“How’s Juno?” (aka, She’s On A Card): Drover ’19 at Boston Museum of Fine Arts

Last month I posted a blog about a series of comic strips I’d started to draw while homesick for my dog, Juno. While I haven’t stopped creating the comic strips, I have also begun creating images for cards. The inspiration took me while meeting Mrs. Karsh, the wonderful woman who’s made my co-op with the MFA Boston possible, at a Valentine’s Day lunch. Several people also in attendance had brought her valentine’s day cards, and I was internally berating myself for not thinking to bring anything. One of the cards gifted to her had special artwork featuring several small dogs on the cover, which an MFA staff-person had printed just for her. That’s when it struck me that I could make my own card and send it to her later as a thank-you.

Although my first intention was to create a card for Mrs. Karsh, I learned late in the day that February 14th was also Michelle’s birthday. (I mentioned Michelle in a previous post about my experience thus far with the MFA.) Therefore, my first creation went to Michelle (a day late) as a birthday card. I used my mother’s dog as a model to create “Queen Gigi.” On the inside of the card read “My preferred pronouns are the Royal We,” a play on the gender-bending exhibition we’ve been working on.

The next day I finished my thank-you card for Mrs. Karsh, which I titled “Juno At Rest.” The pose was based off a photo of Juno from when she was less than a year old, curled up in a sleeping position with her eyes open, ears perked, watching me watch her. It’s one of my favorite photos of my dog.

Since then I’ve made another birthday card for a co-worker titled “Sweetheart,” or alternatively “The Sweetheart Pose.” I’ve also created a few that don’t yet have a recipient: “Out For a Walk” and “Belly Rubs,” which both feature Juno, and “Nap,” which features both Juno and Gigi.

My most recent card features the late dog, Pugsley. Pugsley belonged to my older brother, who rescued the then-two-year-old pug from a bad home back in Alaska. The pair became inseparable for over a decade before Pugsley passed away a couple years ago, and my brother still gets choked up when we talk about him. I’m considering adding a stuffed squirrel to the picture, which was Pugsley’s favorite toy.