Ho, oh ho, oh no…

December 12, 2013 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 11 Comments

Ho! Ho! Ho!

It’s that time of year! It’s time for caroling!

It’s time to sing!

Hey! Hey! Where are you going cardinal?

Nuthatch?

Anyone? Blue Jay? I see you hiding behind that fence..

Oh alright. No singing, I am going to strum my ukulele though.

Here’s some little snow scenes I’ve been painting while medicated heavily. Had a pretty serious illness, but I’m fine now. If you ever have vertigo, I thoroughly recommend painting. It’s incredibly hard but oddly entertaining at the same time. I felt like one of Leary’s hippies.

These are all acrylic, four inch squares.

So I was throwing the acrylic around left, right and center, then I tried to focus.

On snowman..and their lives of snow.

Hope everyone is having a good December!

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2013

Mudzilla!

October 13, 2013 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 8 Comments

(with my apologies to the Blue Oyster Cult)

Deep from the depths of the backyard, a savage creature awaits, stalking, sniffing

…chasing tennis balls…

The day comes when he pounces…

With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound

He’s a mole sniffing muck digging grimy hound

Eastern moles who think he’s a pain

Scream bug-eyed as he looks in on them

He picks up a clod and he throws it back down

As he digs through mole tunnels underground

Oh no! They says he’s got to go

Go! Go! Mudzilla!

Oh no! There goes the mole’s burrow!

Go! Go! Mudzilla!

History shows again and again how Sammy harasses the moles’ clan.

Mudzilla!!

History shows oh man, how I have to wash the dog again and again!

Mudzilla!

Meanwhile in between washing the dog and refilling large holes in the yard I painted these little landscapes for a trade. These are all acrylic and 2.5 by 3.5 inches (the size of a playing card).

Disclaimer: No moles were harmed in the making of this and in fact they are currently digging up the back yard while giggling themselves silly over the foolishness of any one trying to outdig them..

Oops..

I’m just kidding, my husband saved this one from the lawn mower and put him back safely.

(He is sooooo soft!)

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2013

Hi!

August 17, 2013August 17, 2013 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 13 Comments

Hi….

It’s been awhile…

But this is what I’ve done so far with my summer.

I was sidetracked for a bit by a large monster.

It said ” Rawrrrrrrr, Rawrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, RAWRRR!!!”

Which is for monsterspeak for

“Help! I’m stuck!!”

And he struggled back and forth..

“Rawwwrrrrr, rawwwrrrrrr! RAWRRRR!!!”

Translation: “Hmmm. Maybe if I lean a bit and put one leg down and rock back and forth…”

“Rawrr”

Translation: “Okay, I’m out, it’s all good”

And then he sheepishly crawled away.

Even the hummingbird did a dance for him.

“I’m so HAPPY!!”

While the grumpy hummingbird rolled his eyes..

Then I saw a butterfly..

And “Marine One” flew the President over my house.

So I painted this in acrylic for a WetCanvas Paint Along.

And I bought a new Bic pen so I did some quick doodling.

Other then that, there’s not much going on. Though I did let Zeus and Sampson watch Sharknado and now they’re making their own film called “Dognado”. Zeus, as the art director of the film, thought the garden looked too fruitful so he promptly picked all the tomatoes.

Yes, I have no tomatoes.

Sigh.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2013

Procrastination, Corruption and Weird Animals..

March 31, 2013March 31, 2013 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 15 Comments

And no, I’m not talking about Congress.

Alas and alack, my computer is corrupt. Not surprising really, I do live in Illinois after all. Yes, the State that was just charged with securities fraud which I guess makes all the Illini and our puppy dogs too, felons (allegedly).

“Oh I’m a felon, you’re a felon, he’s a felon, she’s felon, wouldn’t you like to live in Illinois too!”

*sigh*

So anyway, I have 2600 plus error messages on my computer. And yet it keeps on going, generating error after error after error. I’d like to say I’ve never worked with people like that but sadly, I have.

At least I’m over my Hitchcock/Poe/Ansel Adams stage..

Almost.

Okay I think I’m really done.

(I’m not making any promises mind you.)

I was considering going back to being a bird stalker (allegedly).

But my bird stalking desires were temporarily sated by finally being able to take a photo of the barred owl in my backyard. For almost four years he’s been back there yelling “Who cooks for you!’. I don’t know why he’s so obsessed with what goes on in my kitchen but at least I now have his photo in case he breaks in and rearranges my pots and pans.

So at a loss at what to do with myself I went over to the local zoo.

Little did I know that they recently acquired a panda. Yes a panda!

It’s on their Endangered Animals Carousel.

This is the rare prancing, fanged panda.

Then I meet the Tiger who was seems to be designed to make sure your child never ever wants to go back on a carousel.

And just in case that didn’t scare them..

Which explains why this one looks so nervous.

But doesn’t explain the supercilious grin on this one.

Which is followed by my favorite, the not so rare naughty cat with a fish.

And all this means is that I spent all day in a zoo and mostly took photos of fake animals.

Yeah, that’s how I roll.

I finally remembered how to paint again, thank goodness, I was getting worried.

This is an acrylic, of a pond near my house with ice on it as the sun was thinking of going down.

As you can see, I also remembered how to write run on sentences.

This is an acrylic that was done in a paint a long session on Wetcanvas (with thanks to Beth for putting her photo in Wetcanvas’s Reference Image Library).

And this one is also from a paint a long on Wetcanvas, which I hosted as a lesson in painting on a black background. My thanks to SBJ for the original reference photo.

Note: There’s no time limits on a paint a long, so if you want to join in, go for it!

My apologies for not being around too much, other then sheer procrastination, I have no excuse.

None at all!

Take care!

I’ll be back.

(Please read that last part in a Schwarzenegger type of voice.)

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2013

La la la laaaa….

December 19, 2012December 19, 2012 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 25 Comments

I haven’t been blogging much lately, not for any particular reason, I mean besides everything in my house breaking at once and a total lack of coordination in dealing with those break downs. But eventually I did manage to get somewhat coordinated and put up my Christmas tree. I have hundreds of bulbs so it takes me awhile. I used a fold up towel dryer to sort my bulbs. Clever, no?
.

I made a few new discoveries this year. For instance I discovered that when I put reindeer antlers on Sampson, he sinks. His head gets lower and lower until paralysis sets in and he is stuck on the floor. Apparently he thinks they are very very heavy. This made him quite sad. Fortunately his little bear was there to help him out.

I’m thinking this may possibly be useful in the future.

I also discovered that reindeer antlers have a strange affect on Zeus as well. He realized that the wearing of reindeer antlers changed him into a reindog with super powers. Super Reindog, we call him. These super powers give him the ability to lie on my bed, because although ordinary dogs are not allowed on the bed and think that I don’t know they get up there the second my back is turned, reindogs have no such restrictions. Yes, a reindog will lie right on the bed in front of me and coyly wave his paw. Reindogs are very impertinent animals.

Well that reindog has another think coming if he thinks I’m going to put up with that…

I also discovered that when the moon is full with Jupiter to it’s upper left and the Christmas lights are on, you can get some pretty cool shots. You must however stand in your driveway wearing pajamas, boots and furry earmuffs to do so properly.

;

I also did some painting. Christmas ones of course.

This is an acrylic, 3×5 on 300gsm watercolor paper. I used one of my goose photos as a reference. This naughty goose has stolen someone’s Christmas ribbon. Geese are mean like that.

This goose is being downright pestiferous. Fortunately this snowman appears to be a bohemian jovial type of snowman as opposed to the perfidious abominable type of snowman.

Acrylic, 3 x 5 inches.

I also painted a little tiny snow scene, this one is acrylic, 2 x 3 inches. I don’t know why I made that so small, I was leaning in as I painted it and it just came out that way.

This is another snowy scene. Had a bit of fun with the purple and yellows in this one. If you look closely, you’ll see a small pestiferous perfidious abominable snowman hiding in the shrubbery. Okay, not really. I just like using the words ‘pestiferous’ and ‘perfidious’.

Acrylic, 3 x 5 inches.

I went out the other day, the light was terrible but I did meet up with this fellow. I was enchanted to meet him. He was, well not so much..

Back at the ranch, Dummy decided to climb the Christmas tree so he could meet the Christmas Angel. He has been infatuated with her for years. He thought that as he started out as lowly carved piece of scrap wood, that she would not like him. He was pleasantly surprised to find that she started out as a toilet paper roll. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

Happy Holidays!!

©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2012

Balloons..Oh I love Balloons…

October 14, 2012October 14, 2012 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 9 Comments

Fall is definitely in the air and so are the balloons.

There is just something about balloons..

Really big balloons..

With fire and stuff..

And balloons of all colors..

There were even balloon slides and as I watched the kiddies playing on them, this little guy hung on for dear life.

Then the little girl pushed him down and he screamed…

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must be a terrible person because it made me laugh.

That’s why I like children, they’re evil little things but they are comical.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I should be outside raking but instead I painted some tree trunks.

This is a 5 by 7 inch in acrylic.

I hope you’re all enjoying Autumn. If you live in a city and miss raking leaves, feel free to drop by!

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2012

My Summer or How I Was Kneecapped By A Groundhog..

September 3, 2012September 5, 2012 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 20 Comments

So how’s your summer going? I know, I know it’s nearly over and I haven’t posted much but I swear I have a great excuse, ahem I mean reason..

So there’s this groundhog and like all groundhogs, he is so cute, a big darling fat ball of fur. Adorable.

Actually there are a lot of groundhogs,woodchucks, whistlepigs, whatever floats your boat, there are tonnes of them all over North America.

As everyone knows, groundhogs often study meteorology. They quite enjoy it even though they get dragged out of their den every February to tell us when winter will end. And since all groundhogs have a strange sense of humor, they will often lie and give us the wrong info. They’re funny like that.

Some groundhogs, especially those located in Ohio are infamous for their archeological interests. In fact, The Ufferman Site in Ohio, which is on the National Register of Historic Sites has been solely excavated by groundhogs. They have brought up human bones, pottery and rock tool bits used by the Cole culture (circa 800-1300AD). No human has ever had to excavate as the groundhogs have done such a great job of it.

Groundhogs, can climb trees, they can swim and they can run. To their dismay, they cannot cycle and since all groundhogs dream of competing in Ironman competitions, their sorrow is great.

But there is one thing that Groundhogs are renowned worldwide for, there is one thing they love to do more then anything, there is one thing that amuses them to no end and that is to dig holes, big deep holes…

And while many people think they dig them to live in for safety and food storage, that’s ridiculous, everyone knows they prefer bungalows with full size pantries. They actually dig holes to trap humans especially humans walking around with cameras, so that that human walking around with a camera will twist and turn as they fall to save their camera and tear all the muscles holding their knee cap in place. And then that human will spend the next six weeks wearing a hot awkward metal and foam cast that makes me, ahem that human, walk like Frankenstein and since that human will be in pain occasionally they will groan and small children and animals will run from this Frankensteinian beast, except of course for the fat black cat that lives with that human and likes to scratch her face on the metal contraption and enjoy her pain cause she’s an awful sadistic animal and meanwhile the groundhog is rolling around slapping it’s knee, bubbling over with mirth and glee, because even though he’s adorable, he’s a mother of a mean little so and so…

And that ladies and gentlemen is how you write a run on sentence…

Anyway, it’s not that bad. (rolleyes) I’m fine (whine whine moan). Seriously it’s all good. (sigh)

Actually did some drawings for a trade. Lots of fun.

The only rule was that they had to be small 3.5 by 2.5 inches (ATC’s, ACEO”s whatever) about the size of a playing card and they had to be in black and white.

As always they might appear larger on your screen then they actually are

This is a little windmill, in black and white that’s down the road a ways, I think someone lives in it.

This is from a photo in the RIL on Wetcanvas, many thanks to the person who put it in there for all to use. It’s acrylic.

This is a barn in pen and ink that we have driven by a few times.

This is an 1800’s bread oven off in the woods (to keep the heat away) at Balls Falls in Ontario, Canada. This is an acrylic.

This is an old wagon that for some reason, someone stuck in their yard. Acrylic.

This is a penguin, cause I sure as heck wasn’t going to draw a groundhog. Pen and Ink.

And this is a Victorian house we drove by on the way to Saint Louis in acrylic.

Other then that, I took a photo of the blue moon. It wasn’t blue but it’s negative is.

I also found a potato with dancing angels in it, I was going to sell it on EBay but I gave it to the raccoon instead..

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and has a fun holiday weekend.

Happy Labor Day!

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2012

Meet me in Saint Louis, Louis..

May 31, 2012 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 8 Comments

That’s a great song. Written by Sterling and Mills for Judy Garland of course.

Everyone sing!

“Meet me in Saint Louis, Louis..

Meet me at the fair

Don’t tell me the lights are shining any place but there!”

“We will dance the Hoochee Koochee”

.
“I will be your tootsie wootsie!”

“If you will meet me in St. Louis, Louis,
Meet me at the fair!”

Alright so I was actually at the Saint Louis Zoo but it was started when the city bought the walk-through birdcage from the 1904 World’s Fair. It’s now a world class zoo and it’s gorgeous. Just the landscaping alone is worth seeing.

And this camel with the bad toupee is worth seeing as well.

“Toupee!” he says in a bad British accent “You cad!”

Then there was this monkey, a lion maned something or other who apparently thought I was a photographer for a clothing catalog.

And he told the lemur to pose too. Work it baby, work it!

This lemur went for the deep look

This guy just yammered on in a bad New York Yiddish accent

“Oh vey! What do you expect me to pose for, I don’t wear the clothes!”

And the hippo was as adorable as a 6000 lb animal can be.

And don’t get me started on how much I love rhinos.

Being at the zoo reminded me of a painting I had wanted to do for a long time.

I was the Pueblo Zoo in Colorado a few years back. I was watching this goose who was sitting on the ledge of their little river. And this goose refused to move, all the geese kept having to walk around him. Then along came this white goose and a brown goose. Instead of walking around the sitting goose, they stood and watched it, honking softly.

They seemed very perplexed by the sitting goose’s lack of manners. The sitting goose did everything it could not to look at them. It was a very haughty goose and it made me laugh.

This is acrylic, 5×7.

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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog, 2012

Birdstalking Part 2 or How the Catbird Sought Revenge..

May 23, 2012 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 12 Comments

So.

Hello.

I’m trying to come up with a better opening line that that.

But I’m exhausted.

Tuckered out, you might say. Dog tired, bushwhacked, fatigued, lethargic, pooped even.

I mean downright weary.

Why? Well, let me tell you why…

There’s a catbird living in my tree.

That’s right a catbird, I said. To be specific, a Grey Catbird, also known as the Slate Colored Mockingbird.

For those of who you have never met a catbird, yes, they do meow.

They also cluck and cackle and caw. And they coo and cheep and twitter and peep.

And occasionally they whistle.

But the one thing they never do, the One Thing no catbird would ever dream of, the ONE THING that never ever, in the history of animal kind, a catbird has ever done is to..

SHUT UP!!

They sing in the morning, they sing at night.

They sing in the dark, they sing in the light.

They sing when they’re hungry and happy and sad.

They sing when they’re excited, tense or mad!

(They also make me write like a Dr. Seuss wannabe. That mocking thing is contagious)

So I decided to fix his little red wagon and fry his chestnuts. He was done as dinner.

I turned back to my bird stalking ways. I cleaned my camera lens and it was on..

I tried in vain to get a photo of him with his mouth shut.

But I only managed to get photos of him with his mouth open.

He was singing to the left…

He was singing to the right..

Hmmmm… that’s not working…I need help…

Oh Mr Hummingbird, thank you for offering your services. Yes, you stick your tongue out at him.

Oh dear, Mr Hummingbird. Yes it is awfully hard to mock a mockingbird. They enjoy it, the sickos.

But thank you for trying. I appreciate the effort.

Mr. Cardinal? You have an idea, you say?

You’re going to give him the Awesomely Malevolent Evil Eye as only a Cardinal with a capitol ‘C’ can?

Wonderful..Give it your best shot.

Hmmm, Nice, but no banana.

Mr Bluejay, You’re going to what!?! Screech it away?

No!! No!! It’s a mockingbird!! For the love of God!!! Don’t teach it how to screech!!

Sorry, beg your pardon, lost my composure for a minute. It really is mimicking you quite well.

Yes that is how you sound, you can sit up in that tree and be as offended as you like but that is the noise that you make.

So finches? Any ideas?

You’re too busy playing ‘One Finch, Two Finch, Three Finch, Four!’ to help out a friend?

Yes I do realize catbirds chase cats. And dogs. And hawks and sometimes people too.

I also know that it’s been observed that other birds will actually line up and watch them when they are doing so.

It’s true. Everyone loves a show.

Fine, finches, go on with your game.

I think I know what will do it.

That’s right I called the Great North American White Wookie. It says…

“Arggggg…grrrr…gargle…gargle… arggggg!!!!”

Nothing? Really?

Well, I guess it’s time to ask the Honorable Zen Master Tree Frog for advice..

Hold up now. It’s upset you too? The Honorable Zen Master Tree Frog?

The Catbird stole your moves? and your mating calls?

The Nerve! The Gall! The sheer unadulterated insolence of that Grey Catbird slash Slate Colored Mockingbird!

Dummy! Come quick! The Honorable Zen Master Tree Frog needs you!

That’s a good Dummy, you cheer him up and I will settle this for once and for all.

Catbird, I didn’t want to have to do this. You left me no choice.

It shouldn’t have come to this but when you push people to extremes they go to…well..extremes.

By the power invested in me as President, Vice President, Treasurer, Clerk, Recorder and Supporting Cast of Birdstalkers Anonymous (Quad Cities, IA/IL Chapter) I call the..

The …

Get ready folks…

The..

Hide the children…

The..

Avert your eyes…

The (and this is the technical name)..

The Dastardly, Heinous, Ghastly, Loathsome, Menacing, Razor Toothed, Jagged Jawed, Mother Nature, that is one mean looking mother but it does have exceptionally pretty eyes for a goose Goose.

We call him Al for short.

So what do you have to say now Catbird?

Yea, I thought you’d have nothing to say

Wait a minute..What is that? Humidity? Oh it’s Hot! I guess it’s time to turn on the Central Air so my house doesn’t turn into an oven. You know when I turn on the Central Air so my house doesn’t turn into an oven, I can’t hear outside.

Never mind, Catbird. Carry on.

Now I have some peace, I can get back to painting.

This is from a photo in Wetcanvas‘s RIL by Dave Slaughter. Thank you to him for it’s use.

This is acrylic, 4×4 inches and it’s a Mountain Bluebird.

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Come thunder! Come lightning!

May 7, 2012August 19, 2015 ~ thepurpledogpaintingblog ~ 17 Comments

Mother Nature has been on a roll. Super Moons, fiery sunsets, lightning. You name it, she’s been throwing out the works lately.

The super moon was well..super. Congratulations to whoever came up with the name Super Moon. Job well done. Sure, Super Moon, sounds as if it should be running around dark alleys, rescuing old ladies from purse snatchers and generally giving miscreants some well deserved ass kickings but nevertheless super it was. I did not however see it’s sidekick, Mediocre Meteor, who sadly burned up in the atmosphere causing a ruckus over in Scotland where screams of “We’re being invaded, Laddie!” were heard from glen to glen and down the mountain side.

Did you know that last December a guy accidentally drove his Mustang off a 100 foot cliff while watching a meteor shower. Yes, he did. And then he walked away.

Foolishness comes with it’s own airbags.

But I digress, anyway there’s this Super Moon, complete with cape. People, all over the world, gathered to see it and take photos and generally have a good time. As per usual when anything interesting is happening in the sky, Mother Nature in her infinite wisdom covered our area in clouds. I’m starting to think the big M doesn’t much like Illinois.

She did however like Northern New York, where I took this photo in 2005. It was taken with an old digital but it is pretty, no. (That last sentence sounds better if you read it with a french accent.)

The sky was on fire!

But this is what I saw of the Super Moon.

*sigh*

BUT! I fooled her, yes I fooled Mother Nature. Friday night, when the Moon was still quite close to the earth, not a Super Moon but a somewhat impressive moon, it was beautifully clear and I went outside with my camera to play with some filters.

Boo-yah! Mother Nature. That”s right, I said it.

This is a blue filter.

This is a sepia filter.

And this is a Canadian filter.

That was all fun and good but then a thunder storm came so I decided to try and take some lightning photos.

Ooooh. Right to the ground….

A little further off..not terribly clear.

Time to try my new tripod.

Did I mention that I finally bought a tripod?

Yup, I did and it’s metal and I tried it out in a thunder storm.

Son of a…..

Mother Nature is a mite touchy.

And for the record, do not try that at home!

Other then some shakiness, a killer headache and a ringing in my ears which I successfully drowned out listening to Def Leppard really loud, I’m fine.

I decided to take a break from the photo thing and paint this acrylic which is 3×6 and was painted for a challenge in the Miniature Forum on Wetcanvas. The original photo came from Wetcanvas’ reference image library and thanks to PeterH for putting it there.

…

.Take care, all!

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the purple dog painting blog

Art, Poetry, Photography & Other Nonsense

acrylic

Ho, oh ho, oh no…

Mudzilla!

Hi!

Procrastination, Corruption and Weird Animals..

La la la laaaa….

Balloons..Oh I love Balloons…

My Summer or How I Was Kneecapped By A Groundhog..

Meet me in Saint Louis, Louis..

Birdstalking Part 2 or How the Catbird Sought Revenge..

Come thunder! Come lightning!

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