Beth Stafford

My dog Cassie, an energetic Airedale with a nose for window painting, was my first partner in my digital art.  We had a blog, www.airedale-art.blogspot.com , which explains how the work happens. It may still be accessible for viewing, but when Blogger took over I was unable to update anymore.   FYI: our team name is "PiCassieO".   Some of Cassie's exuberant markings actually resembled paintings by Picasso, at least in my opinion. He was almost as playful as an Airedale! "Cassie-O" was one of my dog's many nicknames, so our team was named for an artist (representing me) as well as the Airedale-in-charge.  Below is one of our first efforts: it's called "Cassie's Nose Garden."

When my beloved art partner died in 2012, she left behind plenty of material for me to continue the work, and THEN young Calli arrived to take me off in new directions. She had epilepsy, and got the nickname "Space Cadet" because she spent a lot of time zoned out - her "nose art" was completely different and I got the feeling that her marks came from a totally different source in reaction to what only she could "see". Cassie was responding to the real world, and Calli had her own galaxy. She crossed the Bridge in 2021, but both my girls live on in their art as well as in my heart. 

In 2022, the first boy in the bunch entered my life. His name is Angus and he is one wild boy! His enthusiasm for "nose art" is amazing - he has surpassed Cassie's energy at the front door and in the car, and also seems to share Calli's other-world vision as well. He doesn't sit in that chair and look out the window, though - he came from a puppy mill and generally prefers to lie on the floor in the daytime or in his crate at night, but he is aware of any movement or noise outside (or from the TV!) and is at that front door to express his opinion. His leaps and dances are incredible - I found one mark about 6 feet up on the door. Not sure that door is going to survive #4!