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My apologies in advance to all you dog fans out there - I know you've seen quite a few cats lately. I promise to get back to canines starting tomorrow.

"Winter Sunlight," 14" x 20", portrait of my Miah, acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas. I'm keeping this one for myself.

Miah took a turn for the worse over the weekend. This morning it was time to let her go. I held he while she crossed the bridge, and shed what felt like the millionth tear.

I didn't feel much like doing anything but lingering with her memories most of the morning, so I indulged myself. When I wandered into the studio to sort through the mail, this half-finished canvas was staring at me. I had blocked it in immediately after painting two dog-a-day paintings of Miah earlier this year (posted on March 11th, 2008). I found myself pulling the canvas down and setting my palette up with the greens.

As a kitten Miah rode on my shoulders when I painted. What I wouldn't give to feel her warmth one more time. She was the sort of cat who thought she was a person, and was my constant companion until arthritis made the stairs an obstacle. We moved the litterbox up 2 flights, and Miah and Turtle took up residence in "the penthouse." Miah studiously tracked the path of the sun during the day, tormented the boys' frogs (in tanks in their bedroom), and enjoyed her treetop squirrel watching post (aka the windowseat). In the evenings she took bedtime very seriously, up until Saturday helping tuck each child in and purring them to sleep.

Surprisingly I found great solace in painting her today. She was - and will continue to be - a powerful muse.

This portrait will hang in a place of honor, and we will proudly carry a bit of her with us. She's left a terrible emptiness in this household, where she reigned for 19 years.

Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings and stories with your friends and family.
Talk to you tomorrow,
Kim

Kimberly Kelly Santini
http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

http://www.paintingadogaday.com/
come. sit. stay.
enjoy the art.

Founding member of the Canine Art Guild
http://www.canineartguild.com/
the gateway to canine art on the web
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Comments

  1. Lauren Everett Finn6:38 AM

    Oh Kim...
    I'm so very sorry to hear of Miah's passing...It's so hard losing our furry companions....they become so ingrained in our lives and hearts.
    Thinking of you and your family.

    Lauren Finn

    ReplyDelete

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