 Illustration by David Greenwood-Mathé | HOW MUCH IS THAT PUPPY IN THE WINDOW? Lasyrenn, our eight week old red merle Australian Shepherd, is the newest furry member of our family. Still very much in her puppy stage, one of her most delightful features is her boxy back view. Having only a tiny button of a tail, she looks like a polka-dotted bunny when she does her puppy hops through the grass. |
Every chance she gets, Lasyrenn’s hopping into her wee carrier and making her way onto our Carthage arts and music scenes, for Lasyrenn (“la-se-wren”, the siren) takes her name from Haitian Creole legend which identifies her as the patron of artists and musicians. Her most recent appearance is at Michael Steddum’s artist opening for his exhibition “unleashed! DOG SHOW” at artCentral.
Michael’s exquisite oil and watercolor portraits of dogs have turned the Hyde House galleries into a land of two-dimensional magic. As artCentral’s prepitor David Greenwood-Mathé observes, “The paintings in this show are certainly exquisite renderings of dogs, but they’re so much more. Even without the dogs, the landscapes of the paintings would still be beautiful on their own.”
All through the week leading up to Michael’s opening, Lasyrenn hangs out with David and me at artCentral beneath the sparkling eyes of the canines shining on our walls. She learns how to climb the steps up to the front porch and how to navigate her way on the stairs leading to my second floor studio-office and above to David’s attic studio. She shadows David as he installs the exhibit and adds final details to the beautiful manicure given by Mike Burken and his crew to our expansive lawn and gardens.
While I place the wall labels by paintings and prepare for the reception, Lasyrenn scatters and chases her chew toys through the downstairs galleries as though Hyde House is her second home. Nighttime puppy potty training is going extremely well with Lasyrenn sleeping long and deeply dreaming sweet puppy dreams after her busy days and evenings.
As David and I complete our opening night preparations, many others attend to their own. Since Judy Goff, our beloved reception impresario, is fully booked preparing for the fundraising Lobster Boil for the Carthage Historic Preservation Society, Jackie Boyer, our board president, steps in. She plans the evening’s menu then purchases and delivers the table fare before leaving town for an east coast family visit. Board member Gail White graciously takes up from here prepping and plating a lush array of savories and sweets with the help of board member Brenda Sageng and former board member Miriam Putnam. Another bountiful table greets our guests dressed with velvet-trimmed sheer cloths in rusty autumn hues topped with vibrant citrus colored mums and flickering candles nestled in wreaths of puppy milk bones.
Opening night and Lasyrenn rests tucked away upstairs until time for announcements and celebration of our artist when she makes her artCentral debut evoking “oh’s” and “ah’s” for her puppy adorable-ness which inspires David to rewrite a familiar song for the occasion. While playing on his classical acoustic guitar he sings:
Michael’s exquisite oil and watercolor portraits of dogs have turned the Hyde House galleries into a land of two-dimensional magic. As artCentral’s prepitor David Greenwood-Mathé observes, “The paintings in this show are certainly exquisite renderings of dogs, but they’re so much more. Even without the dogs, the landscapes of the paintings would still be beautiful on their own.”
All through the week leading up to Michael’s opening, Lasyrenn hangs out with David and me at artCentral beneath the sparkling eyes of the canines shining on our walls. She learns how to climb the steps up to the front porch and how to navigate her way on the stairs leading to my second floor studio-office and above to David’s attic studio. She shadows David as he installs the exhibit and adds final details to the beautiful manicure given by Mike Burken and his crew to our expansive lawn and gardens.
While I place the wall labels by paintings and prepare for the reception, Lasyrenn scatters and chases her chew toys through the downstairs galleries as though Hyde House is her second home. Nighttime puppy potty training is going extremely well with Lasyrenn sleeping long and deeply dreaming sweet puppy dreams after her busy days and evenings.
As David and I complete our opening night preparations, many others attend to their own. Since Judy Goff, our beloved reception impresario, is fully booked preparing for the fundraising Lobster Boil for the Carthage Historic Preservation Society, Jackie Boyer, our board president, steps in. She plans the evening’s menu then purchases and delivers the table fare before leaving town for an east coast family visit. Board member Gail White graciously takes up from here prepping and plating a lush array of savories and sweets with the help of board member Brenda Sageng and former board member Miriam Putnam. Another bountiful table greets our guests dressed with velvet-trimmed sheer cloths in rusty autumn hues topped with vibrant citrus colored mums and flickering candles nestled in wreaths of puppy milk bones.
Opening night and Lasyrenn rests tucked away upstairs until time for announcements and celebration of our artist when she makes her artCentral debut evoking “oh’s” and “ah’s” for her puppy adorable-ness which inspires David to rewrite a familiar song for the occasion. While playing on his classical acoustic guitar he sings:
How much is that puppy in the window?
The one without any tail.
How much is that puppy in the window?
I bet that pup’s not for sale.
I might take a flight out to Seattle
To see how far I might roam,
But if we had that pup back here in Carthage,
I’m sure I could find my way home!
How much is that puppy in the window?
The one without any tail.
How much is that puppy in the window?
You can bet that that pup’s not for sale.
The one without any tail.
How much is that puppy in the window?
I bet that pup’s not for sale.
I might take a flight out to Seattle
To see how far I might roam,
But if we had that pup back here in Carthage,
I’m sure I could find my way home!
How much is that puppy in the window?
The one without any tail.
How much is that puppy in the window?
You can bet that that pup’s not for sale.
That puppy in the window, our puppy Lasyrenn, may not be for sale, but the dog portraits at artCentral certainly are! They’re waiting for you to come make your choice. Prints and note cards are available, too.
Michael Steddum’s exhibition: “unleashed! DOG SHOW” continues through November 12, 2017, generously underwritten by HOMETOWN BANK. Gallery hours: Fridays & Saturdays 12:00-5:00, Sundays 1:00-5:00. All other days call (417) 358-4404 to schedule a visit. Admission is free. Donations are welcome.
Michael Steddum’s exhibition: “unleashed! DOG SHOW” continues through November 12, 2017, generously underwritten by HOMETOWN BANK. Gallery hours: Fridays & Saturdays 12:00-5:00, Sundays 1:00-5:00. All other days call (417) 358-4404 to schedule a visit. Admission is free. Donations are welcome.
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