Dog Art Today

Dog Years by Mark Doty

Dog Years: A Memoir, poet Mark Doty's bestselling book about life, loss, love, and dogs comes out in paperback April 8th.

Publisher's Weekly review...

"Doty explores, with compassion and intelligence, the complicated, loving territory inhabited by devoted dogs and their loyal humans. In 1994, when the author's longtime lover was dying of AIDS, beloved pet Arden kept the surviving partner afloat. A new adoptee, the rambunctious Beau, in his "sloppy dog way," becomes a part of the tribe and carries some of the burden of grief. Doty says Beau "carried something else for me too, which was my will to live." In a time of devastating pain, as well as in happier times, Doty's two dogs are the "secret heroes of my own vitality."

The dog characters in the book are irresistible, and the arcs of their lives are delineated with the tenderness and passion of the truly smitten. Arden's quiet nobility and slow decline breaks the heart, while Beau's goofy enthusiasm peaks with youth and mellows in illness. With a marvelous ability to present the pain of mourning with a poet's delicate hand, and an irrepressible instinct for joy, Doty delivers a soulful love story which illuminates no less than the big human mysteries: attachment, death, grief, loyalty, happiness. The book nimbly sidesteps sentimentality and lands squarely on a philosophical, inquisitive tone as intellectually evocative as it is emotionally resonant."

Decca Aitkenhead of The Guardian writes...

"The pleasure of Dog Days doesn't depend upon liking dogs - because this isn't really a book about them at all. It's a hymn, instead, to human grief and despair, and to the miracles of hope and love."

And includes this funny, poignant excerpt from the book...

Mark Doty was walking his arthritic dog through Manhattan when a passerby paused to pet the black retriever. "He's had a good life," she remarked carelessly. "Isn't that just lovely, that we're all part of the cycle, we're here and then we go!'" She was trying to be kind, Doty could see. But, he writes, "I wanted to say, though I did not, Fuck you."

Anyone with an old dog knows that feeling.  The book sounds amazing, but maybe not right for me now.  Owning an old dog makes me philosophical enough.  Let me know if you read it. 

Happy Birthday to Me!

Photo of me on my 14th birthday.  In the basement of our house in Cleveland.  I had about 20 friends there for a sleepover.  What else would we be doing but talking to boys?  I think we watched Jaws later that night.  It was a great party and great to be 14 and know it all.  Today, it feels pretty great to be 41 and realize knowing it all is overrated.  Discovery is where it's at!

Decorative Dog Art Keeps Pace With...Well...Everything Else That's Going Up!

Victorian Staffordshire Spaniels, estimate: $600 to $800.

L.A. auction house Bonhams & Butterfields hosts a sale this Sunday, March 30th, of nearly 2,000 pieces from the late collector Jennifer Berry that is filled with treasures for dog art lovers. 

And although Alan Fausel, Bonhams' vice president and director of fine art, estimates that sales of such dog-themed memorabilia have increased 30% during the last five years, and prices have kept pace with demand, there are lots of lots under $500.  Pieces include vintage paintings, photos, furniture, walking sticks, lamps, and more from the estate of a passionate dog and art lover.  Here are some of my picks.

Cast-iron paint hound bust, estimate: $1,000 to $1,500.

19th century dog-themed canes, estimate $1,000 to $2,000.

A small side table with a cast iron dog handle, estimate: $200 to $300.

Two framed, glazed ceramic tiles, each 9" tall and 21" wide, estimate: $300 to $500.

A collection of silver plate table articles with a dog motif, estimate $400 to $600.

19th century tintype of a dog with sheep, estimate: $1,000 to $1,500.

Viewing and auction begin at 10am Sunday, March 30th.  Jennifer Berry's estate sale will start at approximately 1pm.  Visit Bonhams & Butterfields for more information.

Via The Los Angeles Times.

Jerry The Dachshund's Mechanical Ball Throwing Machine

This mechanical dog toy took two years to build.  Jerry looks like he could play with it forever! 

Discovered on dog photographer, Grace Chon's, Shine Pet Photos Blog.   More about Grace's awesome photos in a future post.  Today it's all about Jerry and this mechanical work of art.

P.S. Although the machine looks a little dangerous for little fingers and paws, the inventor equipped it with many safety features including IR proximity sensors.  Read more about it at YouTube where Jerry has been viewed 1,094,952 times since the end of January.

William Secord On The Martha Stewart Show Today!

William "Bill" Secord, the leading authority on 19th and 20th century dog paintings, visits The Martha Stewart Show today with some of his favorite examples from the genre.  Secord's interest in dog art began in 1981 when he was named the director of the Dog Museum of America.  After that, he opened his own William Secord Gallery, which specializes in 19th and 20th century dog paintings, and also represents several contemporary artists, such as Christine Merrill. 

He is also the author of several books on the subject including his most recent work, A Breed Apart: The Art Collections of the American Club, which he kindly gives to every member of Martha's audience today. And, perhaps most importantly, he has a Dandie Dintmont Terrier named Rocky. 

Say hi to Martha for us, Bill.  And thanks for taking dog art as seriously as we do at Dog Art Today!