Scout feature image

Scout

topdogPet Portraits 3 Comments

This is Scout, one of my first commissions. Painted with just enough detail to activate your brain!

Seamus feature image

Seamus Growls

topdogPet Portraits 2 Comments

“Keep moving, Pal.” This funny pet portrait commission is a memorial for a beloved family pet, Seamus. Apparently, Seamus was quite the character. He loved going for rides in the car and growling at people who passed by the vehicle – in a “keep moving – nothing to see here” kind of way. This hobby (or habit) so amused the family that they wanted to memorialize it in a second portrait. The final portrait was …

Winslow, a Bernese Mountain dog at six months old

Winslow at Six Months

topdogPets 2 Comments

I haven’t posted much about Winslow lately. He’s hit the six month mark, and is weighing in at over 80 lbs. A big boy, indeed! Winslow is a very high-spirited pup. It’s exhausting trying to keep him under control. I think he’s got a definite Alpha Dog vibe, which means he’s constantly challenging other dogs and us. I’ve had to do some research on training an alpha dog, and how to keep them in line. …

Columns at St. Peter's Square, Rome. Photo by topdog

How I Became An Atheist: The Short Version

topdogBeliefs 3 Comments

One Sunday in 2002, The Missus and I sat in church on a sunny Spring day. At the time, the Catholic Church was embroiled in another priest sex scandal. During the homily a monsignor (more than a priest, less than a bishop) implored us to keep giving our money to the Church, despite these horrific incidents.

German Shepherd Portrait

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A few years after I painted Junior, the customer had another German Shepherd portrait for me. He was their next dog, Murphy. A swell looking fellow, he had lighter coloring than your typical German Shepherd, and I accentuated that in the portrait. I think it’s a fair observation that German Shepherds need proper training to be their best at protecting their pack and accepting non-threatening strangers. In a neighborhood setting, you don’t want a dog …

I Love German Shepherd Dogs

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We have friends (hard to believe, I know, but it’s mostly The Missus’ fault – she’s too friendly), and among those friends are the Hughes family. Over the course of ten years, they have commissioned me to paint each of their three German Shepherds that have been part of their clan. This is the first, Junior. He had long ears, which I at first thought was a trick of the photos they gave me, but …

Interior Image of a Roman Cathedral

The Resurrection: Thin Evidence

topdogBeliefs 4 Comments

It’s Easter weekend, and I hope my Christian friends are celebrating in whatever way appeals to their notions of what it’s all about. I used to be one of you, but that ended about twenty years ago when I realized theistic believe didn’t make sense for me. Becoming an unbeliever (atheist, if you prefer) was my personal choice; I don’t expect anyone to do the same simply on my word. If belief works for you, …