Dog Art Today

Pilgrim's Dogs

I had no idea that two dogs, a Mastiff and an English Springer Spaniel, were aboard the Mayflower.  They are mentioned in records of the settlement of Plymouth Colony written by Edward Winslow in 1622.  They seemed to have belonged to John Goodman and probably had pet names, but none are given.  Read about some of their adventures here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Prep with Jesse Freidin and Pancake

Tiny Squash

(traveling doggie bowl from South Paw, Embarcadero)

{Another wonderful guest post from San Francisco fine art photographer Jesse Freidin.}

I'm allergic to standing in line, so I decided to take my better half (Pancake the Dog) with me as I browsed a few of my favorite local shops for Thanksgiving items. Pancake served as Quality Control when we got back to the studio, and says everything smells delicious. Guess we're ready to cook! -- Jesse Freidin.

Squeak

(turkey dog toy from Noe Valley Pet Co, Noe Valley)

So Many Chocolates

(seasonal chocolates from: Miette, Hayes Valley)

Sniff

(fresh organic wrapped salmon from Drewes Bros Meats, Noe Valley)

In The Pan

(organic produce from Golden Produce, Castro)

See more of Jesse Friedin's photography (and more of Pancake) here.

Tim Burton Opens at MOMA

1997 Polaroid by Tim Burton

A retrospective of Tim Burton's work opens at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC today.  The exhibition "considers Burton's career as a director, producer, writer, and concept artist for live-action and animated films, along with his work as a fiction writer, photographer and illustrator."  It runs until April 26, 2010.  Visit MOMA for more information.

Happy Birthday, Darby!

Hollywood Darby

Two years ago, Darby was diagnosed with cancer and had his kidney removed.  The doctors said the surgery might give him another year.  When I came to pick him up after a week of post-op, he scampered out to  greet me with Frankenstein staples and a plastic cone, tail wagging and eyes bright.  I desperately hoped I would have more than a year with my little Doughboy.  Today, he turns fifteen.  I am so grateful I was able to give him that operation and he is still going strong.  He has been totally game about uprooting our lives and helping me create a new home in Grass Valley.  Thank you, Darby for being my dog, my co-pilot, and the best thing that ever happened to me.  Love - Moira.

P.S. Darby's friend Chewy is coming over for a birthday party. I got him a gluten-free organic apple pie from the local bakery and a cardboard roll from a used package of Saran Wrap.  He's thrilled.

Andy Warhol's Little Red Hen Book

I knew Andy Warhol began his career illustrating advertisements of women's shoes .  But I had no idea he also dabbled in children's books.  A copy of his illustrated version of The Little Red Hen created for the Best in Children’s Books issued by the Doubleday Book Club between 1957 and 1961 will be auctioned at Bloomsbury Auction House in NY on December 9.  Estimated at $500 - $600, it sounds like a steal to me.

Visit Bloomsbury Auctions for more information.  Via BBC News.

P.S. In case you don't remember this classic fable, "it extols the virtues of hard work by showing the hen toiling in a field while a lazy cat, dog, and mouse look on,"  a lesson Andy embodied throughout his prolific career.

Dachshunds Greet Soldier Returning Home

My StatCounter indicates people are searching for this video that shows two Doxies in all their joyful glory welcoming their daddy home after eight months in Kuwait.  I found the clip at Carson's blog The Long and the Short of It, which celebrates Dachshunds throughout history, art, and pop culture.  He also recently featured an excellent Dachshund Christmas card round up here.  Thanks, Carson (and Maggie and Joey, his two Doxie muses).

Dog Collage Artist Sam Price

Blues

Collage is my favorite medium.  But dog-centric collage artists are rare.  From my own experience I know how many hours it takes to find the right images for a collage that can then appear deceivingly simple, so I am not surprised that collage artists usually price themselves out of the pet portrait business.  But not Sam Price.  After ten years of experimentation, he's figured it out.  Yes, it still takes hours.  And yes, he does it all by hand.   But, using a grid system, similar to the technique of Chuck Close, Sam has created a unique style that allows him to work with the recycled materials he loves on the subjects he adores.   Turning paper waste into dog art -- brilliant!

Sam is offering Dog Art Today readers a 20% discount if you order a portrait before the end of the year.  Gift certificates are available here.  Visit his website for more information.

English Bulldog

Pug Lee

Portland

Redwood Beagle

Saluki

Sam Price's work will be on display at Wag Hotel in Sacramento until the end of the year.

Portie (Christmas) Postcards

Fun, new Portuguese Water Dog graphic from Portuguese Artist, Belinha Fernandes, is not technically a Christmas card image.  But, the colors, derived  from the Portuguese flag,  she uses in this postcard have a Christmas-y feel.  I think they would be great to send or give to the Portie lover in your life this season. 

Note the Portie's coat is made out of the letters H2O:

close up

Visit Belinha's store to see the image on more products including mugs, T-shirts, bags, magnets, and more.