b'A Brush With FameKeeps This Artist BusyMuch to the dismay of her high school wehadtwocoldweatherdogsthatImath teachers, Lynne Simones foray in rememberwell.ASiberianHuskypainting began with doodling in note- named Kyrie and an Alaskan Malamutebooks. Fortunately for her and her many named Kalu. A fond childhood memoryfans, Simones parents sent her for pri- wasbeingsmallenoughtobepulledvate drawing lessons. I always had some down the street on a sled by Kalu, whokind of creative project going on through loved to run and pull in the snow. Myhighschool,saidSimone.Heractual father built her a cave in the backyardcareer as an artist began in her twenties out of saw horses and wood with a tarpwhen she realized her talent for captur- over the top. She loved to lay on top dur-ing animals. The money I earned from ing a snowfall. We always brought her indoing pet portraits funded my growing at night, but she preferred to be outsiderock concert addiction, she said. in cold weather, and would run to theBeforethepandemic,Simone back door first thing in the morning totaught painting. In one class, she used a be let out to play. We also had a blackportrait she painted of Mike Rowes res- andwhiteshorthairedcatnamedcue dog Freddy as her demo. She had Wimpy who was an excellent hunter andArtist Lynne Simone and Waldo, her cat. been a fan of Rowe and his Dirty Jobs lovedtobringuschipmunksasloveand Returning the Favor shows. During offerings. the pandemic, Simone worked more onthe portrait, carefully addingdetail. She Waldo, my cat, thinks he is a dog. HetookphotosofFreddysportraitand keeps me company in the studio, keep-posted it to her social media pages, tag- ing a close eye on me from his perch ingingRoweandhisnon-profit the front window, or jumping up on myMikeRoweWorks. Someonefromthe lap while I am at the easel. Mostly, henon-profitrespondedtoherpostand complainsabouttheratioofdogconnectedherwithRowe.After portraitstocatpaintings,demandingframingFreddysportraitandmaking equality for felines.some prints, she shipped the painting toRowe. MystudioisthefrontroomofourA month later I had the surprise of house and is shared by my other halfmylife,saidSimone.Mikemadea who also paints (as a hobby). We arepublicpostonallofhissocialmedia like two peas in a pod who have drawingFreddy Rowe in acrylic. pages from Freddys point of view, look- tables next to each other and can work iningathisownlikenessofthe the creative zone for hours at a time, sep-portrait.Heincludedmyinformation, arately but side by side. There is quite aandbytheendofthedayIhad bit of natural light coming through thehundredsofemailrequestsforpet front arched window. The room is filledportraits. I have been busy ever since. withartworkdonebyfellowartistfriends, and small pieces we have collect-Out From Behind The Easeled in our travels. It is a colorful sanctuary,More about Lynne Simone, one I always look forward to entering.cover artist for this issue of The New Barker. Music definitely inspires and sets thetoneforcreativity.WeusuallyhaveDidyouhavedogsgrowingup? musiconandarequitediverseinourGrowing up at the base of the Catskill tastesrangingfromDaveMatthewsmountains in the Hudson River Valley, Band to Vivaldi to the Beatles. Dassah in pastel.44 THE NEW BARKER'