Birdie was a dear friend and companion to my niece. She had soulful eyes, was short and stout and had big, flappy ears. When she was young, her ears looked almost like wings, they were so big on her. Birdie lived to a ripe old age, and when she left planet earth, I decided to give my niece a painting of her.

The painting is from a photo I took outdoors. I wanted the painting to be very realistic and to capture a sense of life and Birdie's sweet personality. The underpainting was done in acrylic, then glazed with oils. The most difficult part of the painting was the roses. I have a newfound admiration for those who excel in painting flowers.