My New Book!

I'm so excited that I get to FINALLY share a sneak peak of my book with everyone this morning! It has taken a couple of years to execute the concept, but I think you'll agree, it was well worth the wait!

The book is called Rufus Rhymes - Modern Lullabies for Dog Lovers. Basically, it has nursery rhymes with new, dog focused lyrics. So, instead of Rock-a-bye Baby on the tree top, it's Rock-a-bye Rufus on top of my head. Of course the book is named after my best furry friend, Rufus, who first inspired me to paint animals.

To see a small sample of the book, visit http://ronburns.com/samplepages/FreeVersion/Default1.html

Vick - Just Quick

I have so many things I want to talk about, but so little time! Who says being an artist is easy?!?!

The first thing on my mind is something that's been all over the news today - Michael Vick. I asked my Facebook friends what they thought, and got a lot of different responses, like...

• I don't believe for a minute that he is sorry for what he has done, I think he is sorry he got caught.
• I will protest the NFL if that man ever plays football again. My son is a huge football fan and thinks they are all heroes and he is NO HERO!!
• Frankly, he did the cause against dogfighting an awful lot of good. Counties across the country who used to look the other way actively began going after dogfighters, and dogfighting busts were way up in the year that followed his arrest.
• My thoughts about Michael Vick being released are not printable, or suitable for minors.
• I am wasting absolutely no effort on this scumbag, he deserves no thought or time from anyone.

I knew asking my friends (who are some of the biggest, best animal welfare advocates in the country) about Vick would probably not solicit the most optimistic opinions, but I tend to agree with my friend Diane who said, "keeping him in prison doesn't fix the problem of dog fighting... "

Personally, when I first heard about Vick's arrest and the charges, I was horrified. Directly after I heard, I called my friends at The Humane Society of the United States and we developed a program to help, called Prize, Not Fighter.



I agreed to use my artwork on a t-shirt to support actions to stop dog-fighting. To see our efforts and/or show your support, visit http://www.ronburns.com/philanthropy/prizenotfighter/index.html. What those dogs went through is absolutely revolting, and it's our job as animal-lovers to stop it.

For me, I take the latest Vick news as an excuse to refocus, regenerate, and look towards the future. I have never been so steadfast in my goal that every dog and cat finds what they deserve - a loving furever home.

I promise my next entry will be MUCH more upbeat... it'll be about my new book, Rufus Rhymes and even a sneak peak!

Dogs of Valor Awards - Win a Limited Edition

I was so happy when The Humane Society of the United States asked me to be a judge for their 2nd Annual Dogs of Valor Awards. I don't think I'm allowed to say who received my votes, because all are winners in my book. All the dogs up for the award are absolutely amazing and deserve awesome amounts of recognition.

If you'd like to have a say, visit http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/dog_of_valor/second_annual/peoples_hero_award.html and cast your vote. Plus, one lucky voter will receive my limited edition of Sirius, the dog of valor who lost his life on 9/11.

Yappy Mother's Day

I'll be short, sweet and to the point... Yappy Mother's Day to all the women out there caring for two-legged and/or four-legged kids!

Be Kind

Well, this week is "Be Kind to Animals Week" and although I believe everyday is a day to be kind to animals, I figured I'd be especially kind to my "girls" Emma and Logan this week with extended walks and special treats. This week has also given me the opportunity to read them bedtime stories from my upcoming book, Rufus Rhymes. I think they really loved it, and I think you'll really love it too... more updates on that to come later!

The Plant Side of Things

My last post and accompanying Facebook album had a lot of positive comments, so I figured I'd expand on it and include a few more wildlife pictures but also a few I've taken of the beautiful flowers and plants that surround us in Arizona. People who've never visited may be surprised to say how COLORFUL the desert can be!

Of course, because I'm an artist, I gather inspiration from these colors found right in my own backyard.



See more in my UPDATED Facebook album here... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=12879&id=1663877814&l=a7f58b6a37