Canadian Critters Christmas Cards

I have been an inveterate doodler since I was a kid; marking in the borders of a text book, illustrating lecture notes, while on the phone or in a waiting room or otherwise unoccupied. Most of my doodling just gets wadded up and chucked. Of late, as I have been spending more time with a pencil in hand than with a paint brush, I am more inclined to be playful with what I am drawing. This collection started with the beat-up cat; an image I found in the public domain online. I like to have something to work on while at the market when I don't have a commission in process and I thought the cat would be fun - inspired by the requests I have had for pet 'portraits'. Someone suggested that I do more of the same sort of thing and, over the last month or so, my doodling has become a little more detailed and focused and has evolved into a Christmas project. Thanks to my son, Matthew, who has done the set up for my printer, these whacky images of iconic animals will soon appear on a series of Christmas cards. They should be available by mid-November. The original drawings are all are multi-media; chalk, charcoal, ink, watercolour and acrylic on gray-toned paper.

At first, this was just the beat-up cat with torn ears. I did it three or four months ago, took it to the market and invited people to add a caption. Flemming suggested 'and how is your day going?' I liked it. It was getting a little wrinkled when someone suggested it would make a good card. I got it out again, flattened the paper and added the frayed scarf but felt it still needed something more. The wreath was added when I decided on a Christmas series. It became a commentary on the season, which can leave a lot of us feeling very frayed, so I amended the caption and called it, 'So, How is Your Holiday Going?'

As I was drawing the garland in the Racoon's hand, I found myself humming the Beatle's song, Rocky Racoon. So I added Gideon's Bible and called the drawing Rocky's Revival.

Kelly said I had to add a Canada Goose. This is called Photo-Bombing Gander

A Moose is almost as iconic as the Canada Goose. With an elf's hat and decorated antlers it becomes a Christmas Moose. My brother, Gordon, says the obvious title should be Merry Christmoose.

Another iconic Canadian critter. Bark must be a boring diet so I gave this guy a candy cane and named the drawing Better than a Sharp Stick...

This image is another I found in the public domain online. Hard to believe that a slobbering

pug's great, great, ever so great grandparent's are wolves! This one is Christmas Kiss.

This one didn't seem to be working out until I decided to add the aurora.

I call it Aurora Bearealis.

A friend of mine had a skunk for a pet. It was really quite snuggly! As I decided how to add a touch of Christmas to these two I thought of the line from the classic "the Night Before Christmast" Ma, in her Herchief and I in my Cap had just settled down for a long wither's nap...