Finding The Art

I did a post about that canvas (which is actually a wood panel), I think it's the previous post.
I had painted an image on it  then covered it over with gesso (didn't like it).
Then I collaged different random papers on it (yeah, I didn't really need to cover it with gesso but I didn't know at the time that I was going to cover it with paper...)
Then I scraped a couple of acrylic paint colors over it (with a credit card).
Didn't like it so I used wet/dry sandpaper to distress the hell out of it (whoops) (but true).
Liked it better but something was...it just wasn't right yet.
I drew a couple of things on it but they didn't work either.
I would add another color, sand, turn it round and round...
Leave it a day, come back and just look at it.
I really could feel that there was something there...
trying to tell me, to encourage me to allow it to take form.

But what was it?

I'll tell you this, it's kinda weird but...
weird things happen to me (in me, around me). Sometimes I hear things...
Like I'm sitting there and a phrase will pop in my head.
Or a word.
Or two words...like "Spirit Dogs"

What?

Spirit Dogs.

O.
K.

I was doing computer work (yuck) and I heard someone say this (albeit inside my head).

I ignored it for a bit.
Tried to anyway.

Then - I went into my studio.

There was that panel sitting there, glaring at me like an ignored child...

I began to turn it, like I had been doing...

Turn.
Turn.
Turn.

Hey wait a minute...
Is that...?

That looks like a...a dog...
And there is another one...
and another!

I kept looking and allowing the panel to show me what was there...
It WAS Spirit Dogs (and one elephant)!

Look at this -

There are seven Spirit Dogs and one Elephant.

If you go back and look at the original panel (above) you can see them there.

Waiting patiently.

I guess that Carla Sonheim would be proud of me.