The school sweetheart dubbed the upperclassman with superlative “Best Smile” and a close classmate of mine since the eighth grade, Tanner is recognized by all for his deep fondness for and love towards his dogs. To him, a canine does not just take the role of a pet but of a companion –  a faithful comrade. With pride, Tanner regularly shows Iphone videos and pictures of his dogs which cannot help but make one smile. I had the pleasure painting him and Ollie, his puppy with boisterous energy, high spirits, and a charming smile. While Ollie’s silky and wild curly fur initially persisted as a challenging experiment due to low exposure to painting hair like his, with practice, adding texture and stroking the canvas with a loose wrist developed into second nature. Through the “craftsmanship” of this painting, my boldness in approaching new art concepts was further encouraged.