I am getting my summer art show schedule lined up and I’m more busy than I expected to be.   I didn’t want to travel as much as prior years because we have a wonderful new addition to our little family but my schedule got away from me.  Maudie the Bear, our sweet Newfoundland puppy.  I’ve had several Newfies over the years and I just adore them.  Their personalities are sweet and silly and so loving.  My goofy Newfies have been my inspiration for my black bears and my cows. Now I have a fudgy brown teddy bear girl so I’m painting little happy brown bears these days. I named her after Maud Lewis the amazing Canadian folk artist.  I was originally torn between Olive and Birdie but then I remembered the movie “Maudie” I had seen and the name Maudie just seemed so perfect for my little Newfoundlander.  Our Maudie has just been a joy to us and added fun and laughs to our days but she has really slowed my painting down.   She is 5.5 months old now so we are getting more adjusted and I am finding more free time in our busy days but it’s been all about my sweet puppy girl the past few months.  We have suffered through a long cold winter and I am looking forward to the spring weather so I started painting a few garden scenes and florals.  My space paintings all sold out last year so I’m planning on working on a few more of those as well.  Art show season is right around the corner and I am looking forward to getting back out there in the sunshine and meeting art lovers and other artists and enjoying the summer months with a sweet cuddly puppy to come back home to.