It's animal radio, celebrating our connection with our pets and we'll go back to the phones and just a couple of minutes. But first, we welcome back to the show, Loretta's switch. Hi Laura, how are you doing? Hello, I'm terrific. Thank you. How are you doing? Good. Did we catch you during lunch? No, just finishing. I timed it perfectly. And then you were running a little late and so we're now together. What was for lunch today? You know, it was Brussels sprouts. It's very the rage these days. They pan fry them and they put all sorts of little goodies like pistachio nuts and it's very, very tasty. But it's vegan, which is what I'm concerned about. Well, of course, and I understand that. I love brussel sprouts. Everybody around me hates them. When you said that they all look, they all kind of shook, but I love them. No, it's become a very big thing in New York. Well, I wanted to. It's on most menus. Yes. It is. On most menus in New York? Yeah. I did not know that. How about that? No. So I saw that you have a book out. It's a book of your art. I didn't realize you're so talented. Well, thank you so much. You paint as well as act. And of course, you've been a big advocate for the animals for so long. I assume the paintings in the book all have to do with animals, correct? Yes, the whole book is about that. It's sort of joining all my loves and passions together. And yes, I have for years now been painting animals on commission or just on spec and then auctioning them off at our fundraisers. So it's been out there, but this book brings everything together. And everybody can see it and know about my artwork and so on and so forth. We're with Loretta's sweat. We're going to take a quick break when we come back we're going to find out a little more about her book. You're listening to animal radio, if you missed any part of today's show, visit us at animal radio dot com or download the animal radio app for iPhone and Android. All of us here at fido friendly magazine can't wait to get on the road again with our favorite fido. We know that it's just not a vacation without our furry companions by our side. Start day dreaming now and visit fido friendly dot com to scout out places near and far, so you will be ready for your next adventure once it's safe to travel. That's fido friendly dot com. Until then, stay safe and leave no dog behind. It's animal radio and we are with hot lips hoolahan. One of my favorite shows. Joining us. How old were you when you first started and what was your first animal that you painted? Well, I don't know that I started, but I was 6 when I won my first art prize. Oh, really? Wow. Yep. I've been painting and doodling and sketching ever since I can remember. Your parents encouraged that because mine didn't they saw me. They did not. They did not. Oh, really? They did not. They did not understand me at all. They my mother was constantly telling me to go out and play. Like, quote, the other children. And so she understood that. She did not understand this little chubby little blond kid at the dining room table drawing and painting and sketching. And this just made no sense to her because she should have been outside playing. So what can I tell you? I didn't care about hopscotch so much as I cared about making a painting. So. Were you on this mate? Were you an animal lover as a youngster? Oh, yes. Oh, yes, absolutely. What kind of animals did you have? Well, unhappily, it's not a good story. It's where I learned about what I wanted to do with my life. I had a pet. And my father took my little my little dog for a walk and translated me inside. I never saw my little dog again. He was not a cruel man. I don't want to paint that picture. He just really kind of didn't know better. It was traumatic. It was you're going to stab somebody with hold on. Somebody was pointing her umbrella at my heart. She wasn't watching why she was going to pointing to somebody else. Okay, so in that neighborhood, people drowned kittens, you know, unwanted animals in close with whatever. I'm passionate about knowledge. A big part of what I do is education. Teaching kids about staying and neutering. So that at a certain point, those kids are going to be teaching their parents, you know? But anyway, it's very important to know the enemy. Very important to know that puppy knows are a blight on our society, our kitten mills, whatever. I mean, but unless you know that, unless you know that aiding animals died indiscriminately to make a fur coat. You know, if you know that, when you walk into a department store and you see all the coats and you do the math, you think, and most women do do this. That you think, well, that's not what I want to do. That's not what who I am. And then you learn about the positive value of fake furs, for example, which need no storage, so already you're saving. They're just as warm, if not warmer. And the look we have come so far with how beautiful the faux fur looks. But people don't know the difference. No, not at all. I have one that is just smashing and I have to wear a button. But do people look at you weird when you wear it? Do they think it's real and say, hey, what is Loretta? No, actually people know enough about me to know if I'm wearing it. It's fake. But if I'm at an airport, for example, and this just happened recently, a woman came over to admire it. So that is the most gorgeous coat. I said, you do know it's fake. Oh my God. No, I didn't mean I feel it. I said, sure. She was dazzled, and I thought that's a win. That's a winning situation. Sure. I'm looking at the book here. We're all kind of sharing it in the studio here. It's a great book. I love the play on the title is sweetheart, which actually has I would say three at least three different meanings there. That's right, with art. And of course, is my name. There are 65 full color paintings and drawings. And I see that the dog, which is on the front cover and all of the animals inside, what is the muse? Who are they? Well, it's a mixture. Several of them are mine. And the one on the cover was a bite that we rescue. By the way being the oldest rescue organization in Manhattan, that the Jack Russell on the cover is a by the way rescue that I fell in love with. I show up picture of a photo of and I said, to myself, that's a painting. I love it. It is great. If someone buys the book, where does the money go? The money goes into the switch heart animal, alliance foundation. Which.