Bernese Mountain original Painting dog SHEPARD nuthatch

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This is a beautiful signed and dated original painting in acrylics by L.A. Shepard.  It is on  a  8" x 10" x 3/4 stretched canvas with painted sides.  Sides are painted-No need for framing. But would look super in a big, wide frame! These paintings make a striking gallery grouping.

"THE INTRODUCTION"

Last winter I started a series of paintings that featured some of my favorite canine subjects discovering some of the winter birds that we Northerners get to enjoy each season. One of my favorite backyard birds is the Nuthatch. This sweet little bird is so dainty and can be so tame in the winter that it will actually take the food from your hand. This young Berner pup is introducing himself to this white breasted nuthatch on this bright winter day.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a happy, jovial breed with an enthusiastic nature and strong affinity to people and children. 

I will combine any other purchases made within 7 days and discount shipping, please contact me if you would like to bid on other pieces. I ship immediately upon cleared payment.  PLEASE LOOK AT MY OTHER LISTINGS FOR MORE  DOG PORTRAITS.  Please e-mail with any questions or suggestions. I will ship WORLWIDE- please contact me for rates.

a note about shipping- I ship Monday to Friday. It takes 10-12 business days to ship from Canada to the U.S.

If you would like to submit photos to me of your dog, email me at lashepard@live.ca . I paint all dog breeds and I'm constantly looking for great reference photos to work from. Please send the largest jpg possible. Perhaps your pooch will end up as an art piece!

About the artist:

I live in Canada with my husband, 3 kids (who are now young adults), 2 cats, and 2 dogs in an old Victorian house in a small town north of Toronto.  I have been a working artist for over 20 years, decorating the furniture and home accessories that my husband designed, built and sold to stores across Canada in our small business. We have been working together since we met as portrait artists at Busch Gardens in the mid seventies. I count my blessings every day, because although we worked very hard to earn a modest living, I have been incredibly fortunate to work along side my husband, raise my kids and enjoy our home, our garden and the simple things life has to offer. After 30 years of marriage, my husband and I still dream about the days we can spend gardening, painting, walking the dogs, and just being together.   

In July 2006, my husband walked into an emergency room, with a blinding headache.  It turned out to be the worst possible diagnosis.  A malignant brain tumor. The prognosis was very bad. 

It has been over a 2 1/2 years now, since our idyllic life has been turned on its head. My husband has endured brain surgery, 6 weeks of daily radiation , chemotherapy, another brain surgery and constant shots, meds, and weekly 2 hour drives back and forth to the hospital. We are still very lucky, though, because his mind and sense of humour is still very much evident.  At 55, I had to suddenly face running the business alone, nursing my husband, and raising three very angry teenagers.   Most days, I feel like I am walking through a flood, clutching tightly to everything I love, with just my chin above water. ***After a miraculous 2 year remission, we recently found out that Gary's tumor is active again, so the fight is back on, more furious than ever.

Then I look at my dogs, usually doing something recklessly mischievous.  I know it sounds silly, but they can always make me laugh and shake me right out of my blues. Even in the midst of all this chaos, my kids and my husband begged me to get a new puppy. My husband insisted that we needed a little sunshine in our lives. I stupidly caved,  brought home a little golden retriever puppy. She is aptly named “Sunshine”. 

I started painting dogs just as an outlet.  I decided to list them on Ebay and see what might happen.

Now my dream is to support my family at home, painting the things that I love, so that I can spend my time taking care of the man who has taken care of me and our kids so selflessly throughout his life.   I still count my blessings every day.

Thank you for visiting my listing.  If you don’t see anything today, please keep checking back, as I will be adding new  work often.  And please remember to donate to Cancer Research whenever you can, so that we can eradicate this devastating disease for our children and our children’s children.

L.A. Shepard