Dog Art Today

Wintery Walks With Dogs by Dee Nickerson

Winter Walk with Dogs by Dee Nickerson

British painter Dee Nickerson describes her creative process:

It is usually late morning when I start to paint, working late into the night, stopping for supper and, while it’s daylight, to gaze out of the window. During winter I settle by the fire and wireless in the caravan I share with a partner and three feline muses. In summer I move outside, under the lean-to. Combining memory, imagination and observations of the changing seasons, weather, people, cats, dogs and birds, I elaborate on little moments of ordinary life seen at home, from my bicycle, in the local towns and villages, or on trips about East Anglia

Lovely.

Colder than Expected by Dee Nickerson

Arriving Home by Dee Nickerson

A Ride to the Sea by Dee Nickerson

Collecting the Post by Dee Nickerson

A Winter's Sprint by Dee Nickerson

Seeing Double by Dee Nickerson

Dee Nickerson's paintings are available as greeting cards at Green Pebble.  Originals are at Sothwold Gallery.  View more on her flickr photostream.  And follow her on Twitter.

Wishing you many wintery walks with your dogs, and a happy holiday season.

xo, Moira + Tyler

Blind Howl by Ellen Jantzen

Blind Howl by Ellen Jantzen, 2009

Feeling rage and grief over the news of Sandy Hook Elementary.

Via Ellen Jantzen.

The White Oaks by Joseph O. Holmes

The White Oaks by Joseph O. Holmes

Via Jen Bekman 20x200 where prints are available.

Dog Art Today's Holiday Cards: It Takes a Village

Tyler + Darby by John Burnett

I didn't plan on sending cards this year.  I've been creatively blocked since my dog Darby died last December.  But, I live in Nevada County, a place where everyone's an artist and everyone's connected.  Here's how I went not sending cards this season to sending custom-made ones with hand-crafted envelopes distressed, stamped, and lettered to look like they came from the gold fields of California.

First there's John Burnett...

John Burnett by John Burnett

John Burnett is a web consultant, graphic designer, artist, and photographer.   I contacted him regarding SEO optimization after he photographed my sister, Sheila Cameron, and redesigned her website, Watching the Paint Dry.  Sheila is another Nevada County artist...

 

Sheila Cameron by John Burnett

Sheila met John through Erin Thiem...

Erin Thiem at The Outside Inn

Erin owns and runs The Outside Inn, an authentic motor court built in the 1930s, originally called The Airway Mote. Here's a photo which doesn't have to do with the story, but I love this postcard...

Vintage postcard of The Airway Motel now The Outside Inn via flickr

Erin not only runs The Outside Inn, a quaint and funky Nevada City treasure with 16 individually-themed rooms, she also writes the best blog in Nevada County about what to do and see. It's called InnSide Nevada City.  It's beautiful and informative, and she has lots of contests, which is how Sheila met John, by winning his design services.

So I met with John and he helped me with my web traffic.  Later, he told me he wanted to make dog portraits using vintage photographs.  He sent me this...

 

Tyler Foote by John Burnett

I told John that if he made me a card with my two dogs, Tyler, my current dog who is a macho survivor, and Darby, my first dog who had the sensitive heart of a poet, I would send it out as my holiday cards.  He met my challenge with these guys...

Then, I decided I wanted the cards to look like they came from 19th century California.  After 1.) making this Pinterest board and 2.) panicking (is this how brides feel?), I called Erin at The Outside Inn.  Because Erin is also a passionate card maker.   She told me that if I brought lunch and could guarantee "each envelope would be individual" she would help me.

I drove over to The Outside Inn bearing turkey sandwiches and a gift basket with a bottle of Montoliva wine (from a vineayard a few miles away), brie, and homemade pomagranate jelly (I made with my neighbors in November with fruit from their tree).   Erin and I sat in the front office, greeted guests, and made these...

 

I had the cards printed locally at The Real Graphic Source where Kim and Ceihra helped me through the process.  And I faked the calligraphy and they turned out like this...

Tyler & Darby 2012 Holiday Cards for Dog Art Today by John Burnett, Erin Thiem, The Real Graphic Source and Moira McLaughlin

It might sound absurd to hand make envelopes or care about stamps that will get thrown away.  But this year, through your readership, advertising, and donations, I saw how significant the individual gesture is.

Making these cards with Nevada County artists brought that lesson home to me, and I wanted to share that.  This has been a year of loss and recovery.  I didn't believe that I would get through it, or that I would find another dog.  But you kept telling I would.  I trusted you.  I am grateful.  And I wanted to let you know.

I would be happy to send you a handcrafted Tyler & Darby card from the gold fields of California if you email me your address.

If you would like a vintage portrait of your dog visit John Burnett's Vintage Dog Portraits Facebook page.

If you're coming to Nevada County call Erin at The Outside Inn. Yes, it is dog friendly.  To see what it's like to live here visit her blog.

The Pooch Clutch by Colleen Rudolf

The Pooch Clutch by Colleen Rudolf available at Etsy

The Pooch Clutch by Philadelphia artist Colleen Rudolf is a locally-sourced, eco-conscious, handcrafted, animal-free, made-in-America dream accessory.  It is a work of art as evening bag that inspires on every level. 

First, the drawings: each sketch is a shelter dog from the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  Colleen volunteered at the PSPCA while she was a graduate student at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.   After photographing and writing bios for hundreds of dogs for Petfinder, she decided that if she sketched and then painted portraits of the dogs, she could honor them more fully and help facilitate long-term placement.   She hoped that if she saw them as valuable enough to paint, others might pay attention them.

After graduation in 2008, her interest in dogs and art evolved, and she began creating objects with her portraits.  She founded Portraits by Colleen and designed dishes, mugs, bags, and greeting cards using business practices that reflect her commitment to local and sustainable modes of operation.

Each Pooch Clutch is sewn by a Philadelphia seamstress.  The hardware comes from Dallas, Texas.  The fabric is manufactured at Spoonflower in Durham, North Carolina with an inkjet printing process that entails very little waste of fabric, ink, water or electricity, and uses eco-friendly, water-based pigment inks on natural fiber textiles with no additional chemicals.  The eye-catching satin fabric inside the Pooch Clutch come from local textile businesses on Philadelphia's fabric row.

No animals are used in the manufacturing of the Pooch Clutch.  It is vegan and fabulous, a rare breed.

And Colleen donates 10% of all proceeds to Philadelphia's Street Trails Animal Rescue, a small local shelter she chose because of their passionate volunteers and their commitment to education.

I don't feature many "doggie" fashions on Dog Art Today.  I am not interested in promoting cheap products made by low-wage (slave) labor in foreign countries (calculate your slavery footprint at Made in a Free World). That is why I am delighted to share the Pooch Clutch with you.  It is a beautiful object from its conception to its execution.   If I can help in its promotion, it is my privilege.

Pooch Clutch

Colleen Rudolf models the Pooch Clutch

Pooch Clutch fabric manufactured by Spoonflower in Durham, North Carolina

Handmade Label

Colleen Rudolf with the Pooch Clutch and her Pooch, Dooey

The Pooch Clutch is $75 and is available at Colleen Rudolf's Etsy store.

For more information visit Portraits by Colleen.