9×12″, acrylic on canvas, 2009. This dual portrait was so nice I had to make it twice! It was sold during my recent show at Uncommon Grounds, and someone who had seen it and wanted to give it to his girlfriend for her birthday was really disappointed. He called me while I was on vacation in Delaware and explained his situation, and I offered to try my best to reproduce it quickly upon my return… Further complicating the matter, he was not local to our area and the girlfriend’s birthday was only three days after I was to get home. So even before unpacking, I broke out these two stuffed animals, set up my gear, and had the painting complete and Express Mailed within 24 hours!

This picture combines two titans of Japanese pop-culture, Hamtaro the hamster and the Studio Ghibli character Totoro.