a dog's tree house

As one of the studio artists at the Kennedy Gallery Art Center, I was asked to paint a dog house to be sold as a benefit for a local rescue group called Homeward Bound. Homeward Bound rescues and adopts out Golden Retrievers - many of you know that my hear belongs to another breed, but how could I say no to any dog?

So here I was, crazy busy with a hundred things, looking at a used Dogloo trying to figure out what I could squeeze into my already tight schedule...

Of course I saw trees! The spaces between the faux ice bricks instantly translated to tree trunks and branches and the idea of a dog tree house was born.


My first step was to scrub and prime the Dogloo, which I managed to do just four days before my deadline -

Three days to deadline and I had the time to start the trees themselves - having only a rudimentary plan in my mind, I started laying paint to Dogloo, without any sketches or real idea of where I was going - not at all the way I normally work, but then again, I don't usually paint dog houses, either...

I had started this project feeling like it was a chore - yes I had said I would do it, but it was more like one of those instances of "it seemed like a good idea at the time" but not so much when I had to work it into everything else I was already committed to.

But somewhere along the way, painting trees without any plan, it became fun...

The day before my deadline was the day it all had to happen - it was a completely free day for getting this project done - the deadline day was Second Saturday, when I spend the afternoon to evening at my midtown studio while crowds of people come through for the monthly art party in Sacramento. This particular Saturday also included several family errands and complications (like so many Saturdays do) so Friday was work day.

No makeup, no worries about hair, paint clothes & thankfully nice weather to paint on the back patio, building the greenery of ground and leafiness, adding a couple little birds with acrylic transfers and more shades of greens...

Sparky was content to hang out in the backyard, chase of birds and a neighbor cat, roll in the grass and leave me alone for most of the day. But in typical Stafford fashion, by mid afternoon she wanted to be in the middle of what I was doing and by the time I was done, she was trying to sit on my lap, or my foot, or lean against me & generally hinder my progress.

Finally, as the light began to fade in the backyard, I had added the final layers of yellow-green and then blues & lavender for sky, and the finishing touches of blues in the trees to create the depth of color that would make me happy with what I had done.

Saturday morning I was ready to varnish the Dogloo Tree House, but the last bits of blue glazes weren't dry yet...

Sometime around noon I was able to put on the first coat of varnish, the second coat at 1 p.m. - two coats would have to suffice as my plan was to be at the Kennedy before 3 p.m....

Not too long after three, the dog Tree House was installed on the front lawn strip at the Kennedy Gallery, ready for midtown's Second Saturday Artwalk. Before the night was over, we had a strong interest in the Tree House; if it's not sold by the end of today, it goes to Homeward Bound's 10th Annual Kibble and Bids Event, either way, dogs in need of rescue benefit & I can feel good about using my talents to help others.