"Red Tick Coon Dog (Scout)," 6" square, commissioned pet portrait on canvasboard. Thank you to Scout's Mom, who will be sneaking this painting into Dad's stocking next month. I received a number of inquiries in the last few days about where I find my inspirations and how I keep going. Besides in all the faces and personalities I get to profile and a daily dose of coffee, I find them everywhere around me. The golden maple leaves dancing right outside my kitchen window. My kids' first smile each day (which comes hopefully before their first tear). The sound of a dear friend's voice on the phone. The way Finnigan's nubbin of a tail glides underneath his skin. The purr of my black cat, not just the sound, but the feel of it against my chest. The smell of a wet painting. I'm sure we all have triggers that keep us going - those are just a few. I make sure I am surrounded by handfuls of them, all the time. And for those days when it's tough to get in...