LIZZIE, RANCH GIRL DU JOUR

11x14 oil on canvas sold

As you read my client's description of Lizzie, I'd like you to keep in mind that all of this is accomplished by Lizzie while sporting a 3-strand pearl choker with a sweetheart charm. This commission is a birthday present for Lizzie's Mama in October. My client requested a real girly pink for the background because, although Lizzie is a ranch girl, she is really a ranch girl du jour! I loved my photo reference of Lizzie, she's on high alert and the following explains why!

Lizzie lives on a ranch with her Mama Wynona, Granny Valli Pearl, and Ricky the parrot. She also lives with several peacocks, emus, egrets, ostrich, cattle and longhorns (did ya'll see that...longhorns, my favorite kind of cattle), horses and miniature horses, goats, sheep and Jonas sheep, antelope, deer, and a multitude of cats...WHEW!

Allowing her to maintain her girlish figure, Lizzie has a list of duties she performs daily from runnin' off coons to roundin' up dogies, a motherless or neglected calf. Lizzie is most interested in FOOD, barkin' at critters, EATIN', chasin' said critters, FOOD, and of course, sleeping under Mama's porch swing...I mean after all, a girl deserves to rest!

EMMETT, LITTLE SWEETHEART

Meet Emmett, 8x10 oil on canvas. His parents know him best, so here's their story...sold

"Emmett is an alien. No really I swear he is. He'd try for world domination if he just didn't get so cold, and if he was just a little taller, but being a 4 lb Chihuahua...he'll settle for dominating the living room sofa. 

My husband and I are actors living in NYC, and we never thought we'd own a Chihuahua. I've always thought that they were ugly and buggy eyed, and not nearly as pretty as Pomeranians (one of which we are the proud owners), but here we are...alien parents. When Brian made his Broadway debut in Spelling Bee and I had returned from the Annie national tour, we began casually looking for another dog to keep our sweet Winston (the aforementioned Pom) company. One of Brian's cast mates had a friend who places dogs, and after looking at an e-mail with pictures, the little black and white Chihuahua with a  heart-shaped mark on his head was so amazingly cute that we had to bring him home. We have never regretted it. Emmett weighed just about a pound and had to wear a bell so that we could find him when he decided to crawl into tiny spaces. He has turned out to be such a funny and amazing little guy. Though he does have that Chihuahua edge, and often tries to let the pit bulls in our Washington Heights neighborhood know that he owns the street (we're working on that) he is actually very loving and snuggly, loves people and loves to play.

Emmett also can talk and loves to sing. Though I am still working on understanding his alien language, he will often jump info my lap and growl and whimper the days events to me. And if I begin to sing, watch out cause Emmett will be joining in momentarily, tail wagging, head thrown back and eyes bright. He is a boy soprano by the way, and the higher you sing the better he likes it. Emmett sleeps under the covers in the bed and shivers if it is less than 70 degrees outside, two things that our very furry Pom cannot understand. He gets scared when my husband watches horror films, yearns for his people when we watch X-files, and LOVES the doggie heating pad that Brian bought for him. So...next time you are in the neighborhood, maybe you'll catch us out for a walk and Emmett can tell you about his plans and give a command performance of his favorite songs...and if, by chance, you speak alien maybe you can tell me what he's saying."