Jackpot & Friends

About Jackpot

Jackpot was my dad's dog for 15 years. After being found on the streets and never claimed at the shelter, Jackpot was transferred to the Humane Society in Ojai. He was a typical dog that did not do well in a shelter situation because he was sensitive and found it extremely stressful. The people at the shelter recognized this and wanted to give him a chance after his time ran out, so he was transferred to Ojai, which was a less hectic environment. When I saw Jackpot at the Ojai Humane Society, he sat in the kennel staring at me, refusing to break eye contact, begging me to get him out of there. The shelter staff called him "Crackpot" because he acted so nutty, but it was clear to people who know herding breeds that he just needed a different environment. I called my dad and told him he needed to come get this dog (because I already had four of my own), and that's what he did. Jackpot went on to be a running, hiking and travel companion until his old age. He was an amazing dog and a loving companion. Jackpot helped raise grandkids and was a friend to everyone. He passed away in 2021, leaving a big hole in the hearts who loved him, so I am dedicating this page to his memory and to the promotion of shelter animals everywhere.

About the Artist

Kristi Troyna (ne McClain) loved to create art in any and every material ever since she can remember. She also loved every animal she ever met. Dogs and horses were especially near to her heart, so they were the subject of the majority of her art as a child. Her family encouraged her in pursuing art by gifting her with supplies and supporting her in opportunities, including entering fairs and local kids' art museum exhibits. In elementary school and middle school, Kristi's best friend's mom, Susan Whipple, was the art teacher, who encouraged exploration in all mediums and introduced Kristi to her favorite artist, Matisse. In high school, Kristi took an art class every semester and was greatly encouraged and influenced by her teacher and local artist, Bill Morez (William Gorden Morez), who allowed her to explore multiple mediums and work on projects outside of the normal class schedule and curriculum. She continued to explore and learn from teachers at Santa Barbara City College, where she learned additional skills and styles from the various instructors.

As with many childhood dreams, having time to be creative fell by the wayside as Kristi pursued a career and then raising a family. Kristi went on to start her own riding lesson program, then also take on running a boarding stables. While Kristi took time to paint and do crafts with her kids, time for her own creative pursuits all but stopped. Although she longed to pick it back up, she was tired at the end of her responsibilities each day and the inertia of it all kept her stuck.

Kristi found a temporary art sanctuary when she became friends with Ojai artists Kent and Sharon Butler in the early 2000s. Kristi began attending Friday art workshops with Sharon, who became an oil painting mentor, a medium in which Kristi had very little experience. Kristi produced a handful of pieces that were very different from her previous style and it was an opportunity to explore different ways of painting. Unfortunately, due to numerous circumstances in both Sharon's and Kristi's schedule, that opportunity did not persist.

Kristi's kids are now older and she's been trying to get back into her own creativity. She was in the midst of exploring digital media when her dad's, Jackpot, passed away. The idea of Jackpot & Friends began to brew. What if she could start her creative process again, while creating a side business that honored the memory of Jackpot by supporting the Ojai Humane Society? The project has been slow to develop and is still a work in process, with all the actual sales and financial details yet to be ironed out, due to Kristi still running two time-intensive business, but she is determined it will come to fruition.

At the end of 2024, Kristi set up an art room that was dedicated to her creative pursuits. She found that her inspiration and talent felt like it had all but run dry. She hated what she painted and wasn't satisfied with the end results, but she found artists that inspired her and used their art as catelysts for jump starting new paintings. She is now rediscovering and redeveloping her style, as each new painting is created. This story is definitely to be contin

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