Dog Art Today

Sierra Festival of the Arts in Grass Valley

Honibe by Kathryn Wronski

Make a trip to Grass Valley, California this Sunday, May 26, 2013 for the Sierra Festival of the Arts. The daylong free event sponsored by the Grass Valley Downtown Association will feature over 40 artists, painters, print makers, jewelers, and sculptors from the Sierra Foothills.

I was one of the jury members, so I know there will be some fantastic dog artworks too -- like Kathryn Wronski's magnificent Dachshund, Honibe. 

There will also be music from the Nevada Union High School Choir, dancers from Sierra Dance Institute, and art projects for children under 12 by The Artist Workshop.  And all downtown shops, restaurants, and wine tasting rooms will be open throughout the event.

I will be at the Smith Vineyard Tasting Room, 142 Mill Street, at 1:00 sampling the wine that grows across the street from me (photos of the vineyard viewed from my front porch here and here).  Please come by say hi.

Sierra Festival of the Arts
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Mill Street in Grass Valley, CA
10am - 5pm

View map.

Jane O'Hara at William-Scott Gallery

True Blue by Jane O'Hara

Jane O'Hara is one of the artists featured in The William-Scott Gallery's Memorial Day Annual Salon preview.  If you're on Cape Cod this weekend, stop by reception and meet the artists on Friday, May 24, 2013, 7-9 pm.

The William-Scott Gallery. 

Jane O'Hara's website.

Tyler Foote* by Angie Ketelhut

Tyler Foote* by Angie Ketelhut

Artist and longtime Dog Art Today reader Angie Ketelhut surprised me with this painting of my dog Tyler Foote* in all his handsome, farm dog glory.  I know I'm biased, but I think it's one of her best portraits.

Thank you, Angie.

Commission a portrait of your dog at Pet Portraits by Angie.

* Tyler Foote is a road in Nevada County, California built in 1913 by Arthur DeWint Foote who was artist and writer Mary Hallock Foote's husband. Tyler Foote Road connectes North Columbia, California to a town called Cherokee that used to be called Tyler.   I'm not sure why the town was called Tyler, but I plan to find out.

David Shrigley: I'm Dead Stuffed Dog Artist Nominated for Turner Prize

David Shrigley poses with "I'm Dead" photo credit Empics

David Shrigley, the 44-year old Glasgow based artist known for his darkly humorous line drawings, was nominated for the Turner Prize, Britain's most prestigious contemporary art award.

He was recognized for the spring retrospective of his work, Brain Activity, at the Hayward Gallery in London.  The exhibition included drawings, paintings, film, and a stuffed dog holding an "I'm Dead" sign. The website for the show is an interactive treat (my favorite is the screen where you can turn the light switch on and off...it is endlessly entertaining).

I highly recommend you visit the Brain Activity website to see more of David's work.   It's not creepy, serious, here-are-dead-stuffed-animals-to-make-you-uncomfortable work.  It's thoughtful and truly hilarious.  In fact, according to Nick Clark's article in The Independent, the director of Tate Britain and chair of the jury, Penelope Curtis, believes “[Shrigley] had been wrongly overlooked for a long time because his work suggested itself as being just funny and therefore marginal...Just because it’s funny, doesn’t mean it’s not good.”

Good luck, David.  The winner is announced December 2, 2013.  I think he'll take it.

See all four nominees here.

Via The Independent.

100 Geralds: Lazerian's Paper Dog Sculpture Project

027 CheonWang No.4 by Goo For Brothers

Lazerian is Liam Hopkins' design workshop, founded in 2006, based in a former hat factory in Manchester, England.   Gerald is Lazerian's mascot, part of a 2008 rebranding inspired by a Bracco Italiano, a hunting dog known for its devotion to its master, and meant to evoke the qualities of loyalty, heritage, and affection that Lazerian instills in its projects.  The new image inspired Hopkins and 3D designer Richard Sweeney  create "a blueprint for a free standing paper dog that anyone could make at home with a sharp knife, glue and a healthy degree of patience."

In 2009, the pattern was perfected and launched at the 100% Design event in London. The flat pack Geralds completely sold out.  Hopkins and Sweeney then created customized Geralds, Dazzle and Pixel, that were also sensations.   In 2011, Hopkins sent Gerald patterns to 100 of his favorite artists, designers, and illustrators around the world and the Gerald Project was born.

Now, each Gerald is a limited edition of 500 available for purchase for £20 ($30).  There will be an exhibition, Gerald & James (of the British paper company James Cropper that produces the Geralds) and a book launch party at 60 READE in New York City, May 17, 2013 to May 19, 2013. Visit Gerald's website or like him on Facebook for more information.  

Hat tip to Rosanne Burke for letting me know about Gerald via Laughing Squid.

100 Geralds

029 Peggy by Grande Dame

018 Argos by David Bowcutt

034 Sirius by Jack Hughes

006 Woof, Grrr, Yap by Andy Smith

021 Roofus by Design By House

022 Bad dogg dogg from the hood by DR. ME