This is my dog Louie, an Italian Greyhound, and about the happiest, most playful and loving dog you’re ever going to meet. I had been wanting to paint his portrait for a while to put over the fireplace in the living room, and I finally got it done. Since he’s an Italian Greyhound, I wanted to paint him sort of like the Mona Lisa, with Tuscany as a backdrop. I painted this in oils on a canvas board, and I think it turned out pretty great.