Meet Moose: The Dog Who Started It All
An open journal of family, art, and kindness…
I think of this space — Life, Unleashed — as an open journal. A place I can speak my soul about the things closest to my heart— family, creativity, and critters who remind me daily that kindness still matters.
Meet Moose, the Great Dane who started this blog
Every blog idea starts somewhere — mine begins with a stubborn, oversized, anxiety ridden, carpet-shredding Great Dane named Moose.
Moose is a dog that is equal parts of chaos and cuddle. He doesn’t stomp around like you’d expect from a dog his size — he sneaks and lurks like a cat, quietly appearing at your side as if he has always been there. Though he doesn’t generally fool us for long — his tail gives him away just about every time, banging off the furniture, walls, end tables, unsuspecting legs, and sometimes even the cats and kids.
Moose often snores louder than most husbands, insists on leaning his entire body weight against you like a living, weighted blanket, and yet somehow he still believes he is a lapdog. He is stubborn and endlessly determined. He once shredded the paint off the walls AND the carpet in a crate escape worthy of winning an Oscar for a prison break movie. He huffs when he doesn’t get his way, side-eyes like a toddler, and has perfected the art of stealing snacks that you swear were put out of reach.
A dog is a girl’s best friend
Despite all the mischief and mayhem — the kind that keeps life interesting — he is the bestest of friends. Moose has been there for the days that feel too heavy, and he is just as present for the ones that are joyful and loud. Moose has a way of making the ordinary unforgettable…of turning chaos into comfort just by being himself.
How 15 years of art led to creating art for kindness
Moose was the unintentional start of Critters on Canvas. I have been doing art for at least the last 15 years (and toying with digital art for the last 5+) — sketching, painting, chasing inspiration through different seasons of life. Moose isn’t the first animal that I have ever drawn, but he was the first of our pets.
Drawing him didn’t feel like just another piece of art. It felt more like creating a keepsake with my own hands — each line full of endless fur-evers. Moose’s painting brushed color into what felt like an empty space. And instead of keeping it contained, I decided to let it spill over. What if I drew other people’s pets, too? What if this fluff-inspired act of kindness could spread like fur on a black sweater?
The beginning of Critters on Canvas: Free Pet Portraits
That’s how Critters on Canvas began — a tail-wagging wave in art form. A project built not on price tags, but on sharing something freely. Every portrait is a thank-you, a smile, and a small reminder that goodness still exists. And while there is a treat jar for anyone who feels like tossing a little support, this work will always be paid in kindness first.
Moose may be full of mayhem (92% of the time), but he is the heartbeat behind Critters on Canvas. And every time I sit down to draw, I carry a little piece of him into each portrait.
Critters on Canvas began with Moose, but it continues on with every pet and every person who believes in love and kindness without a price tag. Thank you for stopping by and being a part of this story. Here’s to wagging tails, endless floof, and the art that keeps us connected.🐾
All the Whiskers,
Erin Marie + Moose
