The Inspiration Behind Painting Dogs
When I engage in painting or drawing, I often find myself deeply immersed in the subject and my connection to it. My choice to paint dogs is rooted in the love I shared with my own dog, Toby. Toby—a yellow lab and Great Dane mix—was more than just a pet; we had a spiritual bond. His passing from cancer at the age of eight was devastating for all who knew him. For me, it felt as if a part of my soul was lost with him. So, when I began experimenting with watercolor, it was only natural for dogs to become my subject matter. This is how Courage entered my artistic journey.
Meeting Courage
Courage belonged to a sibling of a family member. Although I didn’t know this sibling and his wife well, a conversation at a family event led us to discuss dogs. I offered to paint their dog, Courage, who had recently passed away. This marked the first time I would be creating a painting for someone outside my immediate family—a prospect that felt intimidating due to my lifelong struggle with performance anxiety. However, my love for dogs helped me face the challenge with enthusiasm.
Overcoming Artistic Challenges
As I began working on the painting of Courage, I made a significant mistake right at the start. With watercolor, correcting errors can be almost impossible. I tried again, telling Courage, “Ok, take 2, Courage—let’s get this right.” But the second painting was ruined as well, followed by a third and fourth. I had never encountered so many consecutive mistakes in my work, and my anxiety intensified with each failed attempt.
During this difficult process, I turned to journaling—having conversations with Spirit (God)—seeking guidance on why I kept stumbling with this painting. I also shared my frustrations with my growth group friends, hoping to uncover the lesson Courage was trying to impart. Eventually, I had to set the painting aside to focus on some family matters.
Finding Insight and Patience
In time, as often happens when I step back, I received a moment of insight. I was reading “The Sound of Paper” by Julia Cameron, a book designed for artists and structured as short readings. Opening to my bookmarked page, I saw the title was ‘Courage’—a serendipitous coincidence. The first quote that resonated with me was, “Just as the settlers pushed west with many days of uneventful travel, to the sudden, heart-stopping detour, so, too, an artist’s life unfolds with daily regularity and the occasional heart-stopping challenge.” I was in the midst of such a challenge, marked by countless false starts. The answer came in the last sentence of my reading: “To be an artist is to learn patience.” That was the lesson Courage was teaching me.
Embracing the Creative Process
Each discarded painting left me feeling increasingly rushed and impatient. I realized I lacked a clear process and wasn’t giving myself time to work through each stage. After watching some instructional videos, I learned just how many steps I had been skipping. My eagerness for the finished product had overshadowed the importance of patience. Determined to change, I sat down with Courage and made a plan: “You will come to life one layer at a time. I’m going to give you 24 hours to dry and settle in, and then we will explore your next layer and follow this pattern until you let me know you are completed.”
I often talk to my paintings—at least in my mind—because I feel the energy of the dog’s spirit emerging as I paint. With patience and process, I let Courage’s spirit guide me, one layer at a time.