Winter is the Time for Home

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."
Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky to have that kind of a Hallmark home, though everyone deserves it that's for sure, including our animal friends as well.

This year, instead of buying gifts for Christmas, I made a donation to Pasado's Safe Haven. Even if it's just a small amount, it can go so far in helping to house or feed a neglected or abused animal. They care for hundreds of dogs, cats, and farm animals. Most were abused and neglected and now they can live out their lives in peace and with love. This sanctuary is not government funded and relies solely on donations. Every bit truly does help. If you don't know the story about Pasado's, please click on the link to read about them. In brief; they are one of a few premier animal rescue organizations in the U.S. and rescue as well as rehabilitate animals 24-hour/7. They also prosecute and have won major convictions against abusers! They have a Spay Station - a mobile spay/neuter clinic that travels all over to help end pet overpopulation. And of course they adopt out wonderful animals in need of loving homes.

My cat "Baby"

Because I've loved animals all my life and their unconditional love has gotten me through some very rough times, I wanted to do something that would benefit them directly. I started By Way of Salem for many reasons and I've been blessed having sold quite a few of my pieces. It's so wonderful getting notes, emails and phone calls from people that love your work! Most of the pieces I've created with the idea of selling and of course making money, and maybe quitting my day job. If I had a day job to quit that is...but that's another story...Since I don't have a lot of money, and my house is already full of adopted pets, I thought I would put my art where my heart is - with animals. I will be creating some special pieces with Pasado's in mind, and donate them to this wonderful animal charity where they can sell it in their Sanctuary Gift Shop and keep 100% of the proceeds to use where they see the most need.

Me and Stormy

When I think of some of the saddest, darkest days in my life, my animals were always there for me with unconditional love; to lick my face, or nudge under my arm as I buried my face in my pillow crying my heart out. They gave me warmth and comfort. When I came home from the hospital after my head injury, my one dog Sam, whose the "nurse" of the clan, sniffed and tried to lick my bandage, knowing that I'd been hurt.

Peanut and Sam

Toby
Though I don't have much in terms of monetary wealth these days, I'm a rich woman because of the small joys in life I find everyday. And the greatest joy is from my pets.

May your home be filled with warmth and love this Winter. Oh and animals too :)

Duke

Annie

Freckles

Max & Simba

Blackjack my first horse

A Place to Bark - an amazing organization!

All these faces we're helped by donations

I was fortunate enough recently to stumble upon an artist who was published in Somerset Studio's Sept/Oct issue. Her name is Bernie Berlin. She runs a no-kill animal rescue in Tennessee called "A Place to Bark." She takes in dogs that have been abandoned, abused, or police confiscated. She fosters, retrains, transports and/or adopts these animals. She also takes in cats.

As Bernie says, "I am drawn to the unwanted, unloved, and misunderstood." She's hoping to educate and effect change for the animals that don't have a voice of their own. You can check out her website at www.aplacetobark.com or her blog www.aplacetobark.blogspot.com. A Place to Bark is a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt charitable organization. All monies and items you donate go directly to helping the animals. How wonderful is that! You can donate by visiting her blog or website, or at any U.S. Bank by telling them you want to make a donation to A Place To Bark Inc.

Only we can help animals. They can't rescue themselves. They can't neuter or spay themselves. We need to start being responsible pet owners. We need to adopt instead of purchase.

In addition to her full time rescue, she is also a very talented mixed media artist, author of "Artist Trading Card Workshop", and is on her way to publishing 2 more books.

I think Bernie is an amazing person, and thank goodness for people like her helping our dear innocent creatures.

Something new is a-brew! 2 New WIPS!

October just goes so quick doesn't it? With Halloween, and being laid up from surgery, it's just flown by! Anyway, here are 2 new WIP's for your perusal. Keep in mind they still need paint and finishing, and their names too of course.

The first is a sweet pumpkin forest character getting set for Winter. She's wearing her witch hat (of course silly!), a Winter scarf with etched snowflakes, and holding a little snowman bucket that will be filled with little pinecones. Around her feet is a curled up earthworm ready for a long Winter nap, and an adorable snail with brass wire antennae, along with leaves, tendrils, baby pumpkins, and tiny flowers. I truly enjoyed making this sculpture and it will be fun to paint and bring it to life!

Now for the darker side; this next piece is rather melancholy I'm afraid. A very sad, lonely waif sits holding her stuffed horsie. She's very blue because she lost her real one. She's even bandaged the leg that hurt her real horse and took her away. For anyone whose lost an animal, I know you can relate to the sadness.

As the piece started to take shape, it was as if it was taking on a life of its own. I know that sometimes I start out sculpting something and it morphs into something entirely different, but this wasn't that. This was coming from another place. I think it's because of all the sadness I've had over losing my horse this past year, and all the trauma afterwards, that this piece came to be. Maybe it's me sitting there, crying, holding my horse. I can't say. I think this piece will be very special once it's completed and painted. A very different piece for me.