Question of the Week

Wayne Ferguson

Broadway, New Jersey

I'm sure like many of you, I've collected many dog-art items, mine being of Saint Bernards.

The one that I cherish deeply is a painting of "Barry," the famous Saint that in the early 1800s saved more than 40 lives in the Swiss Alps. It was given to me by Jay Lamb from Monmouth County, who I met at my first match show in 1966. Jay helped me with my breeding program and taught me to be a novice handler at best.

The Reisman Sisters

Baldwin, New York

The most sentimental pieces to me are my vintage glass Borzoi statues. My mom bought these for me on our last antiquing adventure before she passed. We also cherish Afghan statues we got from Sunny Shay and Kay Finch, as well as one of Terry Chacon's first paintings, which is of our very well-known Dachshund "Roxie." We have a wide collection of many breeds just because we like them. Every statue, painting, piece of jewelry and knickknack has a story behind it. Now the next question should be: Where will all of this end up? 

Christie Martinez

Gig Harbor, Washington

When judging the Samoyed national specialty in Canada many years ago, I was so impressed with the artwork for the trophies and asked the artist if she would do a painting for me. One of my most prized possessions.

Clarence Gelwicks

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Two of my nieces are fine artists. Several years ago, one painted my first two Whippets and the other painted my third Whippet. These pieces have double the sentimental value in that they were my first dogs in this breed I've now been in for 25 years and they were painted by beloved family members. They both hang in my living room.

Vicki DeGruy

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

My most favorite piece of dog art is a humble etching by Marguerite Kirmse called "Fuzzy Wuzzy." It's a picture of a Scotty puppy watching a fuzzy caterpillar climb up a patch of grass. It's still in its original mat and frame. I found it at an antique mall in the mid-1980s for $15. Its monetary value has gone up and down over the years, but its real value is what it brings to me every day when I see it on the wall in my office.  A very simple yet delightful picture that always makes me smile.

Richard Reynolds

Tenafly, New Jersey

I was introduced to the art of the circular pedigree by the late Joan Reed. I set out to do some on my own dogs, and the largest was a nine-generation pedigree of the Norfolk Terrier Ch. Buckeye Beaufort. That effort uncovered several errors in The Kennel Club (UK) stud book and a few in our own records. It was grand enough that I wanted some additional decoration, so I shipped the piece to Steve Hubbell in California, who added the center portrait and the gorgeous edging. The finished product was so good that we decided to enter it in the Dog Fanciers’ Art Competition held at Sardi’s. Since neither of us wanted to take credit for the whole product, so we entered it under the artist’s name of “Steve N. Richards.” We didn’t win, but for years I got mail addressed to that accomplished artisan.

Pat Cruz

Long Island, New York

As a long-time collector of Afghan Hound “stuff,” there are several things that I hold dear: A Tiffany engraved bookmark and a hand-painted pin with face of my favorite Afghan, Beau, a good-luck gift from the ring stewards for my first judging assignment: Teterboro Airport, Kennel Club of Northern New Jersey, March 1972 — Pattie and Pam! Another is a bracelet made by silversmith artist and Afghan breeder the late Monroe Jackson. He made it for Dale Laveque — a bold cuff with carnelians and a running Afghan. Dale’s gift to me in early ’80s before he passed. Many things collected over these decades and hard to let go — the signed letter and catalog from Kay Finch and her statues; Kay’s bolo ties given to me by Lee Reasin; books signed by Jim Trullinger, Walter Fletcher, Sir Raymond Oppenheimer. And a kennel-club medallion collection of more than 300 from all over the U.S. and the world. Only scratching the surface here. Thanks for allowing me to share. 

Lynda Lamensdorf    

Memphis, Tennessee

A painting I did for a dear friend a couple of years ago! Her beloved Six, a field-style-bred American Cocker! New way of painting for me — looser and full of texture and color. The first of many that followed! 

Bo Bengtson

Ojai, California

My favorite dog-art possession is a print of the Greyhound “Snowflight,” winner of the Waterloo Cup in 1882 and runner-up in 1883. The plaque gives the names of her parents (Curiosity x Bothal Park) and the year she won. I got the print in the early 1970s from Frank Sabella as a thank-you gift after he had judged at the Skokloster Sighthound show in Sweden, where I then lived. 

It now hangs in our entry in California and is often remarked on by visitors. One person who should have known better said: “Oh, how cute! He’s playing with the bunny!” He is a she, and she is DEFINITELY not “playing” with the hare …

Rich Bergman

Lakeside, California

In the Cedars Wildfire in Southern California on Oct 24, 2003, I lost everything, including eight pieces of original bronze Whippet art that I designed and commissioned and were numbered as AP/1 (Artists Proof). None cost me less than $8,000 each. The cost was nothing compared to the personal loss of beautiful one-off pieces of bronze art. I subsequently found, in the ashes, two pieces with minimal damage. I chose to do little clean-up, leaving bent ears and fire stains on them. One is in my art space and the other was requested by the Greater San Diego Whippet Association, to be mounted on a simple walnut base and named the Photoplay Whippets Memorial, a perpetual trophy awarded to the Best Bred-By Exhibitor at our yearly specialty, with a nameplate of the winner. I am no longer breeding, but one of my girls won BIS from the BBE class to finish, back when AKC gave a gold coin with info for that. The other BIS girl was already a very nice special. Thank you all for allowing me to share memories with you.

Susan Shephard

Deltona, Florida

There are many beautiful pieces that I've collected over the years, but this glazed ceramic piece is one of my favorites. It is from the R. William Taylor and Nigel Aubrey Jones collection. I have never seen another one like it.  Bill wrote me the most wonderful letter tucked into the shipping box. Because it was treasured by both Bill and Nigel, it is doubly precious to me. 

Johnny Shoemaker

Las Vegas, Nevada

My most favorite and sentimental painting is one that the family of Frank Sabella gave to me. It is a lovely painting of a Whippet, and I have it in sight when I am in the living room. Another favorite of mine are some Bulldog statues given to me by Florence Savage, plus a painting of one of Florence and Bo Savage's top-winning Bulldogs. I miss them both so very much. Frank and Florence will always be in my memory ...

Mike Macbeth

Uxbridge, Ontario Canada

One of the pieces of art I cherish most is the 1881 painting of a famous dog who was significant in the early days of the Dandie Dinmont’s rich history.

Shem: Born in 1839. Bred by Francis Somner. Sire Drygrange Charlie. Dam: Mustard.

This work, painted in 1881, is one of the most renowned Dandies in our breed's long history, the immortal Shem. His grandfather was bred by Sir Walter Scott. Bred by Mr. Francis Somner of West Morriston in 1839, Shem was sold to E. Bradshaw Smith of Blackwood house, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1842. Shem was taxidermed, which explains how a 42-year-old dog could be painted. He was so beloved that Smith had him buried with him in Geneva.

Missy Wood

Phoenixvillle, Pennsylvania

Without a doubt, it would be my photographs, although which ones would be impossible to narrow down!

Cheryl Kraft

Westhampton, New York

I cherish my collection of acrylic paintings. I have paintings that I have done of all my kids. I love when the personality of each dog shines through.

Lydia Coleman Hutchinson

Middletown, Maryland

After 70-plus years' involvement with Cairn Terriers I have a house full of wonderful art objects. My most treasured is a bronze sculpture of my parents' famous dog Ch. Cairnwoods Quince. Damara Bolte was commissioned to sculpt it, which was very appropriate since she had seen him numerous times while my mother was campaigning him. Quince was a Best in Show winner and held the record for national-specialty wins when the Cairn Terrier Club of America had just one national each year. Most important, however, was his record as a sire with 51 champion offspring. 

Susan Lockhart 

Newark, New York

Above is a photo of a slightly caricature-type painting I did of my first two Borzoi. They were brother and sister, a year apart, and the background is the skyline of Rochester, New York, where I lived at the time. It brings back memories of my time in the city with my very special dogs, Seamus and Jude. 

Jay Hyman

Mt Airy, Maryland

Bob Goldstein and I began in the ’60s, sharing "finds" when he had money and I might not and vice versa. At some point I had probably 100 bronzes, ceramics, paintings and carvings. I also had a canine library of 400 dog and horse books, starting in 1800. Getting older I found a home for the library with the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut, where they will keep it intact as a resource library for their students A wonderful resolution to a problem of what happens when? I have sold a number of the items, particularly those I feel my children may not want. Having raised Ridgebacks, Whippets, Greyhounds, Bull Terriers and Cattle Dogs, most of the art is among those breeds. For a favorite I would have to choose four: a 24-inch bronze Ridgeback standing with paws raised by a living English artist, Lorn McKeon; a 12-inch Whippet looking at a butterfly by Waagan from the 1800s; a seven-inch ceramic Bull Terrier by Boehm (better known for his birds), and a 16-inch trio of Bloodhound puppies looking at a snail by Vacossin.

Nick Waters

Sundorne Castle, near Shrewsbury, England

When I was growing up, I was surrounded by antiques and old things that had come down through the generations, and those that could be used were. That's how it was. When I was 14, I was given a Dachshund, and a family friend gave me a painting of a Dachshund inscribed “Vanity” that someone had painted on the lid of an old tobacco box. That was the start of a lifelong interest in collecting dog art that became a profession, first as a dealer and then a writer on the subject of countless articles and four published books. That little naive painting hangs today in pride of place in my office.

Jan Simonds

Novato, California

Mom (Carol Simonds) got a painting of the Barn Club dog show painted by a judge whose name I sadly don't know. She bought it from the husband when the wife passed away sometime in the late ’50s or early ’60s. While it's definitely an amateur painting, it's a Who’s Who of handlers from those decades. Sunny Shay is shown with an Afghan about to go into a swimming pool. Jane Forysth is showing a Boxer, Annie Clark has an Old English, and few more are depicted. It's hung in the family home since Mom got it.

Vincent Mulligan

Petaluma, California

AKC judge Donald E. Gauthier did the drawings for the official Great Dane illustrated standard, copyright 1945. In late 1970s, Donald Gauthier did a Great Dane specialty in San Jose, California, and would do an oil painting for whoever won Best of Breed. Paradise Desire, our first homebred bitch, won that day, and we received the painting more than a month later. I highly prize the painting, which sits over our fireplace. I don’t believe you will ever see a better picture of a Dane head.

Wyoma Clouss

Meridian, Idaho

Sentimental, too many to pick! But one of my favorites is a Mary Beacon painting of a Miniature Schnauzer standing up on a garden ledge to check out a bumblebee. It’s a well-done Miniature Schnauzer, caught doing something so curious Schnauzer-ish!