by Jennie Lloyd | Photo by Cindy Alvarez
Popular portraitist and artist Patrick (P.S.) Gordon says what many dog owners are thinking: “My dogs are the most important relationship I have.”
He looks down at his two Norwich Terriers, Sister and Logan, playing and jostling in his lovely living room overlooking the heart of Maple Ridge. The room is filled with canvases and paint and light and an enchanting work in progress, a larger-than-life painting of yellow flowers.
“I adore these dogs,” he says.
Norwich Terriers are known for being good lapdogs and amusing companions and were originally bred as ratters in the United Kingdom. With little legs and
a terrier build, sprightly ears, and thick coats, Norwich Terriers are an uncommon and charming breed. Sister and Logan are no exception.
The Cutest Dogs
When Gordon first saw a pair of Norwich Terriers walking through the streets of New York 30 years ago, he thought, “Those are the cutest dogs I’ve ever seen.”
Gordon says, “I started tracking these dogs down.” He found one in Rochester, New York, so the tan-and-black Norwich Terrier became Rochester Gordon. It was the perfect name for a great dog. Gordon’s current pair are the ones who came after his sweet Rochester passed away during the
pandemic. “It was terrible,” Gordon says. “So I got another one named Sister, and she is a little smaller.”
Sister also has a lovely brindled tan-and black-coat and is two years old. Logan is nine or 10 years old and has a two-toned red coat. Gordon calls Logan “a brisket with four legs” because he is thick, compact, and adorable. Norwich Terriers have two coats — a top coat, which is waterproof, and a downy-soft underlayer of fur.
“They’re just funny dogs,” Gordon says. “They have a wild bark … but what are they gonna do? Chew on your ankles?”
Sister and Logan are not guard dogs, to be sure. But that’s OK with Gordon. He loves it that they do not shed very much, 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 portraiture. Originally from Claremore, Gordon is a master of his craft who began to paint at age five. He never considered doing anything 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 University 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 enormously 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.”
