In 1994, I received my Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. I learned a lot in school and enjoyed being an "art student". That just pretty much meant that even stuff that would seem pointless to other people, like running through a corn field taking blurry photographs or singing in a tall stairwell with my boyfriend (now my husband) and his guitar, were all part of teaching me to see the world from a different perspective.

At that time, I was painting abstracts and loved seeing the paint on the canvas move around and be whatever it wanted to be. That was all before I became a doggie mother. When we found Cowie on the road with all her brothers and sisters - abandoned - we had no idea how much we could love a little bundle of fur. Sitting and watching her play was our favorite pass-time. We took countless pictures of her and sent them to our parents - the "grand-puppy".

I began drawing her and was amazed at how her personality came out in a simple, non-realistic drawing. When I decided to paint her, I wasn't sure how my abstract painting style would translate into a portrait. That painting became my favorite ever! I wasn't sure if it was because it was really good or just because I loved Cowie so much. I decided to paint the dogs of relatives and friends and they were good too. What I found was a joy in painting that I never knew before. My love for animals made it a whole new experience.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your precious ones and hopefully working with you on preserving a tiny piece of them forever.

Blessings and Peace, Leigh