amanda briggs at dear ada

william wegman.

I'm not always the biggest fan of william wegman's work, but I really love this polaroid of his. I love the colors, the shrill pink and yellow juxtaposed against the beautiful grey coat of the dog. This image is a bit surreal, and a little bit scary too. I like it a lot.

lisa larson.

These dog figures from lisa larson make me smile. Reminiscent of staffordshire dog figures, these are a little more modern, a little less glitzy. I love the buttery glaze and the strange expressions on their faces.

h.n.y.

Here's to a new, fresh year full of amazing art, beautiful design, occasional stories about very spoiled dogs, glorious gardens, health, happiness and peace. Not necessarily in that order, but most certainly, all of the above. Thanks to everyone who visited dear ada over the last year! And thanks for all the lovely comments, words of encouragement, smart ideas and terrific connections! Your presence has brought me so much happiness and inspiration. I hope to see you again soon as the adventure continues! Happy wishes to all!

helen fay.

Oh my, do I ever love these magnificant etchings of dogs by helen fay. There's a remarkable simplicity of the composition and rich density to the monochromatic color in each of these prints. And such a satisfying dignity to her subjects, showing them as proud creatures unto themselves rather than mere pets to humans. I love these beautiful prints, brought to life with such technical skill in this difficult medium, in great part because of that larger, deeper story they tell.

dick daniels.

Good morning funny dog by dick daniels. You make me quite happy indeed. Oh, hello happy cat. You're not so bad yourself!

happy thanksgiving.

It's Thanksgiving here today. Near the top of my list of what I'm thankful for is unsurprisingly my two dogs, flora and ruppert. Never too concerned with the worries of the world, they constantly remind me of what's important and what is not.

Of course, there's so much more that I'm thankful for today, including all the wonderful people who visit dear ada. I'm looking forward to more art, more conversation and more celebration of what's good in the world. Thanks to all of the kind readers who keep coming back for the same. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you're celebrating today and have wonderful day even if you are not!

allison stout.

I'm really liking the dog paintings of allison stout. The portraits themselves are beautifully rendered and I especially love the abstract context the dogs are placed within. Somehow these paintings have achieved a balance between successfully capturing the image and character of a pet (a good thing in a portrait), without making them too sentimental or precious. Not an easy feat, to say the least!

anthony lister.

Oh, isn't this a lovely mixed media piece by anthony lister? I love the use of stenciled, graffiti-like techniques to render the image of the dog. It feels so modern and fresh!

rae dunn.

Inspiration is a wonderful thing. Take these lovely vases by ceramic artist rae dunn. I love their hand built, happy forms with their graphic dots and text decorating the surface. Simple, modern, animated and confident, they have a presence and character that draws me in.

And then I see the inspiration for these wonderful vases and well, stop already. Nothing more needs to be said as far as I'm concerned. Dog + craft + pattern. It's the perfect trifecta.

damon lehrer.

I'm loving these paintings by damon lehrer. Yes, of course I love the subject matter. I know, enough with the dogs. But I can't help myself. I love them for all the reasons you'd guess. Companionship, unconditional love, the beauty of them as creatures. You name it about why dogs are great and I'm there.

But. Beyond the obvious love of the subject matter here, I'm blown away by the amazing skill and mastery of the medium these paintings display. I'm so attracted to the color and depth of light they have, the particular quality of both that only oil can achieve. And I love the composition, the context of these portraits, as classical and important as any human portrait could be. Sigh.