As a small dog enthusiast and an artist, I seek out opportunities to support fellow artists who share my love of dogs. Etsy is a terrific venue because it’s bursting with creative dog-lovers. Now that I’ve volunteered to be Ottawa Dog Blog’s Etsy Addict for Small Dogs blogger, I look forward to sharing these treasures and other small dog finds with you.

First up– miniatures!  The only thing cuter than a small dog is even tinier versions of them, right?  When I discovered that I could have miniature sculptures made of my dogs, I jumped at the chance to give them to my partner as a gift.  We’re nutty like that. I decided to also have their favourite toys crafted into miniatures because, well, I’m addicted to cute.

I emailed photos of the dogs and their toys to the artist, paid the deposit, and patiently waited. The day the sculptures arrived, I set them up next to my dogs to take some photos. The dogs didn’t seem as enamoured with their miniatures as I was and it wasn’t long before my terrier duo grew tired of the photo shoot and fell asleep:

Petunia and Maya asleep with their Miniatures

Having a sculpture of your dog may, at first, seem like a frivolty but they are a perfect way to memorialize your best furry friend, they make a unique conversation piece, are tempting to take along on vacation as a stand-in (unlike your dog, they fly free!), and they make a great gift according to me AND the queen of gift-giving – Martha Stewart!

Petunia on Martha Stewart's 2010 Holiday Gift Guide

Although the artist I chose to create the portraits of my dogs (and their favourite toys) no longer sells through Etsy, there are plenty of artists who do!  Here are some of Canada’s best:

FibreHeart (Barrie, ON)
Specialty:  Based on photos you provide, Mandy will recreate your dog into a realistic miniature or even a life-size sculpture!  She uses both animal and vegetable-based fibres but will create your piece in vegetable-based materials if you would like it to be vegan or are allergic to wool.  
Price range: $75-500+

Maltese by FibreHeart

Very talented Ottawa artist, Allison MacAlister of AlliePets

Location: Ottawa, ON
Website: alliepets.com

What kind of Dog Art do you do?
My style is very “toony” compared to many pet portrait artists. Instead of referencing directly from one photo, I prefer to get a handful of photos and a description of the animal’s personality, and from that, create an entirely unique pet portrait according to the client’s description and ideas. Sometimes my style is more toony, sometimes it’s more realistic; depends on the animal, and the client’s desires.

How did you get into doing dog-related artwork?
I’ve done doodles of my pets and friend’s pets for years and years. Animals in general have been my favorite art subject for my entire life. I only got into actually doing pet portraits as a hobby about two years ago, and officially made it a business a year ago.

When did you first realize you are an artist?
When I could pick up a crayon! Ever since I can remember I’ve had the desire to draw, doodle, scribble, and otherwise put pictures on paper. I think I’ve been an artist my entire life, and have simply been honing my craft. I personally feel that anyone who has the desire to create, no matter what age or craft, is an artist.

Could you tell us some more about your work?
I work digitally. The entire piece from sketch to completion is done on the computer. I’ve had requests for real media, and may offer it as an alternative when I feel skilled enough to do so. My favorite program to work in is a Japanese program called Paint Tool SAI, but I also work in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign when needed. I work on a powerful PC with dual monitors, and draw using a Wacom Intuos3 9×12 drawing tablet. Every so often, I stream my drawing process live to the client or others interested in watching me work. Aside from portraits, I also enjoy offering logo, branding and design services that are pet-related. I have a design diploma and like to put it to good use!

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Kellie, the Doodle Dog Painter is searching for incredible photos to take inspiration from for her latest works. She is putting together a collection of Greyhound paintings special for Dewey Beach, Greyhounds in Art 2009. The pieces will focus on head and shoulder shots in a big scale!

If you have photos you can share with her that would be super! The best photos would be taken at eye level and with clear detail! The Greyhounds can be smiling, panting, alert and ready, or even calm magestic faces. The more the better!

You can email them to Kellie and title it GREYHOUND PHOTOS! She will notify those that are being used to inspire her pieces!

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The Ottawa Dog Blog had the chance to interview pet artist, Heather Anderson.

Name: Heather Anderson
Website: heather-anderson-animals-in-art.com
Blog: heatheranderson-animalsinart.blogspot.com

What kind of Dog Art do you do?
I do two types of Dog Art actually. I paint Commissioned Portraits of dogs in Coloured Pencil over Watercolour, in Acrylic, and sometimes at special request, in Watercolour alone or a Graphite. I work from a selection of good photos of the dog or dogs, and often include a landscape background if requested.

The other thing I do is to paint a dog in a scene relevant to the breed of dog – something that comes out of my own mind and is done to celebrate the beauty of the breed and the individual dog – purebred or not. I also like to do work that celebrates the wonderful loving companionship between a dog and a human. These paintings are done in the medium that seems to suit the idea and are available as Original Paintings, small reproductions, and in some cases, notecards. I also love to paint Cats and Horses.

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If you have been reading this blog for a while, you may know that I used to do a monthly Etsy post. Well even though that died away, my love for Etsy has not. Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. You deal directly with the artist and Etsy takes care of making sure that payment is easy and secure. I have bought many things from various artist, both dog related and not.

When these Recycled Umbrella Dog Raincoats started showing up on various other blogs I read, I knew I had to post it on here. They are super cute, affordable and recycled! What more could you ask for? All of the coats are under $20 USD. Check them out at the RecyclingZychal Shop.

As a bonus, Taryn Zychal, the owner of RecyclingZychal, is accepting broken umbrellas and will even reimburse your shipping costs! Contact her through Etsy for more details.

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Ottawa Dog Blog had the chance to interview Ottawa dog artist, Kellie from DoodleDogPaintings. Her retro styled art is fun and exciting and would add to any room in your home.

Leeroy Out Loud!

Name: DoodleDogPaintings
Location: Ottawa
Website: doodledogpaintings.com
Store: doodledogpaintings.etsy.com
Blog: thedoodledog.blogspot.com

What kind of Dog Art do you do?

I specialize in custom, hand-painted commissions of clients pets. I paint in a modern style that is a result of my training as a silkscreener. Every commissioned piece is inspired by a client’s favorite photographs, the description they give me of their pets and their home decor. I am able to tailor each piece to a client’s wishes without sacrificing my artistic integrity, which is wonderful!

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