PenPets Dog Days 2010 Calendars

Cover Art

A sample page

Calendar dogs

Calendar dogs

Calendar dogs

Here's a preview of my PenPets "Dog Days 2010" calendar. As you can see, it's full of terriers, retrievers, toys, and wonderful one-of-a-kinders. It's available in my Etsy shop, or just email me at sales@PenPets.com and let me know you'd like one. Both dog and cat calendars are long and thin (4" X 10"). They're printed in black ink on white card stock ). They hang nicely in a narrow spot and are guaranteed to warm your heart with a new furry face each month. ($10 + $1.50 for shipping & handling)

PenPets Cats 2010 Calendars

Cover Art

A sample page

All 12 calendar cats

Speaking of cats, I've published a PenPets "Cats 2010" calendar this year, now available in my Etsy shop. It took three years to gather enough cat commissions for a calendar. On the other hand, I had too many dogs to choose from for my PenPets "Dog Days 2010" calendar. I'll show you that calendar in a separate posting.

One Cat

Apricot

8" X 10" pen and ink

2009

After my four-cat extravaganza, drawing this little diva was a piece of cake. I can't rest, though. Coming soon is a three-cat drawing. But first, I'm going to carve woodcut as a wedding present for my nephew and his bride, who is now my new niece!

Four Cats

Malakieye, Harry, Sophie, & Buff

10" X 8" pen and ink

2009

Malakieye

Harry

Sophie

Buff

What a tough assignment!

Four cats.

Four photos.

And I had to fit them all in one 10" X 8" frame. I did a lot of shuffling before I decided on this design. Hope I got it right!

Bird Dogs

Scout

5" X 7" pen and ink

2009

Tia

8" X 10" pen and ink

2009

Scout, a golden retriever, and Tia, an English cocker spaniel, are both bird dogs. They hunt duck, quail, and pheasant. I watched a demonstration by Rose, Scout's sister, last weekend, and she is impressive! She heels, sits, waits, and then fetches -- all on command. She responds to voice, hand, and whistle signals -- all with alacrity. She finds the birds (dummies, in this case), she brings them back, she releases them, and then she begs for more. It's amazing to watch a dog who is so enthusiatically committed to her work!

I should add that this working relationship is much like the one I have with my dog, Kinsey, only in reverse. Kinsey gives the commands -- voice, paw, eyebrow -- and I hop to with alacrity. I'm sure my eagerness to work on Kinsey's behalf gives her great pleasure, too.

This Old House

Vedder House

Castine, Maine

10" X 8" pen and ink

2009

The Vedder House is a beautiful example of New England Colonial style architecture. It's located in historic Castine, Maine. Unfortunately, the two venerable elm trees that bracket the house in this portrait are gone now, a combination of Dutch Elm disease and a violent storm, I think. I'm glad I was able to capture them in this drawing.

Feline Yogini

Sascha
7" X 5" pen and ink

2009

When I mentioned that I was one cat short of a calendar for next year, my niece Damaris leapt into the breach and commissioned this portrait of her beloved Sascha, who is now the astounding Ms. December in "Cats 2010." I'll let Damaris, who is as dexterous with words as Sascha is with her hind leg and her tongue, describe the pose:

"The portrait captures her in all her individuality, with the delicately swivelled ears, the oriental extravagance of her whiskers and eye-fronds, the knotted virility of her hind leg, and the lunatic roll of her narrowed eye. We spent quite a while on the sofa last night gazing at the portrait and giggling foolishly, like the doting cat-owners we are. It's such a a quintessentially feline pose, too."

Thank you, Damaris, for adding the last cat to my calendar! It's at the printers now, along with "Dog Days 2010."