Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Dog Blog







This week’s topic is Dogs. Please send in something that inspires you about dogs. It can be your dog, a friend’s dog, something you read about a dog, something you wrote about a dog, or something you created that tells us what you think about dogs. Find a funny photo and create a caption for it. Or send in a poem or story. If you have a great photo that you took or a painting you were inspired to make then send that in. To send in your creative projects e-mail me at Susaninha.artclubart@blogger.com.

Remember this is your time to exercise your artistic muscles…its more fun than you might think.

I have attached a few photos and quotes to get your creative juices going:

What Dogs Teach Us
o When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
o Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
o Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
o Take naps.
o Stretch before rising.
o Run, romp, and play daily.
o Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
o Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
o On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
o On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
o When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
o Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
o Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
o Be loyal.
o Never pretend to be something you're not.
o If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
o When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
o Being always grateful for each new day and for the blessing you have.
o ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Dwight D. Eisenhower


If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went
-Will Rogers

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on.Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Here a couple of my dog paintings, I hope you enjoy them...










All of your creations will be available for you and everyone else to see and comment on next week when I give out the next topic.

Have Fun! I can't wait to see what inspires you....

Exercise Your Artistic Muscles!

Every week I will be providing a topic and some examples as a springboard for your creativity. Any student from XYZ school is welcome to post a response to the topic with a photograph, poem, story, music, video or painting. You may also provide links to appropriate UTube videos or other websites that inspired you and relate to the topic. We encourage you to comment on how the topic inspired you and to comment on other students’ work.

Please remember to use netiquette and to be kind when commenting on other people’s work. The idea is for you and other students at XYZ school to open your artistic minds and to experiment in things that are new to you. Please say at least one positive thing every time you comment on someone else’s work and limit negative comments to how the artwork relates to the topic.

Every week I will be rewarding one artist with a $5 Starbucks gift card for what I think is the most creative and inspired posting.