Sleeping Dingo under the cushion on the couch 쇼파위 쿠션 밑에서 자는 딩고

I was stuck on my art with thoughts that were wandering around in my head like drifting clouds. I decided to read the beautiful new book on my favorite artist, David Hockney, for refreshing. I buy few types of books without hesitation, and one of them is books about Hockney. Reading his stories and thoughts always helps me think about my work and be an artist. It’s my self-prescription for myself when I have difficulties with my art.

During weekdays I try to have a regular schedule for working on my art. So from morning to late afternoon, I’m in my small fenced area that my dog, Dingo, can’t come in. He usually sleeps near the fence or on his cushion in the same room. When I grabbed the book and sat comfortably on the couch, I could tell Dingo was happy that I was out of the forbidden zone. Then, he brought his blanket, telling me he wants to come up. When he hopped on, he pushed the cushion I had for supporting the book and lay half under it.

It’s been two and half years since Dingo became our family. I don’t know how possible, but I still find him so cute and lovely every moment I look at him. I loved the warmth of his body against my leg, and it amplified my love for him. I opened my iPad and started to draw. Thankfully he didn’t move until I started reading.

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머릿속에서 뜬구름처럼 떠다니는 잡념들로 작업에 진전이 없었다. 그 생각들을 바꾸고 싶어 얼마전 배달받은 기분 좋아지게 예쁜 호크니 책을 집어 들고 쇼파에 앉았다. 호크니에 대한 책들은 내가 아무 망설임 없이 사는 책들중 하나이다. 그에 관한, 그리고 그가 해주는 이야기는 언제나 작업과 작가로서의 삶에 대한 생각을 다시금 하게 도와준다. 호크니의 책들은 내가 작업에 어려움을 느낄때 내가 나에게 내리는 셀프 처방전과 같다.

혼자서 작업을 하는 나는 월요일부터 금요일까지 규칙적으로 작업시간을 엄수하려 노력하고 있다. 그래서 아침부터 늦은 오후까지 대부분의 시간을 작은 작업 공간에서 보내는데, 이곳에 딩고가 들어오지 못하게 낮은 팬스를 둘러놓았다. 그럴때면 딩고는 팬스옆에서 잠을 자거나 근처에 깔아둔 녀석의 쿠션위에서 휴식을 취한다. 내가 책을 들고 쇼파에 앉았을때 딩고는 내가 닿을 수 없는 곳에서 나온것에 기뻐했다. 그리고는 바로 침실에서 자기 담요를 끌고 와 쇼파에 올려달라 신호를 보냈다. 쇼파에 올라온 딩고는 내가 책을 받치기 위해 놓아둔 쿠션을 밀어 올려 그 아래에 자리를 잡고 누웠다.

딩고가 우리 식구가 된지도 이년반이나 지났다. 어떻게 이것이 가능한지는 몰라도 나는 아직도 녀석의 모든것들이 귀엽고 사랑스럽다. 내 옆에 딱 붙어누운 딩고의 온기가 내 다리에 옮겨지며 그 사랑스러움을 증폭시켰다. 나는 책 읽기를 미루고 아이패드를 열어 드로잉을 시작했다. 고맙게도 녀석은 내가 드로잉을 끝내고 책을 펼때까지 가만히 잠자는 자세를 유지해 주었다.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo under my desk

I have an ‘L’ shaped computer desk in my workroom. I placed Dingo’s cushion under one side of the desk so he can relax more comfortably. He is like a shadow of me in the house. He follows me everywhere almost all the time. When I don’t move around, he tries to lay down as close as possible to me. When I sit at the computer desk and work for a while, he often sleeps right next to the chair, and sometimes I kick him by accident when I stand up to leave the room. I hoped putting the cushion under the desk would prevent that trouble. But for some reason, he still rests right next to my chair. So whenever I see him on the cushion chilling safely, it puts a smile on my face.

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo on his bed like baby

Have you seen your dog lying on a pillow?  I heard that dogs like to hide their bodies but their faces to watch the surroundings.  And the pillow is a useful object for supporting their heads.  It’s an interesting theory.  However, it still doesn’t explain why they sleep on it.  I wonder if wild dogs or wolfs have access to something similar to pillows, would they use it?  I think this kind of mysteries makes us anthropomorphize dogs.  Sometimes when I look at Dingo’s face, I don’t see a dog but a baby.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Two faces dingo on his blanket

I sometimes wonder what the blanket means to dogs. Some dogs like to lay on top of it. Some dogs prefer to go under it. Dingo likes both. Sometimes he scratches it to make some shape, then lays on top. He doesn’t go under it by himself, but he stays under it if we cover him. Some days he pulls it out of his bed and lay on it. A few times I saw him shake it like a toy. I’m not sure if dogs know the blanket’s purpose, but Dingo knows it belongs to him.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo in front of fireplace

It was lightly raining. I knew people wouldn’t come out in this weather, so I took Dingo out to the park. My sensitive little dog doesn’t like to get wet. But fetching is more important to him. We enjoyed the quiet rainy park all by ourselves. He happily ran around and chased his favorite ball. When we came back home, I turn on the fireplace. It is like a magnet for Dingo. I didn’t need to dry him off. I can’t wait for the winter to come so he can enjoy his favorite place all day long.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo’s tight face

 

Sometimes Dingo sleeps in a ball. His face is also tightly shut. It reminds me of some nights that I cannot go to sleep. I squeeze my eyes to keep them closed, hoping it will let me fall asleep. I wonder if Dingo also wants to relax, but something keeps him awake.

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo’s face

 

I love to stare at Dingo’s face when his face is close to me. He was yet again sleeping between my legs put his head on my thigh. I was looking at his face for a while, and couldn’t resist not do draw it. He is definitely a dog, but I often see a babyface in him. Probably because he is my baby and always will be.

 

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo with a folded paw

 

When I see Dingo sleeping in a bit strange pose, I always want to draw him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t hold that position long enough for me to finish the drawing. Dingo has his signature pose that I tempted to draw here but failed with only one folded paw. One day I’ll capture the pose!

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo between my feet

 

My silly little dog Dingo often chooses to be a doggie ball between my feet instead of being on his comfortable bed. I read about the dog’s obsession with our smelly slippers. We all the dog owners know that our furry friends like our smell and our feet are the high source of it. Therefore our shoes or sandals are the best things ever for them to smell. I always thought it was weird that my old dogs ate their treats on my mom’s slippers. Now I know it was a comfort thing for them.

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo between my husband’s legs

 

 

I wrote about how Dingo likes to lie between our legs when we get down on the ground for him. Sitting on the ground isn’t comfy, so after a while, my butt feels numb. I’m always a bit hesitant to move because Dingo looks so comfortable sleeping between my legs. Then my kind husband offers to switch our role so that I can chill on the couch, and also, Dingo doesn’t need to be alone on the ground. I did a quick drawing of my two boys before any of them moved. It always puts a smile on my face to see them get snuggled together.

 

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo putting his nose under the blanket

 

 

Sometimes I find Dingo sleeping in a tight ball, putting his nose under his blanket. I heard dogs do that to warm their bodies. I wonder if they know putting their nose under a blanket helps to warm up, why don’t they put their entire body under it? XD