May Musings from the Studio and the Garden

Hi everyone

I hope you're all well and have had a wonderful month. I can't quite believe we're already at the end of May! It's been a busy month here, filled with puppy adventures, drawing projects, warmer weather and plenty of memorable moments with Ulani. As always, I thought I'd share a little update on what we've been up to.

May has been a wonderfully warm month, although the hot weather has certainly been a challenge for Ulani. With her beautiful black coat, she absorbs the heat incredibly quickly and has definitely found some of the warmer days difficult. We've adjusted our routine to make sure she stays comfortable, enjoying early morning walks before the temperature rises and having play sessions in the garden early and late in the day when it's cooler. She has also discovered a love of cold treats, particularly crunchy ice cubes and chilled carrots straight from the fridge, which have been a great way to help her stay comfortable during the warmer weather.

One of my favourite projects this month has been drawing Ulani's portrait. As a pet portrait artist, I spend so much of my time capturing the personalities of other people's beloved pets, but there is something particularly special about drawing your own dog. Watching her grow and develop over the past few months has given me plenty of inspiration, and it's been lovely trying to capture her character on paper. As always, my aim is not just to create a likeness, but to reflect the personality that makes each pet unique.

On the drawing front, I've recently started a new portrait and have made a change to the way I work. For years I've used an angled drawing board, but for this piece I've been drawing on a flat, horizontal surface instead. It's something completely new for me, but I'm really enjoying the change. I often experience pain in my right shoulder and had begun to wonder whether my drawing position might be contributing to it, particularly the way I sit and hold my arm while working. Since switching to a flat surface, I've noticed that the discomfort has improved, which has been a pleasant surprise. Not only does my shoulder feel better, but I'm finding the experience of drawing this way very enjoyable. It's early days, but it's definitely an approach I'd like to explore further and see how it develops over future portraits.

The garden continues to be one of Ulani's favourite places. She absolutely loves being outside, sniffing, exploring and investigating every corner. However, unlike some dogs who are happy to lie in the sunshine and watch the world go by, Ulani much prefers to be on the move. Whether she's chasing her ball, snuffling through the grass in search of interesting scents, or finding something new to investigate, she rarely sits still for long. She is very much a "doer" and her natural instinct is always to be active, engaged and involved in whatever is happening around her.

This month we also had a wonderful session with our puppy development adviser, Beccy. We met up in Solihull for an observation walk and I was incredibly proud of how well Ulani handled herself. We explored the busy high street, visited shops, took lifts and climbed stairs, giving her plenty of opportunities to experience different environments and situations. One particularly impressive moment was when she stood calmly about a metre away from a pigeon and simply watched it, showing absolutely no inclination to chase it. She coped brilliantly with the noise, the hustle and bustle, children, pushchairs and all the activity around her. Throughout the session she remained calm, engaged and thoughtful, taking everything in her stride. It was lovely to see how much she has matured and how confidently she is approaching new experiences.

Puppy class has continued to be an important part of our month too. It's been wonderful to watch Ulani develop new skills and gain confidence around other dogs and people. Some weeks are more challenging than others, but that's all part of the learning process. Every class gives us something new to work on and it's always rewarding to see her understanding grow and her confidence increase.

It's hard to believe that Ulani will be ten months old in just a couple of days. The time really does seem to be flying by. One of her female littermates has recently had her first season, so we're expecting Ulani's to happen fairly soon. We've noticed a few changes in her behaviour recently and have been advised that it's likely her season will arrive within the next few weeks. It feels like yet another reminder that our little puppy is growing up far too quickly.

As May comes to a close, I'm feeling incredibly grateful for all the experiences we've shared. From warm-weather adventures and garden games to puppy classes, portrait drawing and exploring Solihull together, it's been a month full of learning, growth and happy memories.

Thank you, as always, for following along on our journey. Whether you're a fellow dog owner, animal lover, or simply enjoy seeing the stories behind my artwork, I appreciate your support and look forward to sharing more updates with you next month.

Nicola 🐾