Coco the Shelty

In this painting, I wanted to emphasise the beautiful, soft, long fur. I painted Coco in my art studio, and the owner gave me the following information.
“Coco had two owners in his first year, both of whom moved into units and therefore could no longer keep him. He is a very active dog and needs a big backyard and lots of exercise. He is quite a high-maintenance dog because of his long fur. He needs lots of grooming daily. He now has a new name, Cooper. He is the friendliest dog, and he loves everyone, and everyone seems to love him. Cooper learns quickly and knows many commands already. His favourite toy is the soccer ball. He spends all day waiting for someone to kick it, so he can chase after it, and then he’ll push it back with his nose. He also loves fetching his other toys. One of his favourite places is the dog park, where he likes to meet up and play with all the other dogs. Cooper is a great companion and gives unconditional love”.

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Marie Seeman is a Central Queensland artist who loves to paint. She developed a love of the country from her early upbringing in the bush, growing up on a cattle property near Comet (Queensland), before later travelling and experiencing life across Australia, and now lives on a farm. Marie holds a Certificate III in Visual Arts (2019) and has also studied Anthropology at various Australian universities.

Marie has dedicated extensive time to skills development and her creative practice since 2001. This includes recent tutoring by Lyn Diefenbach, Marlene Millard and Elena Churilova, and previously, volunteering at the Rockhampton Regional Art Gallery (2012-13).

Marie has most recently exhibited artwork collection at the Royal Oak Hotel Motel (Yaamba, 2024-2025) and held a solo exhibition, Canine Capers, at PnE Art and Bespoke Framing (Rockhampton, 2025).

Marie has exhibited in numerous group shows in Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Biloela, including exhibitions at Latitude23, Yeppoon (2021, 2022, 2024), and with the Royal Queensland Art Society (Rockhampton Branch) on six occasions (2012-2018).

Marie’s passion for the arts is embedded in her work as a Recreation Officer with Queensland Health (2020-), where she provides arts and craft activities for patients, and she has also facilitated art workshops for clients as a disability support worker (2019-20).