The three pigs...

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy had none,  this little piggy shed all of its hair and sent it to Rachel for a color coordinated opportunity to make new paint brushes!  Yes, more piggy stories!

Well, I received more pot belly pig hair stocked and ready for paint brush making, thanks to my friend Kim , the pig passionate human who rescues Pot bellies.  As a special thank you, here is a sketch of my version of the three pot belly pig -hair-brush-makers.

"The Art of Being a Pet" by Rachel DiAndrea: Sam I Am!

"The Art of Being a Pet" by Rachel DiAndrea: Sam I Am!: My canine friend Sam had quite a story to tell one Friday evening in August. He's a real Momma's boy, a designer dog, cute as the dickens, ...

Sam I Am!

My canine friend Sam had quite a story to tell one Friday evening in August. He's a real Momma's boy, a designer dog, cute as the dickens,  who hovers around his human's feet, staying close to treat jar, and never leaving the confines of his fenced in yard...that is until he decided to doggie dash away from the groomers studio.....Yikes.  Up and down the streets we walked, searched, called, and asked good citizens who were near.....flyers flew around the city, walkers walked looking in search of little charcoal colored Sammy.  It was a horrifying night, that worsened, when a call came from a neighbor saying a car accidentally hit a small pooch.  Our hearts sank...but our HOPE didn't.  Up at the crack of dawn, a cry from a worried pet parent near the wooded area, flushed out little Sam!  He was bloody and beaten, tired and hungry, but he was back in his Momma's lap heading to the vet!  Little Sam was going to be OK, and he was certainly overheard to say, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home!" Wonder if ruby slippers come in canine size small?

Scottie Confetti

Have you ever wondered how artists name final compositions?  Is it the subject matter? or perhaps the experience with due process? Maybe its just a rush of emotion that iniciates thought? Perhaps all of the above?
My latest french pastel, ignited a humorous title into my mind as I was drafting my final Hancock in the lower left corner.  "Scottie Confetti"...as the title came to me, exhibited the explosion of color, a jovial happy vision of two Scottish Terriers side by side. Having experienced  a celebration where cannons of excitement burst from the corners of a stage, fountains of colored paper erupt overhead and twinkling down ever so delicately, a rush of happienss embraces the moment, just as in my studio recently.
Originally created for a gallery exhibit themed YIN and YANG, this jovial pastel featured a whimsical Scottie dog pair, one black and the other white.  My intensions to illustrate peacefull balance shifted in a direction  of unexpected energy lighting up the Strathmore with  Lime green, canary yellow, plum, and fushia.
Having shared a country home with a Scottie dog for two weeks, the innate memories of this comical little dog paralelled a finalli of energetic, unexpected humor, with personality plus, and an attitude bigger than life.  It felt only appropriate to recall this moment with the color and excitment of a stage production, calling the pastel "Scottie Confetti."

Peticure

Just when you think you 've seen it all, a woman carrying a bright beach towel swaddled duck passes you on the sidewalk.  This was no pond swimming quacker, this was a duckling of style, a pampered feather bird, who clearly loved being swaddled. After taking a double take, I just had to catch the beak memory with a photo.  You had to see it to believe it. JJ, as the human referred to him, had the most beautiful webbed feet, which obvioulsy seldomly touch the sidewalk.  I looked a little closer, JJ had red, white, and blue designs painted on his toenails...a Peticure!!!!  JJ the  duck portrayed colorful nails clearly showing his patriotic side for the 4th of JULY.  This was no regular peticure, this was a polka-dotted, color coordinated, webbed artistic feat...or rather feet.  JJ's human was delighted to show off her pet's peticure and parade down the sidwalk to the coffe store, for her morning ice coffee.  I couldn't help but wonder, did JJ soak in the foot tub?  Or did he just float?

Pet Paintbrushes by Rachel DiAndrea, PetArtStudios.com

Ok, this is really a classic story of friendship,  a friendship between and artist and a pig!
Seems lately I have had some kind of obsession with pigs.  Having grown up near a farming
community,  I never really gave much thought to having a pig as a pet, but lately pigs have caught my attention.
I met a woman who had probably been the most pig passionate human I have ever met.  She rescues and fosters pot bellie pigs.  These aren't just any pigs, these are glamorous oinkers dressed in tutu's and wearing tiaras....yes, real fashionpiggies riding in carriages built for a swine princess.  I admired the connection KIM had to her girls, one in particular named "Puddin-Pie."
Puddin followed Kim everywhere at the Reading PET ExPO, just like my little Chinese Crested best friend Bling.
Puddin's human--KIM---explained how shedding for her girls happens much quicker for Pot Belly Pigs than with a shaggy dog, 4 days and the pigs blow their coat totally....Puddin's beauty was overwhelming, her dark skin with her long locks created her covergirl look!  I should say CoverSwine look. "Her hair had the texture of my best watercolor paintbrush", I commented to Kim.
Well, much to my surprise,  I received the prettiest notecard in the mail today.  Sandwiched  in the middle was a ziplock full of pig locks from PuddinPie, for me to make my very own Pet Paintbrush! 
In return, I dolled up a cute little pen and ink watercolor sketch, painted Puddins pretty grin, and added a watercolor wash with her own locks...not hocks...locks!

Gone Hogwild!

In my many travels, I have passed by a field of dreams so many times followed up with a statement:" Why didn't I bring my camera?"  One might think this visual as a lovely color illuminated meadow of fragrant posies, but qiute the contrary....it was a hillside of flesh tone colored HOGS, grazing in the green grass.  I was absolutely fascinated with the immense size,shape, and well, pretty faces we know as Pork.
Having traveled with my BFF that day, my camera was loaded with an opportunity for adventure, with a willingness to capture a glimpse of the Hog heaven  passed by so many times before on the  grounds of Penn State renowned Agricultural field of Dreams. 
Turning left  down  Pork Avenue alley, there they were! Sun shining over humped backs , blue sky, and the smell, recognizable!
Just as a dog comes running with glee to greet thier owners, this amazing HOG delighted with a squeal, sprinted over to Laura and I with the happiest grin, as if to pose.  All the memories of a Pig, a spider and a barnyard came rushing though my head!  Well, we offered him a peapod snack,snapped some photos, and I felt happier than a pig in ---t! 
This little piggy went to the easel!