Blog

       I read that the best dogs for senior citizens are those less than 35 pounds.  But that was after I adopted a pup.

It was shortly after we lost our beloved lab, Ben.  We weren't ready for another dog but to fill the void, I decided to volunteer at the local humane society.  I just couldn't resist those puppy eyes peaking out at me from inside one of the kennels.    I had no intention of bringing home a dog.   But I did and he was no bigger than a shoe.  Mom was a small lab mix so he shouldn't get too big.  So I was told.

        A few months later, I'm a senior who doesn't need the gym.  I have a 65 lb., seven month old, romping ball of energy.  If he doesn't have 3 or 4 thirty minute walks a day, he will drive me crazy. Plus, a lot of short walking breaks in between as he fakes me out, acting like he needs to potty when all he wants to do is sniff.  Then there's the daily chase around the house to reclaim a hat, slipper or shirt.  Instead of lifting weights at a gym, my body gets enough torque from him pulling on the leash to build strong muscle.  Yoga!  Who needs it when you're on your knees several times a day, stretching under the bed to retrieve a dog toy. Or stretching to put your glasses and other chewable personal items high up out of the reach of a tall dog standing on his back legs.

       He keeps my mind alert.  I have to think ahead about what mischief he may get into.  I have to be very observant on walks and ready to spring like a ninja to grab any small piece of plastic, metal or other litter before he scoops it into his mouth.  In fact, even quiet times are unsettling.  No noise could mean we have sleepy time and thats what I thought when he was behind the sofa.  Then he appeared with part of the window sill between his teeth.  Big smile on his face.

       Patience is a trait I have always had to work on and I'm still working on it as we take baby steps to overcome his fear of almost everything from the noise of  car doors slamming to ladies with big hats.   He's made me refine my negotiation skills as I try to trade a tasty treat for whatever he is not supposed to be chewing at the moment. Most disgusting is when he finds a piece of chewing gum that someone disposed of on the grass and decides to chew it also.   But he is trying.  He's come a long way from the pup who only knew how to communicate with his mouth and those razon-sharp puppy teeth.  I used to need a bandaid on my ankle or wrist every time he told me he wanted to go out.    But at least he was trying to talk to me.

       Looking back at those puppy months, this crazy dog has done a lot to keep me fit, physically and mentally.  The fact that he is so smart is a challenge.  My age doesn't matter anymore.  Sure, a cute little fluffy dog woud be easier to handle, but big dogs are just like little dogs inside.  They love to cuddle.  And they need love and understanding, too.  With Buddy's timid nature, he would immediately drop his head and feel bad if we yelled at him.  As rambunctious as he can be, he is also very sensitive.  Positive reinforcement was the only way to help him learn.

       He was actually being a couch potato at about a year old.  He sat with me on the sofa while quietly chewing on a rope toy shaped like a monkey.  Wow, I though, this is prograss.  He's learning to relax.  Then I noticed the monkey's head was gone.  As I said, it takes baby steps.

       Buddy is now almost 6 years old and 80 lbs. and very much a couch potato.  He still has that craziness at times when he will dart around the house for no reason except to show he is happy.  And he still tries to get attention by stealing things that don't belong to him.  At this point in time, however, he just carries the item to the sofa and lays his head on it.  He still has fears, but has gained a lot of self-confidence with our reassurances that "all is OK".   I can't imagine what kind of personality he may have had if adopted by someone who didn't try to understandand and gently correct his shortcomings.   I think he needed the extra time and calm of an older person to develop into the loving dog he is today.  And we needed him to keep showing us how to enjoy the simple things in life....like a walk, a smalll treat or just friendship.  

       To the artists out there who have neither the time, the means or the desire to travel the country and the world in search of subject matter for paintings….it's OK.    I am one of you.  I’ve been a professional artist for decades, but I don’t like to fly or spend time away from my family.  There seems to be a concept today, that you must be well traveled to be recognized as a good artist. I see it as a fallacy. You can be a great artist without a trip to Provence, Hong Kong, or Cuba.  What matters is your skill  and your ability to see and interpret the world around you with a unique vision.   No amount of travel will produce that.    But for some, inspiration certainly comes from new surroundings and exotic locations.  And that’s a good thing…for them.

       My inspiration comes from the small world around me.  Nature is my passion and its just outside my door….or down the road.  A flower is a flower and a bird is a bird,  whether in South Carolina or on the west coast.  Sometimes I feel guilty to not be on the road, clocking thousands of miles and producing landscapes in every state.  Is it unprofessional?  Am I too lazy to seek out new sources of inspiration?  Should I follow the crowd?    I am convinced that travel will not make me a better artist because my best work tends to be of subjects I know and love the best.  

       In times of doubt, I think of Claude Monet.  His most memorable masterpieces were scenes from his garden.  He didn’t. travel to the Alps to paint mountain scenes.   I admire Monet for several reasons, but mostly for his use of color and his ability to repeat the same subject in so many different ways.  Although I have no interest in copying his style,  Monet showed us a different way of seeing the world and his vision influenced artists throughout history.  His work was an expression of the simple things in life and the beauty of constant change.  Likewise, are the works of  Vincent Van Gogh, mostly painted from the window of his hospital room. 

       In our local art community of Charleston, South Carolina, are some of the best painters in the country.  They focus exclusively on the beauty of the low country.  John C. Doyle was an icon of the art scene in this area with his masterful images of wildlife, architecture, and figurative studies.  He stayed mostly in the low country instead of seeking far away locations to paint, yet his work is recognized internationally.  He painted what he loved. 

       I admire my adventurous artist friends who travel the world and produce wonderful images of places I will never see.  But my vision is a simpler one.   I need to be in a comfort zone in order to paint. And I am most comfortable in familiar places.  To those artists who still have children in school and family responsibilities,  to those on limited incomes whose desire to paint exceeds their budget for travel, and to those like myself who just don’t like to wander far from home, keep this in mind.  Paint what you love and paint with passion.  It will be evident on the canvas.  Greatness comes from within not from the outside.

       There are times, more often than not, when I find the company of animals more comforting, more peaceful , more enjoyable than the company of people.  They are like children.  I love them for their innocence.  I believe what St. Francis of Assisi  wrote:  Every creature under heaven serves and acknowledges and obeys its Creator in its own way better than you do.   They praise God by simply being what they are meant to be.

       We can learn a lot from animals.  I have learned a lot from the dogs in my life.

       Most of all, dogs teach us about unconditional love…..the kind of love that God has for us.   Some dogs may not have caring owners and may even be abused.  But they don’t stop hoping.  They don’t stop loving.  They don’t stop trying to please us.

       They teach us to love everyone no matter what color skin, age,  or status in life. 

       They teach us to play hard and play often. 

       They teach us how to rest.   Dogs can rest anywhere, anytime but so often, seek out the best spot.

       A working dog puts all its effort into its job, something a lot of people need to learn to be successful.  But they do it because “service” to others is just part of their instinct.

       Dogs teach us about loyalty.  If you are their “person” or their animal friend, they will stand by you no matter what.  I read a story about two dogs that somehow broke loose from their yard and ended up on a highway.  One got hit by a car and the other stood watch over him as cars passed by on either side.  Good ending to the story ….they were both rescued.

       They teach us to be wary of strangers and to protect our homes and families.

       They teach us to be sensitive to what others are feeling.   A dog knows when you are sad, happy, angry or stressed out.  They try to make it better.  They are wired to sense things that are oblivious to most people.  They know the bad ones, and react or warn us.

       Dogs teach us to enjoy the moment. …to enjoy whatever we can.    They teach us that every day is a treasure.  Right now, we have a 13 ½  year old boy who has a cancerous tumor on his paw.  In spite of chemotherapy and numerous consultations with several vets, it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.   One vet cautioned us to be “aware of his quality of life”  in attempting to treat him.   We don’t want our beloved companion to suffer, but we want to extend his time with us as long as possible in spite of the expense and extra care.  He has always been a smarter than average dog, so we thought we’d let him tell us what to do.  Some days  he limps more than others, but he’s showing us that even in old age and even with afflictions and some pain,  there is still much to enjoy.  A very good lesson to learn.  He may not walk a mile to the park as he did a year ago.  But he walks to the car and tells us to drive him there.   With a bandaged foot, he jumps in the lake…tail wagging.. splashes around and relishes the coolness of the water.  He lays near the playground and  watches the children play….his favorite thing to do for a long time.  Some days, he just enjoys being in the front yard, nose searching the wind for news.   He is never alone these days.  We have to constantly watch him, but we know he just loves being with us as much as we love being with him.

       Dogs teach us patience and perserverence.   They will wait and wait for us,  though some do become frustrated and do bad things like chewing on furniture while we are gone.   But then they show us how to humbly ask for forgiveness.

       I believe that dogs or pets of any kind make us better persons.  We cannot be so self absorbed when we have a pet that demands our attention.   As pet owners we try to understand these creatures who are so different from us, yet share so many of our emotions.  We become more aware of the need to speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. 

       Dogs and other pets are gifts of love, on loan, from God.  St. Francis, a patron saint of animals, believed that all nature speaks of divine presence.  Even the smallest and most insignificant being possesses the mark of divinity.  Because we all share the same Sacred source we are all  related not only to humans, but to creatures.  Interaction with creatures, when we acknowledge a divine presence, is a form of prayer.  So enjoy your long walks with your furry friend, knowing  when your whole heart is in the moment and you are connected to an inner peace, the peace of God, then you are praying the highest form of prayer.

       Dogs teach us to appreciate a world without words… a world where our senses become more active than our mouths and our intellect and our emotions: a world where we connect  to nature. We hear not only the obvious birdsongs, but the rustling leaves of the trees.   We don’t just smell the roses, but the grass and the soil and the air.  We begin to see small details in the big picture of life.  God tells us to be silent , be still and “know that I am God”.   And sometimes , sitting in silence beside your dog,  that furry head turns and  looks at you as if to say,  “This is what life if all about.  Life is good.”

In his masterpiece, "Artist in His Studio", Pablo Picasso gives the face of the painter a third eye.   What appears to be a strange distortion to the average observer may actually be a statement from Picasso about the study of art and the nature of the artist.  A person who is taught to tap into his or her creative ability becomes fundamentally different from one who is never exposed to the study of art.  He or she develops a keener sense of perceiving the world. The student of art develops a third eye which enables him to see more clearly, more thoroughly than others. 

There's no reason why non-artists (the future mechanic, banker, nurse or salesperson) shouldn't have the opportunity to learn to see just as well.  In the field of education this concept is known as visual literacy and in many respects, it is just as important as being able to read and write.  Those who have it are more sensitive to the environment and to the people around them.  They can use their minds creatively, not only in an artistic sense, but also in the sciences as well as practical aspects of life.  This benefit of art education makes it so very relevant and important for our children and our nation.  Art class has cognitive and psychological significance to the developing individual

Art, historically, has not been considered one of the basics of American education.  Yet, before man developed written languages, he painted pictures on the walls of caves.  What we know of ancient societies today, we know because of what they communicated to us through those pictures.  As languages developed and educated men were expected to master them, pictorial representation became less important.  It was not until the Renaissance that art was acknowledged as part of the more traditional academic pursuits.  The status of the artist was elevated to that of a scholar and learned men also became men of aesthetic appreciation.

To deny art as an academic endeavor was and still is to deny the scientific genius of Leonardo da Vinci and contributions by other artists such as Filippo Brunelleschi who discovered the laws of mathematical perspective.  Science and art went hand in hand during the Renaissance, reflecting a society of order, harmony and logic.  Perhaps here we can find meaning for today's world as well. Our society as a whole depends less upon the rare genius than upon the creative mind and sensitivity of the average citizen.

Only through increased sensitivity can we come to grips with ourselves, our society and our environment.  The power of creative vision is the answer and education must strive to develop it in our youth by encouraging student participation in the creative process.

Nineteenth century educator John Dewey considered aesthetics to be one of the highest, if not THE highest experience.  According to Dewey, the arts provided opportunity to utilize the whole person, body, mind and spirit, simultaneously in one cooperative effort.  Artistic expression provides the individual with the fullest measure of experience.

Excerpt from "The Third Eye"   by Alice Dobbin