Fri, 10/28/2022 - 8:36am

Question of the Week

What is your favorite piece of dog art in your collection?

 

Jack L. Gohde

Wenonah, New Jersey

Here is a painting of my GCh. Kintyre's Come Fly With Me done by Dawn Secord. It has a special place on my wall as "Mia" has a special place in my heart.  

Another of my favorite dog-art items is the original oil painting of my Ch. Windem's Lotsa Dots, a Best in Show and national-specialty-winning English Setter. This wonderful painting was done by Martial Robin in France and shipped to me.

 

Bryan Martin

Milwaukie, Oregon

I have a charcoal original Basset Hound head study by artist Bert Cobb. Nancy has her Nymphenburg/Meissen porcelain Japanese Chin collection.

 

Patricia Collins Briasco

Ocala, Florida

My favorite piece of dog art in my collection would be a piece that I painted myself, of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. It is one breed that is rarely the principal subject matter in art. And even though this all-purpose farm dog developed in the early 19th Century is not an ancient breed, it is a beloved member of many American households. From their rugged beginnings to their acceptance into the AKC in 1976, I hope time and history will produce more paintings of this wonderful breed.   

 

Ida Kavafian

New Fairfield, Connecticut

I always read your questions, but I have never taken part. When I read this one, I jumped up to take a photo of a piece that is so dear to me by the amazing artist Alisonn Zorba. It is my first Vizsla, Gus (MBISS Ch Gemini’s Joska Szigeti CD), in his senior years. He is the dog that was my introduction to the fancy 27 years ago. I have happily been participating in AKC events since then!

 

Beth Sweigart

Bowmansville, Pennsylvania

Easily the larger-than-lifesize bronze of Coco (Ch. Cracknor Cause Celebre) done by Patsy Anne to commemorate her BIS at Crufts in 2005.

 

Joan Scott

Monticello, Georgia 

I have several “favorites” …. This is definitely one. “Nip.” Oil painting 1905 by F. T. Daws.

 

Richard L. Reynolds

Tenafly, New Jersey

I had the honor and privilege to know the late Stephen Hubbell and was equally privileged to do the legwork and research necessary for some of his paintings. Early on he came to stay for a while at Plum Run and while there he painted my pet fox, Simon. My walls are graced with many of his works, but this one will always be my favorite.

 

Francis S. Broadway

Hopkins, South Carolina

Although I refuse to select one work from my extensive Lorraine Trenholm collection, I will select my retirement from 44 years of formal teaching gift/commission to myself, by Kathleen Coy.

 

Beverly Capstick

The Villages, Florida

A framed lifesize oil painting of my Boston Terrier “heart” dog Harley (GGCh. Knolland King of the Road, BN, CGC,TKI, RN). This beautiful painting was a gift from Candice McEnaney and holds a prominent place in my home!

 

Nick Waters

Shrewsbury, England

My favorite piece of artwork is an oil painting of my champion Irish Water Spaniel Sh. Ch. Zanfi Tabitha. It was painted by Cindy Lass, whose portraits of dogs include pets owned by Sir Elton John, Sir Richard Branston, Ivana Trump, Uri Geller, George Michael and others. She was commissioned by the Royal Household to paint HM Queen Elizabeth II Corgis as their gift to Her Majesty on her 80th birthday.

 

John and Kathy Ronald

Umatilla, Florida

Our favorite and treasured piece of dog art is a wooden carving from a Sami artist from the 1930s. Dogs, reindeer and Sami herders. It is one piece of wood with reindeer-gut antlers and harnesses. Bought in an antique store in Stockholm.

 

Midge Martin

Libertyville, Illinois

It's difficult to find Wire Dachshund art. It is not so difficult to find Afghan Hound art, except that much Afghan Hound art is very stylized. I am blessed to have some wonderful art … a Damara Bolte Basset Hound bronze head, a Kay Finch Rudiki bronze, and a beautiful Garry Newton Angel with Wire Dachshund bronze. However, I have two heart pieces. My enormously talented child, Heidi B. Martin, gifted us with two portraits: one of the beautiful Basset Hound Ch. Tiara, and my beloved Bridget, Wire Dachshund Ch. Solo's Harbor Mayden. If I were more tech savvy, I would include pictures of them with this response. If you're in the area, come visit and see them over the mantelpiece.

 

Vincent G. Mulligan

Petaluma, California

I have two great pieces of dog art.

The first is an oil painting of a Great Dane done by Donald E. Gauthier. In September 1944 he was chairman of the Great Dane Club of America, also an artist in oil painting. But Donald E. Gauthier will be most remembered as the person who created the “Official Illustrated Standard” we are still using now. In the late 1970s he judged a Great Dane Specialty show in San Jose, California; whoever won Best of Breed, he would do an oil painting. It was won by our first home-bred bitch, Ch. Paradise Desiree. The painting is hanging above my fireplace.

My second great piece of dog art is a statue of Ch. Paradise Desiree in Bronze. We then broke the mold.

 

Carl J. Anderson

Simi Valley, California

Rosalie and I used to do quite a bit of calendar art with our parti-colors. Our favorite is the one in the bunk bed, which is framed and hanging in the dog room.

 

Margaret K. Mott

Livingston Manor, New York

Having dealt in antiques and more specifically dog antiques for more years than I care to remember, there have been so many treasures of various breeds that have passed through my hands in all kinds of media. Our collection of Norwegian Elkhound art has often been thought of as the largest in the world; however, we have been dispersing much of it due to our impending move to our home in Wales in early 2023. 

Sorting through many items lately, I always come back to one very simple and humble “can’t part with it” piece that I found in an antique shop outside Philadelphia in the mid-’70s. It is a century-old child’s pull toy of painted papier-māché standing on a very homespun green wooden plank base with little red wooden wheels. Perhaps not a piece of “art” per se and certainly of no great value being a chipped and a bit battered (and who wouldn’t be at that age!), but we like to think of him as an early Elkhound, as he displays many breed characteristics. He has wheeled his way around the house posing in various places and has found himself as part of a few Christmas displays through the years. Most of all, he makes me smile! 

 

Cliff Schultz

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

We own a Diana Thorne original gouache on canvas board Scottish Terrier head study.  It the perfect thing for a Scottish terrier breeder/owner/handler/judge.  We are fortunate to own it.  

 

Lydia Coleman Hutchinson

Middletown, Maryland

My very favorite piece of artwork in my large collection is a fabulous bronze sculpted by Damara Bolte. The subject is my parents' wonderful Cairn Terrier Ch. Cairnwoods Quince (four-time national specialty winner and sire of 51 champions). The original was cast in sterling silver as a memorial trophy (honoring my parents) for Best in Sweepstakes at the Cairn Terrier Club of America national specialty. Damara suggested having 25 bronzes cast from the original mold, and I am delighted to own one of them. It is without a doubt the very best Cairn sculpture in existence.

 

Delores Burkholder

Rockton, Illinois

Right now our favorite is this head study of our English Setter foundation bitch done in 1983 by Prudence Walker, Reklaholm.

 

Mike Macbeth

Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada

My most treasured work of art is an oil painting of the Dandie Dinmont “Old Pepper,” owned by P.S. Lang and painted in 1884 by Andrew Smith Brewster.

This is the only oil of Lang’s Dandie. Painted in 1884, it states on the canvas: "P. S. Lang's Old Pepper 1856-1871." Pat Lang, a banker from Selkirk, was a founder and voted vice president of the Dandie Dinmont Club when formed November 17, 1875, at that first meeting at Selkirk’s Fleece Hotel.  He was also on the committee that wrote the original Dandie standard in 1876. The painting was framed by Doic Wilson and Wheatley (est. 1840) of Edinburgh.  

If you have paid attention to the date, you will notice that the canvas was painted 13 years after Old Pepper’s death. It was probably done not from memory but from a stuffed representation of the dogs. It was fashionable to taxidermy beloved dogs in those days, and there even is mention in Charles Cook’s 1885 book (“The Dandie Dinmont Terrier”) of an article by Stonehenge that describes the stuffed “skin” of Old Pepper.

Speaking of books … The newest book on the history of the Dandie Dinmont, written by myself and Paul Keevil was launched in Scotland in July. “The Dandie Dinmont Terrier – The true story of Scotland’s forgotten breed” rewrites the history of this ancient breed by intensive meticulous research that goes further back than Cook’s often misquoted 1885 tome to reveal startling new information.

 

Chuck and Pat Trotter 

Carmel, California

We proudly share two treasures – the 34-by-24-inch Vic Tor Afghan painting and the small Norwegian Elkhound bronze June Harrah statue. The Afghan art is very distinct from many of Vic Tor's works as although it is stylistic, it is not his usual extreme, futuristic version of the breed that made him famous and the darling of the Afghan world.

Chuck commissioned the great Vic Tor to make this special painting of his pride and joy Ch. R. and K's Shauzda in the late '70s. The artist came to the Trotter home in Nashville and spent time alone with the multi-group winner in the living room for hours as he sketched and prepared for his work. Afghan and artist got along beautifully. In time the final work testified to the relationship, and the painting was a very unique Vic Tor original.

Although June Harrah did not visit with Ch. Vin-Melca's Vagabond (Top Dog All Breeds in 1970) she sent the revered Beatrice Godsol, her good friend, to Carmel to view, comment, critique and take pictures of him. The result was the beautiful statue that was my Christmas gift in 1971 from Dr. Craige. Harrah was a famous animal artist who sculpted such great racehorses as Seabiscuit and later 1980's Racehorse of the Year Spectacular Bid. In addition, she did sculptures of Hollywood's animal stars, including Jadaan, the gray stallion ridden by Rudolph Valentino in Son of the Sheik. We feel blessed to possess these two precious treasures.

 

Caroline Wells Cope

Walterboro, South Carolina

My own …

 

Steven Herman

Wesley Chapel, Florida 

My favorite piece in my dog art collection is a metal sculpture of a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. I have never had the breed but purchased it several decades ago when I got involved with German Wirehaired Pointers. Objects of quality in the latter breed being very difficult to find, I “fudged” it (and two additional times!). It has a bronze patina and was done by C. (Charles) Valton, a French artist working between 1851 and 1918. He is called “Marco” and is about a foot tall and a bit longer, befitting its breed. I like it because of its detail in structure and coat. He is on point on a table prominently displayed in our family room.
 

Karen Mull

Lititz, Pennsylvania

I have two items: the denim jacket I got last year through the AKC with a picture of my girl Elektra painted on it and my collection of drawings of my deceased but still beloved Border Collies created by Diane Morrow. I love getting original pieces with my actual dogs on them; I have all types of clothing and artwork.

 

Bob Stephanos 

West Palm Beach, Florida 

Painting by Pino Renzulli of my Bullmastiff, Kong.

 

Judy Thompson 

Naples, Florida

"Papillon on a Pillow" (GCHS Coquina's Roi Soleil). Sunny passed over the Rainbow Bridge last October, and it took me a year before I could work on his portrait without crying. I love how he looks, as though he is just looking right into your soul.

 

Celeste M. Gonzalez

Thomasville, North Carolina

The bronze pair of male and female Basset Hounds, #7 of 7, titled “Recovering the Scent,” sculpted by Charles DiGioia and from the estate of the late Peg Walton. The bronzes have special meaning for multiple reasons: 1) the purposeful and quiet beauty of hounds returning to the scent line, 2) the pair was previously owned by the mother of our breed in the U.S., 3) one of the editions of this pair sits atop the Basset Hound Club of America Perpetual Trophy for the Breeder of Best of Breed at its national specialty show (won by me for a dog I bred and that won BOB last year), and 4) one of the editions of this pair is in the AKC Museum of the Dog for all to enjoy. I gaze at it each time I watch TV, as it sits as a focal point on my mantlepiece. I envisage the dogs deliberately moving through the brush working to recover the scent line of a meandering and long-gone rabbit, their heads down and tails straight up, signaling the moment before they set off on the recovered scent line.

 

Deirdre Petrie

Leola, Pennsylvania

My favorite piece of artwork in my collection is a piece I purchased about five years ago in a little antique store in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. The antique dealer told me it was a copper statue, dating maybe to the 1950s. He wanted $295 for it; I chewed him down to $250. Recently I asked fellow dog lover and antique dealer Jerome Elliott if he had any background on this piece. His response was OMG! Apparently, this is a quite rare bronze with a gold patina! In doing some research I recently found it for sale online with an antique dealer for $6,700! I'd say I found a bargain!

“Whippet with a Butterfly,” Arthur Waagen (Germany, France, 1833-1898). Circa 1860s. Bronze, 11 x 8. Arthur Waagen was a German-born sculptor and animalier who spent most of his life in Paris and exhibited regularly at the Paris Salons from 1869 to 1887. 

 

Amy Gardner Dean

Youngsville, North Carolina

I used to be a corporate artist for an international art-supply company, and had to do a lot of artwork examples for new materials (paints, pencils, papers and panels) that we were debuting, so we would have artwork to advertise the products with. I used my own Pointers and Great Danes as artwork subjects!

 

 

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