including,  Backtalk,  Be Smart and Smart Coco.

 Smarty Jones was bred by Roy and Patricia Chapman. Patricia’s mom,  Mildrid (Milly)  McNair who died in 1989, shares the same birth date as Smarty (February 28, 2001) and this is how he got his name, Milly’s nickname as a child was Smarty Jones.

Smarty Jones is a beautiful Chestnut Colt. There is a  great heritage and success story that will always follow him and I am honored to share my Portrait of him, and his story with you all. Thank you for reading my Pet Portraits In Charcoal blog, and check back soon for another informative entry and some great looking animals!  

Know some Horse lovers or Racing fans?  Please share this!  Thanks, Cy

"Max & Willie" Pet Portraits In Charcoal

Welcome back to my Pet Portraits In Charcoal Blog!  Please read on about “Max & Willie”, about their breed, and other Pet issues…BUT FIRST…if you would like your pet, or a friends pet portrayed in an 11 x 14 in Charcoal Portrait sent to you, (or anyone you choose), anywhere in the world, and included in one of these blog posts for the world to see… please visit this link and get the Info!   http://www.petportraitsbycy.com/?page_id=743

Max and Willie are brother and sister from the same litter, born on May 25th and owned by Susan and Ron in Boulder Colorado. Willie is currently 11 years old, and Max sadly passed on at the age of 8. They were inseparable, and shared a special bond. Willie, the sister and smaller of the two was in fact the boss, she would at times herd Max around and would often literally sit on his head during times of rest (which come often for a Bulldog). As younger dogs they loved to chase the spot of a flashlight  around the yard. Ron would wield the light watching them flounder on the grass trying to get the elusive bright circle. This would tire them quickly and they would soon retire to their doggy bed in the kitchen, usually with Willie sitting or lying on some part of Max.

Willie, understandably went through a period of depression after Max died but eventually returned to her more or less normal cute and very sweet tempered demeanor. She will follow you where ever you go around the house (especially if there is lightning) and is a cherished and loved important part of the family.  Max and Willie could not have found a more wonderful family to live with, and Susan, Ron and their family all can say the same about these two awesome Bulldogs.

The Bulldog breed has made the most radical shift in canine history–from ferocious fighter to gentle companion. Originally they were bred for violence, mainly Bull baiting. With his short head and powerful jaw he could maintain a grip on another animal and remain breathing indefinitely. His low slung body was protection from a bulls horns. A Bulldog is a cross between a Mastiff, a Pug and a Terrier.  Males weigh about 50 lbs. females around 40.

Bulldogs are renowned for their courage and tenacity and also possess great dignity and a noble heart. Not withstanding the previous paragraph on violence, nowadays he is a great guardian of both property and children, and few breeds can match his zeal and devotion as a friend. Bulldogs are  an admirable breed for sure.

Thank You for reading about Max and Willie, I hope you found it enjoyable and educational. Check back  soon for the next Pet Portraits In charcoal Blog.  I have a lot more dogs, cats and next up I’ve got  the Racehorse Smarty Jones!  The 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner!