This is a painting of my handsome rescue pup Gregory. He is a long, tall boy and this painting allowed me to capture a sense of his length plus his powerful gaze. He often sits like this across the back of a chair to watch me in the kitchen. His name means "Watchful" and that's exactly what he does. 

I used coarse alumina as an "accidental" primer as I grabbed the wrong jar in the studio. Since it wasn't removable, I figured I'd go with it and discovered the material allowed me to get some beautiful blends with acrylic paint. It gave the finished piece a gorgeous overall texture that enhances the various patterns in the painting.