This began with the idea of painting a white picket fence. To create the fence, I dipped a popsicle stick in white paint and set it carefully on the canvas and pulled downward. First we had to eat a few Fudgesicles :o)
The background came next. I wanted the painting to be balanced, so originally I had two small trees beside the house on the left side as well. I wasn't happy with it, thinking I needed something closer to the fence. Cherry trees were in bloom at the time . . . so there you go.
I thought of painting children playing on the grass. A cartwheel? A picnic? Flying a kite? I wasn't sure. The idea of a girl and her dog came to me. I wondered if it would "work" with a girl leaning on the fence, looking like she's waiting.
The blue house was a red school house for a day - but the red was too strong - so it went back to a blue house. Our first house in Melville, Saskatchewan, was blue with white trim. I really loved that house!
The puppy was inspired by my son's teacher and her new puppy, Ruby. It seemed fitting that this painting would become a year-end gift for Liam's teacher.
It just seemed right :o)
