Dog Art Today

Tag: snoopy

  • Jonathan Franzen on Snoopy and Dachshunds

     

    Jonathan_franzen_snoopy

    I finished reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen on Wednesday night and have been crabby ever since.  The book is that good.  Devastatingly good.  I finished it, and now I am mad, bereft, like he broke up with me.  Yesterday, I went to the library to find someone new.  Every book was stupid, like Joey, a character in Freedom, would say.  After two hours I left with Jeanette Winterson's Lighthousekeeping and The Portable Thoreau.   Last night I ignored Jeanette and I started Walden because Thoreau was interested in nature and solitude, just like Jonathan.  I miss him.  This morning, digging around Jonathan's background, I found a dog art connection.  He is a big Snoopy fan and wrote the introduction to The Complete Peanuts, Volume 4: 1957-1958 .  He also wrote about his love of Snoopy in a 2004  article in The New Yorker entitled "The Comfort Zone: Growing Up With Charlie Brown."   The article sheds some light on several characters and events in Freedom and also includes this quote about Dachshunds:

    "We laugh at Dachshunds for humping our legs, but our own species is even more self-centered in its imaginings."
    It made me laugh.

    I know I'll get over him.  But it will take some time.  Anyone have a good book to read?

     

  • Beagle Gifts

    Beagles are the 5th most popular dog breed in the U.S. I think it’s because many Beagle owners feel they are like Lay’s Potato Chips, you can’t have just one. Here are my recommendations for excellent holiday gifts for the Beagle pack leader in your life.

    Ron_burns_annie

    Sweet Annie pop art print from dog artist Ron Burns.

    Beagle_sculpture

    Brett Rhodes Neal’s Beagle in Boots is one of my favorite pieces ever featured on Dog Art Today. At the time, I was blown away by his idea of making a painting of his Beagle sculpture covered in Picassos. But now, he’s outdone himself. Look closely at the sculpture seen above. It is a Picasso Beagle with a pop art — looks like a Lichtenstein — waistcoat! I love his mind and his work. See more here.

    Beagle_sweatshirt

    Property of my Beagle’s hooded sweatshirt. Whether you’re the coach or just part of Team Beagle, this design on a t-shirt, sweatshirt of tank top is perfect.

    Beagle_necklace

    Beagle glass pendant. Hand made at Frums Glass Managerie and available on Etsy.

    Beagle_photo

    Beagle sunset photo from redrum foto. Awesome!

    Beagle_mug
    Smiling Beagle mug from Rebecca Collins of Art Paw Gifts.

    Snoopy_t_shirt

    Snoopy is perhaps the most famous Beagle ever. Seen here on a Year of the Beagle long-sleeved t-shirt.

  • Schulz and Peanuts A Biography by David Michaelis

    Charles_schulz_biography

    David Michaelis’s 655-page, seven-years-in-
    the-making biography of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz will be released next Tuesday.  Sharon Begley of Newsweek warns readers that, "anyone expecting a Schulz in ‘happiness is a warm puppy’ mode will likely be disappointed."  It seems that although Schulz reached the pinnacle of success, he saw himself as a bullied, ordinary, unhappy boy until the end.

    Schulzpeanuts(photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat-AP)

    He also never hugged his five children, didn’t kiss his wife hello, and asked his second wife to marry him while still married to his first.  Good grief!

    Snoopy_tshirt

    If this doesn’t dampen your Snoopy adoration, pick up a Great Pumpkin T-shirt in time for Halloween here .

  • Snoopy Goes After Michael Vick

    And of course a Snoopy cartoon is always a crowd pleaser…

    Snoopyvick

    By Walt Handelsman.

    Click here to see more anti-Vick cartoons on Daryl Cagle’s MSNBC’s Professional Cartonists Index.

  • Michael Vick’s Jury by Gary Varvel

    Gary Varvel’s The Jury was chosen cartoon of the month by Editor and Publisher Magazine. I love it!

    Vicktrail
    Back Row from the left: Scooby Doo, Goofy, Underdog, Astro (from the Jetsons). Front Row from the left: Snoopy, Droopy, Grimmy (from Mother Goose and Grim comic strip) and Ren (from Ren and Stimpy animated TV show).