Brunick based this painting on a 1981 photograph of her son David’s cocker spaniel. It depicts the family tradition of wrapping a package of treats and leaving it under the tree for the dog. On Christmas morning, Roscoe would unwrap the present himself and eat the treats.

In her works, Brunick strove for realism. Her strong interest in realistic representation caused her to consider as somewhat cowardly the manner in which Monet and the Impressionists depicted the world around them. The combination of her immense love of nature, particularly birds, and her attention to realism endowed Brunick with a great appreciation of Audubon’s art, which combines realistic illustration with symbolic imagery.

Although illness had recently prevented Brunick from painting, she had every intention of returning to her easel. According to her son David, Brunick "had many more things that she wanted to tell her grandchildren through her art." Unfortunately, Brunick passed away in early April of this year, five short months before the opening of From Grandmother’s Brush. Brunick’s family feels that in light of her recent death, her inclusion in this exhibition is particularly special and a fitting tribute to her artistic passion.



[artist biography by Sydney Pettus; artist photograph by Rob Malecki]