Terminally cute: Toys with Doggy

About the addition of live animals to recent 'still life' paintings: the paintings seem more interesting to have a someone looking back at you.

I added some hens and a doggie for variety. I am afraid the paintings are looking terminally cute. Even the painting of the pile of shoes, and my new one of a pile of toys….too cute. I think just about any animal would have that effect though, especially if it's looking at the viewer. Maybe painting dead animals is trendy, but honestly I am trying to paint a live creature with a personality.

The juxtaposition of the animal against the other objects seems interesting and seems to create stories. The painting below seems sad because of the suitcase, I think.

On my website "Cramptonarts", I recently posted some temporary galleries to show more of my small landscape and recent still life paintings (while I search for a good Java slideshow). More artwork series to come. Please check them out!
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Below is the first shot I took when I had already obliterated the handle of the suitcase as it was in the wrong place. Painted the red items, first layer. (A chair in the foreground):

2nd shot below: Handle still seems to be in the wrong place. A pass to add blue as well as a little of everything else.

Third shot below: Fattened up the dog. Another background layer or two. Painting highlights and color on all elements. Ladybird was helping on left corner.

4th Shot below: Another layer of background and foreground and more local color. 

Here's the final below (left and right cropped slightly): I tried to paint the stripes at bottom once but ended up painting them about 3 or 4 times. Repainted foreground a couple of times. Lightened background. Futzed with dog's shadow on briefcase. Repainted keyboard several times. Also wheels, green thing, car, drum, well everything really.