"Avalanche of Love" is my homage to Avalanche the Bulldog, a piece for the EBSQ Pet Swap Show.

Avalanche is Deborah Sprague's sweet puppy who passed away in May of 2006. He loved playing in his little red swimming pool with his water hose or lounging in the cool grass with his bulldog friends. Avalanche was a much-loved and surely missed sweetheart of Deb's family.

I painted this the week my beloved dog was put down, a couple of weeks after finishing another posthumous pet portrait and I didn't think I'd make it through. Deb painted a beautiful painting of my sweet Nonny.

It was a good year for Heaven.

I didn't make it in time for the Pet Swap Show - I was one day late - but maybe the "Better Late Than Never" Show at the end of the year.