Charcoal on Watercolor Paper, 11×14

Lady’s family described her as “sweet, fragile, neurotic.” She was overcome with the wiggles when she saw someone she knew. Her bunny toy was carried by its ear and carefully tucked by her side when she lied on the couch. She had very dark eyes, tiny paws, and a little smile that revealed her affectionate demeanor. With a shaggy, fluffy haircut and cheerful personality, she always seemed puppyish, even in her late years.

While the majority of my portraits are in pastel, here I went back to working in charcoal, a medium that I love more and more each time I use it. It blends so easily and I love that I can draw with a kneaded eraser, too, pulling charcoal off the paper, leaving white marks.