www.DogsByDana.com
  • Home
  • Pet Portraits
    • Gallery of Portraits
    • The Process
    • Portrait Pricing
  • Jewelry
  • Words
    • Kind words from customers
    • Press
    • About the Artist
  • Contact Me
  • Two Dog Blog
  • Holiday Open House

Two years, four years...forever

11/14/2017

0 Comments

 

It was two years ago today that we lost Teddy, and just over four years that we lost Sophie. I think about them and miss them everyday, as well as all the other dogs and pets I've had and lost....


I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in loving a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?
                                                    Sir Walter Scott [1771-1832]

We give them back to you, dear Lord,
Who gave them to us.
Yet as you did not lose them in giving,
So we have not lost them by their return.
For what is yours is ours always, if we are yours.
And life is eternal and love is immortal,
And death is only a horizon,
And a horizon is nothing more
Than the limit of our sight.

​
                                                 Adapted from the writings of William Penn [1644-1718] for a Quaker prayer
Picture
Love you both, always.
0 Comments

Happy Maeve-iversary!

7/31/2017

1 Comment

 
One year ago today we signed the contract to make Maeve our very own fluffmuffin. It has been a year of sweet snuggles, quirky surprises, funny stories, more quirky surprises, lots of love, additional quirky surprises, some solid squirrel protection and enough dog hair to choke a horse...and we couldn't be happier! So we celebrated with the best kind of car ride possible...the kind that results in ice cream (well, frozen custard, actually). Enjoy!
1 Comment

It's been a year...

10/26/2013

2 Comments

 
One year ago today, we lost Sophie following surgery to remove a tumor from one of her lungs. It was the third time in two years that cancer appeared, and we had a difficult decision to make. She was 16 and had had cancer in a less invasive form twice before, but she seemed so happy and otherwise healthy...We knew if we didn't have the surgery, we would soon be faced with deciding which day would be "the day" because she was suffering from coughing spells that were rapidly getting worse. Maybe the surgery would give her some more time and make her comfortable....Tough decisions. We chose surgery. The morning that I took her to OSU, where she would have her procedure, I walked her down the sidewalk a little way, thinking the whole time that it may be the last time I would have that privilege, that joy. So, I videoed that brief walk with the thought that I could experience it over and over again, in case it was her last. I tried not to think of it in those terms, but it did turn out to be her last walk.

She looks so happy, so healthy...not a clue about what was wrong or what was going to happen. Sophie loved an adventure of any kind, whether it was a walk around the block or a ride across town.   I'm really glad I have the clip, but I'm sort of wishing I had done it before it was "her last" so I didn't have to think of that every time I watch it. You can see why we wanted to keep things going, to give her more time... It wasn't meant to be, I guess, and until I can walk with her among the stars, I have this, and I thought I would share it with you today, on the anniversary of her passing:
2 Comments

Remembrance Ceremony

8/16/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
On a Saturday in May, The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, through its Honoring the Bond program, hosted a Remembrance Ceremony for all the pet patients that they treated and lost in the preceding year. We lost Sophie last October 26th, following surgery for a tumor in her lung, so we were invited to participate. 

It took place in an auditorium in the vet hospital which I never knew was there (along with a Subway, which I also never knew was there, despite having nearly starved to death multiple times while camping out at the vet hospital waiting room during marathon visits. )

When we arrived, we were greeted by very kind volunteers and comfort dogs, and given a bag with Sophie's name on it which contained a copy of the slideshow that was to be presented, a small candle, two rocks with "Sophie" written on them, and a package of forget-me-not seeds. The auditorium itself had more boxes of tissues in one room than I have ever seen, with the possible exception of Costco.
Picture
There were words of welcome, then a first-year resident vet from OSU (who had also lost a pet in the past year) spoke on gratitude, for our pets and the people who help us care for them, and for the people who help us say goodbye to them. The next speaker was from Schoedinger Pet Services (a funeral home in Columbus that provides cremation services for beloved pets). She spoke on getting through the loss of a pet. One of the many things she discussed in her speech was her belief that ignoring grief results in bitterness, while embracing it, even though it hurts, deepens your soul. The third speaker was a veterinarian who has a practice that specializes in at-home euthanasia. She spoke about finding the courage to say goodbye. In between the speakers, the College of Veterinary Medicine chorus (who knew!?), called "The Hoofbeats," sang two songs, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Homeward Bound" (not the Simon and Garfunkel song), just in case we didn't cry enough during the speeches.

When the speeches were over, the remembrance slide show was played. Everyone who attended had submitted a picture of their pet and a few words of remembrance that were printed below the pet's picture in the slideshow. I believe there were probably between 50 and 70 pets featured in the slideshow. The photo at the top of this entry was the picture of Sophie that we submitted.
Picture
After the slideshow, we went out to the little garden along the side of the building, and we all placed our stones with the names of our pets there.

Picture
Art and I placed Sophie's stone under the tree. That's it there on the left.

Picture
Here, in the center, after more stones were added. I like to think that she is among "friends."

Picture
You could put your stone anywhere in the garden, but it seems that everyone chose to put it under the tree. I thought that was kind of sweet.

Picture
We had two rocks because they prepared one for each attendee. We placed one in the garden at OSU, and we brought one home to place in our garden here.

Picture
After putting our rock in the garden, we went back inside where we were offered cookies and something to drink, as well as the opportunity to participate in an art project, which was making a memory box. When I RSVP'd that we would be attending the ceremony, they asked how many people would be participating in the art project. I responded that there would be two of us. When I told Art that I had responded for him, he said that he didn't want to participate in the art project, but that he would watch while I did. (I think he was afraid that they were going to have everyone paint their own pet portrait or something....)

Picture
Well, when he got there and saw that the art project consisted of cutting up photos of Sophie that I had brought with us and pasting them on an Altoids box (or other box of your choice, which was provided), he picked up the scissors and snipped and glued and ModPodged like a sport. I would even say that he seemed to enjoy himself.

Picture
He made the box on the right, while I made the one on the left. I like our little boxes a lot. It seems like the perfect place to keep that little snip of fur you always keep when you lose a pet. I like the idea so much that I plan on making them for each of the other dogs I've lost. I wonder if Art will participate at home?

When we finished our boxes, we spoke with Joelle Nielsen, the social worker in charge of the "Honoring the Bond" program. She had organized the program and we wanted to thank her. She is a delightful person whom we had met before at some art festivals when she stopped by my booth. Then we headed  home.

It was a very nice program and it served an important purpose. I think that when other people acknowledge the loss of a pet as genuine and deep, it validates the grief you are experiencing. So I really appreciate Ohio State for doing that. It also gave me a chance to really experience the grief of losing Sophie. I mean, I do and I have every day since she died, but right at the time it happened there was a lot going on with my dad being hospitalized and having complications following his own surgery, and I don't think I absorbed the loss in a way that I needed to at the time. I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to experience the remembrance ceremony for Sophie. I will never stop missing her.
0 Comments

A prayer for animals

3/14/2013

0 Comments

 
I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post (sorry!), but I have been busy with all kinds of things. One thing I've been trying to do is bring some order to the room I use as my studio. In the process, I came across an "illumination" that I got at an arts festival years ago, long before I started participating in festivals. I liked it so much, I framed it and hung it up in my studio. It's a take on illuminated manuscripts created by monks when they had to record scripture by hand. They would go way beyond the painstaking task of just writing page after page; they would also decorate the pages with illustrations related to the text they were copying. The most famous example of an illuminated manuscript, I believe, is the Book of Kells, located at Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. We made a point of seeing the Book of Kells several years ago when we were in Ireland, and it was lovely. If you visit, you can only see two pages at a time. By that, I mean that the book is open in a display case, and every day, someone turns a page to display for that day. So, if you visit on Monday, then return on Thursday, you will see different pages. Anyway...my little discovery was a prayer for animals by Albert Schweitzer, which someone reproduced in calligraphy, then added charming little watercolor illustrations. It even has a gold-leaf looking "H" at the beginning. I don't know why I stashed it away and left it for so long, but I'm glad I found it, and I thought I would share it with you. I only wish that I had taken the picture of it before I framed it, because the reflection on the glass required me to take the photo at weird angle. I hope you like it:
Picture
0 Comments

Giant blog entry...

12/21/2012

0 Comments

 
This is a huge blog entry for me. I guess I'm making up for lost time. I've been super-busy this past month, with the usual Christmas preparations and such, on top of all the regular stuff, plus a birthday, and nursing my finger and my dog, so I've been really bad about updating lately. Here's a little bit about what's been going on...
Picture
Having a bandaged finger doesn't seem like it should be a big deal, but does get in the way more than you would think. Things I take for granted, like the way I hold the leash when I walk Teddy, putting an elastic in my hair for a ponytail, opening jars, flossing my teeth, and trying to applaud at a great concert. It doesn't stop me from doing these things, but it does get in the way. It's also a factor when I'm sawing a design out of silver, because that's the finger I would like to be using to hold the metal against the bench pin. Oh, well. I did get my stitches out, and things were great for two or three days, then the joint got really angry and swelled up, turned red, hurt tremendously and became un-bendable. It's calming down now, and much of the pain is gone, but I lost a lot of ground with physical therapy. Despite the whining, I have managed to get some work done, and here's a photo of some of the jewelry I made while impaired. It doesn't interfere much with my ability to paint. Washing my hands, yes (when it's bandaged), but not in getting them dirty.                                                                   

Teddy had some dental surgery to remove a cracked tooth. It looked like it should be terribly painful, but he never showed any symptoms of the problem. He was very floppy from the anesthesia and pain medication, and it was sweet to see such a big dog be so...pliable. We didn't want him to fall off the bed that night (he usually starts the night with a visit for an hour or so), so we got him situated in his giant, very comfy Frontgate dog bed, which we covered with a sheet to catch his blood-tinged drool, and we thought he would be out for the night. Not so...sometime around 4:00 AM, Teddy decided he wanted to visit, so he flung his 73 pounds up onto the bed in a move that lacked any kind of grace or control and landed, like a bony sack of potatoes, on Art's legs. And then he wouldn't move. Art actually had to get out of bed and push him over. I was relieved to see that Art still had use of his legs. Teddy is pretty much recovered from his surgery, although we are still softening his food (which smells great, by the way.) He is now being treated for an ear infection. I really hope that Teddy is not trying to compete with Sophie's legacy of vet bills. We're hoping for an extended period of good health for Teddy (and our Discover card).

Today is Teddy's favorite kind of weather: cold, wet and snowy. I took the photos below from inside our enclosed porch. He's watching the door and giving me the, "What, aren't you coming out with me?" look. No, I am not.
Picture
Picture
Another Ernie Haase and Signature Sound concert.  It was their Christmas concert, and it was wonderful. Cute boys on stage. They don't even have to sing and I'd be happy. Probably couldn't get my husband to go if that was the case... But they do sing, and they do it so well. And they are a lot of fun, too. 
Picture
Picture
 We were able to take both my parents this time. My dad's recent knee replacement meant that we had to rearrange our seating at the last minute. They were very accommodating at the Midland Theater, and we appreciated that. Want a little taste of the concert? OK.....Here's a little video montage. It starts and ends with a complete "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen." While you may think that I'm using high-tech video equipment with amazing sound capabilities, which I have mastered from years of experience, from a well-thought-out location near the stage to capture my favorite parts of the concert, I am not. I am using my tiny point-and-shoot camera, which has a microphone I can't even see, from the middle of the balcony (thanks, Dad's knee), to capture those parts of the concert during which I was able to figure out which buttons to push on my camera to get the video to work, which I haven't used since the last Ernie Haase concert. So, basically, you're in for a real treat. But if you've got about three and a half minutes to kill, have a look. Then please go visit www.erniehaase.com, because they deserve much better than this. Anyway, here you go....



While you may not think that Ernie and the boys have anything to do with my work or my dogs, you would be wrong. I listen to a lot of music when I am working and walking my dogs (well, "dog" for now...), and that means a lot of Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. It's really exciting to experience their music live when I spend so much time listening to it otherwise. If they only knew that I'd never get any work done or walk a dog without them....
One more thing...It was one week ago that a lot of innocent people experienced an unthinkable tragedy in Connecticut. That has been on my mind a lot, and weighing heavily on my heart. A couple of days ago, a friend sent me something written by someone I don't know. I thought that it took a little of the sting out of what happened, and I'd like to share it with you. It's impossible to understand something like that, but where there is God, there is hope...

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
...They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven." declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same,
then He opened His arms and He called them by name,
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring.
Those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below;
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran,
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
--Patty Davis,
0 Comments

I work with my hands...or I try to, at least....

12/3/2012

0 Comments

 
I've spent the last week being bandaged, then splinted. Whenever someone asks what happened to my finger, I tell them I strained it by over-using it, but the truth is I had some surgery on a joint in my finger. Not a great look for someone who works with her hands on a daily basis, but I'm getting used to it. I never realized how much I use my left hand and, specifically, that finger. For work, I mean...Just another week or so and the splint will come off and I will get the stitches out. In the meantime, I'm still managing to get things done.
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

The current dogs of Two Dog Studio: Teddy.

3/23/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
"Free dog to good home." Uh-huh....There's no such thing as a "free dog," but that's what the newspaper ad said. I think "Free home to good dog" would have been more honest. I didn't even read the ad. My mom did, and she called me immediately, "You have a big yard and a big house. You need a big dog." She was so sure of my need that she made the phone call for me. The next day, a chilly November afternoon, my dad, Sophie, and I searched the parking lot of a minor league baseball stadium to meet the current caretaker of a twelve-week old ball of golden fur. It wasn't hard to find him since the parking lot was pretty much empty and the guy was an on-duty firefighter, thereby forced to drive a vehicle from his station.

Have you ever seen a twelve-week old golden?  Just fluff and face. And he was really shy, peeking out from behind the firefighter's legs, then hiding again. We learned his story:  His original owner died unexpectedly. The family member that took him couldn't keep him because of allergies. The firefighter's wife took him because they raised another breed of dog and could accomodate him, but didn't want to keep him, so the ad was placed. Who says "no" to an orphaned twelve-week-old ball of fur? Not me. Sophie gave a sniff of approval (maybe it was more like acceptance, with a touch of superiority) and we headed home.

That was six or seven years ago. Today, Teddy, like most goldens, retains his puppy playfulness and happy countenance, although his face is starting to show that mask of white that forces most retriever-types to be honest about their age and the unfair fact that "middle age" starts at around five years old. Teddy loves to go for walks and car rides. Some of his hobbies are barking from his fenced yard at passersby, "gardening," unstuffing stuffed toys, and following me around everytime I get up from a seated position. His goals include eating as much as possible as frequently as possible, getting wet and muddy every time he goes outside, and carpeting the world with excess golden fur, which he sheds with life-altering abundance. He is one of the most gentle animals I can imagine. Most of the time, if someone tells you a story that starts with, "My dog found a nest of baby bunnies," it ends in tragedy. Not with Teddy. He found the bunnies, but he just carried them around. He brought one through the doggy door onto the screened porch. I guess he thought he would leave it there until he went out the next time. To Teddy, everyone's a friend.

Teddy is a big, sweet, hug of a dog, and even though I spend an unimaginable amount of time vacuuming my carpets, polishing my floors, and rolling my clothes with one of those sticky-roller things (don't even mention the sticky-roller thing to my husband, who has to try to escape the house every morning in a dark suit...), he is worth it all. He's a great dog, and I love him very much.

In case you're wondering, Sophie and Teddy get along very well. Teddy would love for Sophie to run and play, but she never has. It seems that she doesn't know how to play, although we have tried to engage her for years. Teddy tries regularly, thinking "today may be the day," but it hasn't happened yet. Sophie is a dog of leisure, and I see no change in her future. Fortunately, Sophie and Teddy have bonded over their mutual interest in treats, car rides, and sleeping on the "big bed."


Picture
Baby Teddy.
Picture
Teddy and Sophie share at treat at Dairy Queen. No, they are not spoiled...
Picture
Teddy and Sophie in position during dinner preparation.
In my next entry, I'll show you some projects that I'm working on. Please come back and check it out!
0 Comments

The current dogs of Two Dog Studio: Sophie.

3/13/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Meet Sophie. She is 15 and 1/2 years old, probably a poodle/terrier mix, and, if you ask my vet, some dachshund, too (ok....she is pretty long...) I found her on Petfinder.com at the Richland County Dog Warden's in Mansfield, OH when she was 8 years old. I tell her that it took me eight years to find her.  It was worth the wait, as she is a TERRIFIC dog. Apparently, she was dropped off at the dog warden's, and her name was originally FeeFee. My husband couldn't deal with that, and I didn't really like it, but I felt bad changing it after eight years. We decided that "Sophie" was kind of close to "FeeFee" (yes, that's the way it was spelled, too...probably some foreshadowing of the vet bills to come...) and it suited her, so we called her "Sophie."

She is super smart, gets along with other dogs, does pretty much whatever you want her to whenever you want her to do it, and is ridiculously cute. She does snore, even when not actually sleeping, and in her later years she has taken to raiding the pantry whenever the door is left ajar.  She doesn't eat much when that happens, but she does hide throughout the house anything she can carry. She will do anything for food, and she will go to great lengths to find it. She loves car rides and walks, and she could find the best pillow in a warehouse full of pillows, and then claim it for hers. She is the only dog that I've ever really "dressed" because I honestly thinks she likes it. No one can rock a bee costume or an Ohio State hoodie like Sophie.

Most recently, Sophie battled cancer.  Thanks to the good people at Annhurst Veterinary Hospital (especially Dr. Mark Harris) in Westerville, OH and at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Sophie is winning her battle. She had two surgeries to remove the tumor (a squamous cell carcinoma on her mouth), fifteen months apart. After the second surgery, she had a three-week course of radiation. We started her on chemo, too, but had to stop due to some negative effects. She finished her radiation last November and so far, so good. She is a very special dog, and I hope to have her with me for quite a while yet.

Picture
Go Bucks!
Picture
She doesn't even mind the headgear...I mean, really....
Picture
Yes, those are my bed pillows. It's a good thing she's cute, right?
I will introduce you to my other dog, Teddy, in the next entry. I hope you'll come back to meet him!
0 Comments

First Post!

3/3/2012

2 Comments

 
The "Two Dogs" of Two Dog Studio were here long before there was an art studio. They were two miniature dachshunds, named Ollie and Emily.  Ollie is my "poster puppy" and is the little black and tan doxy that appears above, in the heading of my website. She is also on my business cards. Before I took up art full-time, I was an attorney, and at the end of a long day, I looked forward to seeing my two dogs when I arrived home. I would open the door to the house and both Ollie and Emily would run to greet me with the frenzied excitement only a dog can offer. I didn't want to show favoritism by saying one name before the other, so I would say, "Hi two dogs!" while they wiggled and squirmed around my ankles and I bent down to pet them. That was always the best part of the day.

I lost each one of them in their fourteenth year, two years apart, after the inevitable decline brought about by age-related ailments that come way too early in the life of a beloved pet. I feel connected to them through my artwork and the name I chose for my business. On some level, I still feel their presence. They were great dogs, and I will always miss them.
Picture
Emily
Picture
Ollie in her later years.
In my next post, I'll introduce you to the current dogs of Two Dog Studio, Sophie and Teddy. They had some really big paw prints to fill, and they have exceeded all of my expectations! 
2 Comments

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All
    Animals In General
    Festivals
    Festivals And Events
    Giving
    History
    Holiday Open House
    Jewelry
    Maeve
    Maggie
    Painting
    Pet Stories
    Process
    Sophie
    Teddy
    Workbench

    RSS Feed

All images and designs are copyrighted and the property of Dana Keating Marziale and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission. Copyright 2011