This past January, right before a snow storm, an emaciated dog showed up at my son’s house,
clearly searching for help. My son couldn’t keep her, so I offered to take her in and search for her owners. She was young, no more than a year old, no microchip, a bag of bones, reeking of urine. Over the next weeks, no owners responded to the Facebook post or Humane Society listing. Our neurotic German shepherd made fast friends with her, they mirrored each other’s poses and chased each other endlessly. My kids named her and she became more ours with each passing week. As she chewed up leashes, obliterated toys, ate through extra bags of dog food, and finally dug holes in my garden, I begged my son to take her back…she remained. In late September, I finally got her scheduled for her spay, shots, and microchip. The appointment confirmation read,
“Goose Carrasco.” She was officially ours.
For this show, I was originally working on pieces reflecting personal transformation, and identity. Exploring deep changes in my world that have asked me to show up differently in my life over the past three years. This art needed me to move very slowly, to be in spaces of silence. That however, is not my current reality. The beautiful life I tumble through presently has not slowed.
While I’m a believer of letting my art reflect where I am in life, I chose to express a wink of laughter instead.
One day while agonizing about the paintings I was working on for this show, I came across a funny picture of Goose in “sploot” position on my bedroom rug. I laughed and exclaimed, “This is what I should be painting!” I joked with my kids about how I was going to paint a whole show inspired by the dog I didn’t want to keep and that the paintings would all be butts. They laughed and called me a weirdo but as they saw the first handful of studies completed, they began recruiting their friends to send pictures of their dog and cat butts.
The studies were my favorite to paint, quick little moments of silly observation. Joyful gems that worked easily into my busy days. I noticed how each pet butt carried its own energy, guiding my brush in a unique way each time. I am an observer of things, morning light and shadow play, reflections, patterns, textures, angles, colors and how they engage. These are the things that nourish me daily. This has been the most light hearted and delightful collection I’ve ever created and it was just what I needed to help me continue walking through these difficult days. I know these butts will bring smiles and laughter to many more and I hope they inspire countless moments of joyful observation in others. Goose Carrasco is the star of the show! I like dogs. I like dog butts. I like cats. I like (painting) cat butts.
