Susan Dangar, Copperas Cove, TX
Member Since December 2010
Artist Statement
Two of the things I'm most passionate about are Art and Dogs. Over the course of my life, I've managed to combine the two for quite some time. Going back to middle school (sometime in the early 60's), the first juried event I ever placed in was a portrait of a Cocker Spaniel in the Pastels category. I've been drawing and painting dogs since I was about 8 or so. When I wasn't painting, drawing or reading, I was with my dogs. Over the years I have been actively involved in the world of dogs, involving multiple breeds. I started out competing in obedience when I was in my teens, from there progressed to conformation comptetition. I have bred owned and trained Champion Irish Setters, Pointers , English Setters and Shelties. On the training side I have competed in obedience, which I taught for almost 30 years. I have also done field training with Pointing and Retrieving breeds, herding with the Shelties, Australian Shepherds and Cattle Dogs and Search and Rescue with my Pointer and German Shepherds. But the activity that really stole my heart is Rescue. Like most kids I dragged home more strays than my poor parents could stand. In the 80's I started voluteering at my local Humane Society and have been a volunteer in one form or another ever since. My current volunteer job is as a foster home for a couple of German Shepherd rescues here in Texas, but being a girl who just can't say so no, Ive fostered quite a few other breeds along the way also, including several failed fosters. I also help several groups with transport.
For those not familiar with the term a failed foster is one you become so attached too, it becomes a permanent resident. It was as a failed foster, that one, an Australian Cattle Dog named Belle became one of my heart dogs. One of those dogs who just grabs you by the heart and hangs on for dear life. I lost Belle when she was about 15 and it left a huge hole in my heart. Sooo, Santa obviously got my letter, because I have just been joined by Zoe. Zoe was on death row at a shelter in McKinney With the amazing assistance of some other rescue folk on Facebook, Zoe came home with me December 16, 2010. She's awesome. My newest work is her on the couch that she immediately commandeered. I expect you'll be seeing lots of Zoe paintings in the near future.
My second best Christmas present was a Waacom tablet and pen. Previously all digital paintings had been done with a track ball mouse. Pretty tricky and tedious. Hopefully, this will help alot with quality of my work. Combined with my ArtRage program it's like real painting now. Wooohoo!
I actually love painting plein air too, love the Texas landscape, but on cold rainy days like today, I can paint indoors with out a mess.
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