TulsaPets Magazine January 2023

14 TulsaPets • January / February 2023 THIS YEAR, ENROLL YOUR PUP IN Scan to schedule a Mee t & Greet! 8170 S. Lewis Ave • Tulsa, OK 918-891-3110 • Dogtopia.com/South-Tulsa We offer compassionate and expert preventative and diagnostic medicine focusing on helping patients and pet owners have long healthy lives together. Dr. Hans Gann Dr. Brad Howard Dr. Greg Daubney 918-743-1080 3104 E. 51st Street Tulsa, OK 74105 www.tulsavet.net Serving Tulsa’s pets and their people since 1956. which is important, he says, because “I don’t want to pick dog hair out of paintings.” Part of the Art One of Sister and Logan’s favorite pastimes is accompanying Gordon quietly as he paints. While he works on large canvases in his living room, “They sleep right under my feet.” The yellow flowers on the large canvas will be finished soon. “I’m getting there; it’s taking forever,” he laughs. Gordon is well known for his vibrant still-life paintings and profound portrai- ture. Originally from Claremore, Gordon is a master of his craft who began to paint at age five. He never considered doing any- thing else. Gordon became a popular artist in the Tulsa area before moving to New York for nine years. He has won awards and grants and has shown paintings all over Tulsa, New York, and beyond. He received the Tulsa Living Legend Award from Living Arts of Tulsa in 2016 and was inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 2012. The city of Tulsa, the Uni- versity of Tulsa, QuikTrip Corporation, and Bama Pie Companies are just a few institutions that hold public collections of Gordon’s art. Now that Gordon has returned to Tulsa, he continues to create compelling work — all while Sister and Logan sit nearby. The dogs enjoy nothing more than to sit in the window and “just watch 21st Street traffic and the squirrels of 21st,” Gordon says. “If you just say the word ‘squirrel,’ they go flying out the door.” He points to a ramp that leads to a French door with a custom dog door in the bottom pane. Searching for New Squirrels Gordon had trouble finding Norwich Terriers in Tulsa once he moved back from New York. “There aren’t very many here,” he says. “I had trouble finding them, but I discovered a wonderful breeder in Sand Springs” whom he located via a friend in New York who professionally shows dogs. Each day, sometimes twice a day, Logan and Sister go on a walk with their dad so they can see new squirrels. “They already know these trees’ squirrels,” he laughs. While Gordon talks, Sister performs her Russian bear trick. She stands up like a human on her back two legs and holds out her front paws as though she is asking to be picked up. “Logan’s just handsome,” Gordon says, “but Sister is a show-off.” She loves to stand up and perform. “I never cared about a breed before I saw the Norwich,” Gordon says. “They’re small and compact, but they’re also sturdy little dogs. They’re not delicate. They’re enor- mously protective of me, which I think is so funny.” The pitter-patter of eight little terrier feet clicks across the hardwoods in Gordon’s home. They move together, jolly and alert. “They are my studio assistants,” he says. “And they really do sleep at my feet while I paint … if they’re not looking for their enemies [squirrels] outside.” Gordon can’t move his large canvases around without warning Logan and Sister first because it’s likely that they are nearby. “I have to be careful with them,” he says. “But otherwise, they’re the best company I’ve got.”