Yummy Nutty Caramel Covered
Does the word Snicker make you think about a yummy nutty caramel
covered chocolate bar? Well if so, this is where my mind used to go when
a Snicker was mentioned. However now when I think of this word the candy
bar is not my first thought. Surprisingly my attention is directed toward an
adorable little Sheltie named Snicker. Just like the candy bar, his thick
shiny fur is the color mixture of chocolate, caramel, and creamy vanilla.
Snicker is a very handsome little creature that joins our art class each
week. He announces that class is ready to begin, prances around the room
herding each student to their designated area, making sure that we are
ready for learning. Then he begins his request for Frisbee throwing. He
loves racing to retrieve the toy while finishing the pursuit with a wild and
ferocious shaking! Yes, our class is totally entertained by this petite little
“Lassie”.
Snicker and I both attend a weekly art class taught by his owner, Diana
Forn. He plays with his toys and keeps our class in their seats while we
learn about art. I love little Snicker and I love this class as well. Here I have
the opportunity to see and learn from other art students that have my same
interest and motivation. New and informative lessons are given each week
by Diana and there is constantly something to learn. Critiques, a vital part
of the painting process, are given at the end of each class and this allows
for tremendous growth. During one art session, Diana asked me to paint
Snicker for her. My first thought was that she must be kidding! Diana could
easily paint Snicker herself. However I found out that she was very serious
about this happening. I felt honored, delighted, confused, and a little
nervous about attempting a portrait of her favorite little dog. However,
because she has taught me so much about painting, I really wanted to
honor her request. After giving it a great deal of thought, and still feeling
incompetent and a little hesitant, I agreed to try to paint Snicker. After all, I
do love painting pets and little Snicker was a gorgeous little subject. So we
took some pictures and began to develop some ideas. My only hope was
that the painting would be successful, and that Diana would be pleased
with the final outcome.
So the final picture was chosen and the composition considered. The
drawing began with the painting to follow. (I’ve included pictures for you to
see the process.) On several different occasions while painting Snicker
Diana looked at the canvas and told me she felt like crying. Oh my
goodness, what did that mean? I hoped it meant tears of joy. The painting
continued over several weeks and after a few critiques it was completed.
Diana was pleased with the end result and I’m beyond delighted that she
was happy. Whew! That was a tough one!
So I’ve taken some photos of the painting process to share with you. I
thought you might be interested in seeing how a painting develops from the
beginning to the end. Even though I have painted several different dogs for
customers, this one was definitely very different, a little stressful, and
unforgettable! However, looking back, I’m very happy that I had this
experience and honored that I was asked to do this.
So it’s no surprise that when I hear the word Snicker, even though I love
the candy bar, I no longer think of delicious caramel and nuts covered by
creamy chocolate. My thoughts immediately turn to an unforgettable
memory. A time when I painted this beautiful little parading fluff of fur that
answers to the name of Snicker!
