“Snow dog”
inspiration
Every year, the LaPlata County Humane Society hosts the Powder Hounds Art Auction. Twenty artists are invited to create art using snowboards, which are then auctioned to benefit the Humane Society. In 2023, I was honored to contribute a piece of my own to this fun event benefiting our furry friends.
technique
I formed the armature with chicken wire, covered it with aluminum foil and applied multiple layers of extra heavy gesso with a palette knife. I made Snow Dog’s eyes with Apoxie and acrylic paint and coated them with polycrylic to give them a shine. Her mittens and the wire ribbons are made of Apoxie and painted with acrylic paint.
One of my challenges was attaching her to the snow board. My husband, Brad, came to the rescue! He drilled holes in the board and placed screws up into her feet. Wire and Apoxie were added to keep her firmly attached as she flies down the slope.
Turns out, Snow Dog is quite a ham. She loved posing for photos!
materials
Wire, foil, super heavy gesso, Apoxie Sculpt, acrylic paint, polycrylic. Snow Dog is wearing snowboard goggles, in red, her favorite color, a collar and tag. She is riding a plastic snowboard.
Dimensions for this piece: 41.5” W x 18” D x 10” D
Wire and foil
Foil with a start of gesso
Starting to get a personality
Gesso’d, thinking about the slopes
Mittens
Help from my husband, Brad. Boris the llama watches from above.
Her photo shoot
Such a ham!
