Last week, I discussed how I've recorded my experiences throughout my life as artwork. This week, I'm going to share with you the comic book I created of our dog, Max, the Patterdale Terrier.
Much of my artwork is driven by love. Love compels you to make something for someone - a momento, a gift, a Valentines card, an anniversary present. Love of a subject - for me, this is the natural world - inspires you to recreate it in a piece of art. But love also motivates you to capture your feelings - and this is what lies behind my comic book of Max.
The story for this comic book was borne from my never-ending surprise that Max is capable of being such a loyal, fun, affectionate dog who is extremely patient with our daughter - and yet has such a disobedient streak.
He loves to chase things - no problem when this is a tennis ball in a park. But he has chased cats through people's gardens and into their house. Many squirrels have barely escaped with their tails intact.
Like many terriers, he is terrible for fighting. He once launched an aerial attack on his arch-nemesis Paddy the Airedale from our garage roof.
Max is a re-homed dog. We re-homed him when he was about 6 years old. His previous owner came up from England to do some work locally - and then drove off and left him. He was clearly maltreated as he has a permanently broken rib where a boot would make contact with his side - and he hates the sight of men in waterproofs of a certain age and build. As a result, he suffers anxiety when he is left alone in the house. This anxiety manifests itself in destructive behaviours.
Water is anathema to Max. When you have to bath him, he behaves like a cartoon dog, with feet jammed on the sides of the bath, refusing to go in.
Although Max does not demand strokes all the time, he likes to be close to you, and loves to have a nap with you on the sofa. In general, he loves naps.
This sums up how we feel about Max! Despite his disobedient streak!
Do you share your life through your art? What have you felt compelled to capture?