There are some wonderful forums for serious OP artists.

Until you’ve felt those depths of sorrow, it’s impossible to understand or sympathize. To this day, I have dreams of Sophie running with me, kissing me, and, above all else, I take delight in remembering the way she would sit facing a western sunset and seem to have an otherwordly, highly-intelligent peacefulness in her gaze.

To this point, Reef lives on in your hearts, your thoughts, your dreams. (As Nabokov wrote): “Speak, Memory!” Your Faithful Friend, Jonathan A.

REEF was grace in every sense of the word and lent grace to all those fortunate enough to know him. REEF’s capacity to enjoy everthing around him prompted me to think that he deserved far more time on this precious earth than what he would be allowed. And because he held life in such reverence and savored it on a visceral level, I would have made a withdrawal from my “bank of days” for REEF.

REEF re-educated us about the things that truly matter in life. He had a routine and he was going to keep it. Daybreak walks in lovely parks in Santa Barbara, and of course, we packed plenty of treats (I swear he knew how many I had). He would actually notice a flower that had bloomed over night and delighted in it’s fragrance. When he ran down the beach, sun bright on his coat, salt spray in his face, embraced by the Pacific breeze, I knew he as an angel flying close to the ground. He was here not only to teach but to give comfort when it was needed and to give love until he took his last breath.

Lest you get the impression REEF was solely art in motion, I have to say that he had a playfulness and sense of humor that made him a joy to be around. He was also smarter than we were and was not beyond using that intelligence in self-serving ways, particularly where food and games were concerned.

Shepard that he was, he got a great kick out of herding beach joggers into the ocean. While REEF saw it as great sport, and the joggers indulged him, I’m not sure they had as much fun as he did. He was known to accidentally miss the ball when we played on the deck so it dropped down to the backyard. We’d have to go outside and get it, checking everything out in the yard to ensure no one had encroached on his territory.

REEF was a ‘gift’ beyond measure and had a profound impact on our lives. He will be in our heart forever. We are so grateful that Sue was able to portray his spirit and goodness and appreciate our family members for making it possible. Peace, Hazel and Bill

We know how hard it is to lose a much loved pet, but having this portrait will be a wonderful remimder of how precious he was.

We sure do enjoy our portrait of Kitty (I am looking at it now on the wall).