Arno and the Dogs of Hades

I rarely paint men and boys, except as background characters. I need the central space for my women.

But my sons are special. I can put them up front.

Here is my son Arno, age 8, surrounded by multiples of his dog, Nina. In the painting, I want Arno to be a young hero and our family pet to be Cerberic. I don’t know what kind of hero this boy is. I know that he is a curious and mischievous one, of alert intelligence and wide eyes, and can surely make the trek between an Australian shore and the Underworld with innocence and bravery.

Cerberus:

noun

Plural Cerberuses, Cerberi 

1. Also Kerberos []. Classical Mythology. a dog, usually represented as having

three heads, that guarded the entrance of the infernal regions.

2. a formidable and often surly keeper or guard.