Overview
I painted this portrait of my guinea pig Mariusz shortly after he died.
Mariusz was named after the famous Polish strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski. He just had that kind of bearing. Muscular and athletic, he jumped, climbed, and did many things that a pig isn’t supposed to do. He would push, or try to push, things and people out of his way, and he would rumble at those that wouldn’t budge.
In the three years that I had him, he bit and damaged Ethernet cables, iPhone charger cords, video game equipment, books, shoes, food containers, and furniture. He was invariably underfoot and had a particular interest in sniffing dirty laundry that I would be sorting on the floor. He made his wants known in no uncertain terms, whistling loudly for treats of fruit and vegetables. My purpose, he reminded me constantly, was to serve him.
Mariusz’s irresistible cuteness meant that he got away with it all. My goal for this portrait was to capture his ornery, demanding, mischievous, and endearing nature.
Medium and Size
- Pastel on colored paper
- 9″ x 9″
