About my book
The Blue Rabbit & Other Dog Affairs
and how it helps homeless kids
More about the book . . .
During my life, I’ve created hundreds of paintings, drawings, and even wire sculptures of dogs of all kinds. It’s probably fair to say that I am almost as passionate about dogs as I am about art. I therefore decided to write this book to convey my enthusiasm for both. It contains my insight into how dogs console, play, delight, amuse, and live with their human companions. Drawing and painting allow me to share my way of seeing this relationship.
I also chose to include some technical advise on how to improve painting and compositional skills for aspiring artists. My hope is that both dog lovers and art lovers will not only enjoy this book but take away something of value. I’ve produced over 200 examples of how I have personally reacted over the years, and how I have felt towards man’s best friend. My approach has been to make quick studies on location and then make value studies in various mediums before completing a piece of art work.
For reference, I used photographs shot when I was on various painting trips abroad. I use the technique of turning them upside down which helps me see the abstraction of shapes, values, and edges in the scene. Once those abstractions are defined, I can then start adding color and thickness of paint, and of course the finer details. This I suppose makes me an abstract, painterly, realist.
In The Blue Rabbit, I include the ideas, techniques, and insights that I have shared with my painting, drawing, and printmaking students over my lengthy teaching career. In almost every painting, you will find a dog somewhere. The perceptive Malcolm Gladwell, in his excellent book The Outliers, wrote:
“Achievement is talent plus preparation. The problem with this view is that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role innate talent seems to play and the bigger the role preparation seems to play.”
It’s one thing to have talent, but it doesn’t stop there; success in anything we do also requires a great deal of preparedness as well as diligence and an indomitable spirit. If you have a strong work ethic, it will carry you far. I know this to be true from personal experience; I’ve made steady progress over the years by adhering to the work ethic my parents and teachers instilled in me, and have supplemented my talents with sheer hard work.
My publisher and I have partnered in the production of
the First Edition of my book The Blue Rabbit & Other Dog Affairs
specifically to raise funds for homeless and otherwise endangered
children through The Endangered Child Foundation.
Only 500 of these beautifully produced hardcover books have
been produced, and when you purchase a book today, we apply
all net profits from its sale to help these forsaken kids.
Please help us help them!
$59.95
Hardcover + Dust Jacket
308 x 248 mm (12.13 x 9.76 inches)
with 256 full-color pages
ISBN 978-0-9824872-7-3
Winter Survival Kits for Homeless Kids
100% of the proceeds from the sale of my book The Blue Rabbit & Other Dog Affairs goes to The Endangered Child Foundation, which operates ongoing, structured campaigns tailored to helping homeless and otherwise endangered children at all levels, such as its simple but very effective Winter Survival Campaign.
Each year, the Endangered Child Foundation’s Survival Campaign provides homeless kids with fleece sleeping bags delivered inside “space” blankets made from a lightweight, shiny, plastic foil that reflects 85% of body heat (just like a Thermos flask). Space blankets are extensively used by first-responders and paramedics every day. These kits save many children each winter from dying of exposure to sub-zero temperatures that, in some regions, drop as low as -40 degrees in winter! Many of these poor kids are under 10 years old!
Buying my book provides 2 survival kits for these unfortunate kids. Please help us help them!