Could there be a better gift for a dog-lover than a portrait of their dog? I think not. But then again…
Buying a picture for someone else can be a tricky business – art is a personal thing. Add to that the fact that a dog portrait must capture all the beloved nuances (head tilt, lofty whiskers, skew-whiff tail etc) of that furry friend and things can get problematic.
I’ve discovered a way around it: her name is Caroline Towning. The artist is currently causing a bit of a stir with her dog portraits, beautifully painted in oils and captured between sweet vintage glass frames. Part of her popularity must be that she manages to brilliantly convey the personality of a dog yet her modus operandi is painless. No sittings were required when she painted Ted. I sent off a couple of decent photographs and a week later, a beautifully be-ribboned box appeared with an incredible portrait of Teddy inside. And it really was Teddy – not just any old whiskery Schnauzer. I look at the picture and I’d know that dog anywhere, the fix in his beady eye is spot-on (he’s just seen something he likes the look of – could be a squirrel, could be a round of Brie).
Really, that’s Caroline’s art. When you have a dog, you know your dog and for someone else to recognise your four-legged friend’s character and make-up is the ultimate charm. I have several portraits of Teddy – from loose sketches to cartoons and pastels – the thing that binds them all is that each artist has ‘got’ Ted. So, if you’re needing inspiration for a dog lover this Christmas, get in touch with Caroline. Her pieces take around a week to complete and they can be personalized with names / tags / a particular collar. Each one costs £250, including free P&P in the UK.
