Portrait

Brett is an amazing, versatile, talented artist - you may think I'm biased because I'm married to the guy, but really, his body of work is astounding.

When I was 12, my parents bought a Border Collie. We named him Reggie. There is no way to describe our love for this dog. He was like a brother to me. We played basketball together (he was very good at defense). He played soccer with me while I mowed the lawn (placed the ball directly in my path so I was forced to kick it out of the way). When my sister and I left the nest, he remained, keeping my parents company.

Reggie was my buddy through the largest parts of my life - from childhood to adulthood. I was a goofy 12 year-old middle-schooler when we got him; 26 and engaged when he passed away. Reggie moved with us three times, to three different states. And he's the only dog my family ever owned. The only dog we ever needed to own.

Two Christmases after he died, Brett presented my mom and dad with one of the best gifts ever. Better than anything my sister and I ever gave them! When they opened it, they cried. (My dad, smiling, claimed his allergies were just bothering him.) Using charcoal and conte crayon, on a beautiful dark brown paper, Brett drew a portrait of Reggie.

What we all said that morning, and a million times since, is that it's not a drawing of a Border Collie. It is a drawing of Reggie. It's him! Brett somehow captured our buddy, not just a generic dog. Every time we look at it we feel like he might bark for the soccer ball.

Buy some raffle tickets, and have Brett draw your best buddy.