Back when I was poking around the Auckland Museum looking for something to paint I noticed these weird brown ceramic dogs in the bottom of a cabinet, there was something about their strange stylised faces, wiggly fur and chains with lockets which I found quite captivating, thus began my latest obsession. They are known as wally dogs/ wally dugs/ mantle dogs/ hearth spaniels/ fireside dogs/ Staffordshire dog figurines. They always have the lock and chain draped over their back. They are the perfect vehicle for my wiggly gouache paintings.
Studio pic
I made these cardboard frames with gold chains to match their gold chains. This was actually the third one I did, it's hard to tell but the black is slightly bluish.
This was my second painting, the first didn't make it into the exhibition.
Here they are on the wall amongst some other Tiny Travelling Gallery arts. This photo was by the excellent Emmeline Bailey, check out her stuff here: http://baileysalchemy.bigcartel.com/