Work days might not be that exciting, but the dogs insist on joining me!
In the morning, they pretend to be sleepy after breakfast, snoozing on the sofa or their pillow, but from the moment I think about putting on my shoes, they race me to the front door.

They have been outside before breakfast, but I enjoy a short walk in the fresh morning air on our way to the studio. In summer, we mostly go swimming, but now that the colder months have arrived, we take a path through the forest and along the lake. Looking at their joy, I’m sure that there are plenty of interesting animal tracks to sniff. I read that dogs have the same part of their brain that we humans use for visual stimuli, lighting up by scent. I wonder if they link the scents of the animal tracks, to what these animals look like?

Oona is wearing the new Hurtta Monsoon eco, and Lizzie her Skinny Dog Collective sweater.

After getting some energy from nature, it’s time to head to the studio and start working. Lizzie will usually bring me something like a shoe or a piece of found paper first, but then they all settle quickly.

Lizzie prefers a spot, any spot, in the sun. Mo is mostly close to me but also loves the golden sofa upstairs, and you can find Oona almost always in the black Chesterfield. After the first snoozing session, Mogwai or Lizzie will be on the lookout for Tiny Tiger (the fluffy ginger cat), or dogs of our town on their daily walks.

Lots of snoring during the day! I love it!

Always looking for a sunny spot. On rainy days, Lizzie will come and get me to turn on the heater 🙂
It’s not cold indoors, but as the seasons change and my heating system works automatically, there can be a little chill on the moody days, so I have a small heater that blows warm air.

Mogwai loves throwing toys at me now and then 🙂

Lizzie and Oona have very strong opinions on when it’s time to go home, but they are pretty skilled in building up the demand. It might start with a sigh, or they might subtly walk by when I’m drawing. But the moment I’m thinking something might be finished, they will go all in with the ‘talking’ and rushing me 🙂
So I have a smart productivity system that keeps dinner time in mind 🙂

But I also have some dog snacks to get myself a bit of extra time 🙂

For now, I still have some time to squeeze in another walk before sunset (6 pm), but soon, I have to merge the 2 smaller walks into one big one around noon.

So, that’s what a typical workday for us looks like. I love having the dogs with me all day, their snoring, their cute faces when they sleep, how they enjoy the sunshine,… I get to cuddle them and tell them they are good girls. I can hear them dream of our adventures together.
Being an artist/illustrator can be a lonely endeavor sometimes (especially in a quiet town up North), but with my buddies around, I’m never alone.
And I always get to choose the music 🙂