They say that a dog is a man's best friend, but I was not so fond of these animals. I am from Ethiopia where dogs were primarily used for security and therefore I was consistently told not to get close to them, as they saw me as a threat. At a young age, I remembered trying to befriend one but was met with growls and barking which confirmed everything I was told. This fear was instilled in me when I came to America, as my parents would make sure I never approached a dog, with constant force, by pulling me to the side whenever they saw one. Thus I grew up terrified of dogs regardless of the size. All this changed when Nala came along. Nala was a beagle mutt mix who was adopted by my best friend as a puppy. Even though she was so small, I still had my fears of dogs and would move away whenever she got close to me. Nala was an energetic dog, who loved new people and welcomed me with excited loops around the living room, every time I visited. Although I had my hesitations I slowly got to know Nala and went from moving away from her towards going to her with every visit. This digital art presents my relationship with Nala over time. My first impression of her can be represented on the left side. I saw her like every other dog and at the surface for what she was. As time progressed, my perception of her switched over to the right side. I got to know her personality more and started to pick up on her cues. By understanding her more I got to see a brighter side of her and she for what she really was, a playful dog. Her name on top of her also explains the two halves of the drawing. The first part of her name, NA, is in red to signal my hesitation for her and also very close to the word NO. The second part of her name LA is in green to represent the Lala, dreamlike state I was in after getting to know her. I am currently her unofficial step mom and take her on walks, car rides, and to parks when I get the chance. Even after she is familiar with me, she still runs around in circles like she did as a puppy, whenever I visit. I chose to capture her in this portrait state as it is similar to the family portraits found around her home; she has come to be part of my family and I take care of her as if she was my own. I am grateful to have Nala in my life as my perception of dogs might not have changed without her.

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