Wooster...

Here is the small tapestry (about 10"x10") that I wove of our dog for the Woven Gems exhibit. If I had done this tapestry when he was younger, I'd probably have chosen one of the other maquettes to work from, as he was a funny, silly, pup. But he'll be 12 years old this summer, and is an old gentleman, though still a bit silly on good days. I wanted to do his sensitive, smart 'dignified old gent' side, so I chose the more traditional maquette. I am glad I did.

While I've worked on it, I would say to Craig, "I'm going to go work on Wooster." Or, if someone would call, I'd tell them, "I'm working on Wooster." This dog has the best verbal understanding of any dog I've ever known, and he would hear me say that. Also, when I'd go in to the studio to work, I'd tell him, "Well, I'm working on your ear today." He's not normally allowed in the studio, as he's a bad shedder, but a couple of times while I've been working on this he's come to sniff at the loom, then leave. Yesterday, when I cut the tapestry off, he followed me around and sat and watched closely as I tied all the warp ends, and trimmed the back tags. He would come up and sniff the tapestry and look at it. He's never done that before! It took me a bit to understand his strange behavior, then it hit me! The silly dog has heard me refer to it as "Wooster" so many times, he thinks it is for him!