We are United States Strong

In 2011 Hurricane Irene severely damaged many parts of Vermont.
In typical Vermont fashion, the citizens set to work repairing their state.
Rutland residents Eric Mallette and Lyz Tomsuden created this now iconic image — a black silhouette of the state over green with the words “I am Vermont Strong,” emblazoned in white — with the, “simple intention of producing good energies out of the disaster.”

On March 13, 2020, when Vermont’s governor Phil Scott ordered us to stay Home and Save Lives, I remembered the Vermont Strong slogan and adapted it to a Rufus Card. I have been using my border collies as characters since at least 1980, so this wasn’t a surprise.

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A small selection of the 100s of Border Collie images I have painted over the years.

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After Vermont, I began to paint other states–states where I have friends and relatives, states that are experiencing terrible outbreaks, states that need cheerful encouragement to follow quarantine rules.

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I felt it was important to to include areas of the US that aren’t technically states.

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Rufus can be quite bossy and he and his friends repeat the mantras of these strange times:: Stay Home, Wash your paws, Wear a mask, Vote by Mail!

Eventually my bulletin board was full, from west to east, from north to south, every state, district, at least one nation and territory.

Finally, Rufus embraces the entire country. This one is called
“No borders, just a Border Collie.”

Who wouldn’t want to listen to this guy?

All the images are available as giclee prints on my etsy site.

What on Earth is a HooDoo?

noun, plural hoo·doos.

1. voodoo. bad luck.

2. a person or thing that brings bad luck.

3. Geology. a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion.

If you picked #3 you may have visited the strangely wonderful Bryce Canyon National Park, Home of the HooDoos…not to mention-the mysterious eye in the sky! (hint, upper left)

What you can see on the Peek-A-Boo trail in Bryce Canyon.

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Bryce Canyon is by far the most unusual landscape I have ever walked through. I’ve been there twice and can’t wait to return.

Painting a special “Thank You” Card

I was artist-in-residence at my favorite Children’s Museum last week.

While there, I’m able to do at least one art workshop for children and their families.

Treehouse Museum, in Ogden, Utah, serves children and families by providing interactive, hands-on exhibits and programs focusing on family literacy, children’s literature, the arts, and the humanities. Treehouse seeks to be the magical place where children “Step into a Story.”

One way they do this is with a village of houses from the different countries in which the stories are set. I have been lucky enough to paint some of the children who “live” in the houses.

To thank my friends at Treehouse, I always send a special card. I based this one on the Japanese girl we named Noriko.

I begin with a light pencil drawing

The rest is done in layers of gouache.

I can’t wait to go back and have more fun in The Treehouse!