Pop Art Pet Unleashed

Archive for August, 2007

This week marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It also marks the opening of a special exhibit to Katrina’s four-legged victims in Bethesda, Maryland.

The exhibit at the Discovery Too Gallery is called “Lest We Forget.” It focuses on the pets who were left behind in the devastation and the people who went in to the save them. Three artists are featured in the exhibit: Carol Guzy, Scotland Haisley and Bill Manley.

“All of the artists witnessed the disaster firsthand, and through their art were able to share it with the world,” said Jennifer Smith, the gallery director at Discovery Too.

Scotland Haisley, the director of the Washington Animal Rescue League, was one of the first people on the ground looking for abandoned pets. His paintings, captured on antique ceiling tiles from New Orleans, are featured in the exhibit.

Carol Guzy, a Washington Post photographer and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, took a year’s leave of absence to capture Katrina’s aftermath and found herself awash in animal rescues. “This caused so much unbelievable suffering that didn’t have to happen by not including animals in the (evacuation and rescue) plan,” she said.

The exhibit also features New Orleans native Bill Manley, an artist who lost everything but his talent to the storm. His large, bright canvases show the ragged edges of his ruined home town.

Twenty-five thousand pets perished in Katrina, but rescuers from across the country managed to save thousands.

This Sunday, the Washington Animal Rescue League will head back to New Orleans to gather more animals born in the aftermath.

Did you know that in addition to our custom dog portraits and cat portraits in that rad, retro style, we also offer a huge selection of everyday items featuring our Pet Pop Art in giant, online gift shops?

In our gift shops we feature our Pop Art and Traditional Art designs on everything from t-shirts to throw pillows; and coasters to clocks. Also we have multiple designs for dozens of breeds of dogs and cats, which means we’re bound to have your favorite and the favorite breed of every pet lover you know. (hint, hint, the holidays will be here before you know it)

By the way, we also offer personal gift shops to our portrait clients. In other words, once we have created your custom cat portrait or dog portrait we can create a gift shop featuring your pet on any or all of the fun and functional items in our stores.

This way you can accessorize your art and take it everywhere with you!

Personalized gift shops of your pet is just one of the perks of placing an order for a pet portrait with Pop Art Pet!

Summer may be winding down for the rest of us, but just last weekend the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition was held in Imperial Beach, California!

The annual charity event had over 40 entries and featured two divisions for surfing dogs and their owners. In this, their second year, a total of 47 brave four-legged competitors registered for the event and Imperial Beach Lifeguards estimated that more than 1,000 people gathered to see Spot surf!

Proceeds are still being counted and will benefit Loews Coronado Bay Resort’s Good Neighbor Council, a group of employees who organized the competition to raise money for the resort’s Good Neighbor Partners, including Modest Needs and PAWS of Coronado.

Here are the competition results:

Heat One: Surf Dogs
1st Place: Toby, a Shih Tzu mix (and rescue dog)
2nd Place: Stoli, a Black Lab
3rd Place: OB Dude, a Bassett mix

Heat Two: Teams (surf dogs and humans surfing together on the same board at the same time)
1st Place: Zoey, a Jack Russell Terrier, and his owners Scott and Tyler
2nd Place: OB Dude, a Bassett mix, and his owner Barb
3rd Place: Pogey, a Poodle mix, and her owner Lauren

In addition to endless bragging rights, these surf dog champions scored the following prizes:
1st Place: Two-night stay at Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa, including a gourmet doggie room service meal, and an oversized gift basket filled with dog treats
2nd Place: One-night stay at Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa, including a gourmet doggie room service meal, and an oversized gift basket filled with dog treats
3rd Place: Dinner for two in Mistral, Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa’s newest dining experience, and an oversized gift basket filled with dog treats.

Congratulations to all you surf doggies!

Did you know?..

• Dogs suffer from boredom, stress and loneliness when kept on a chain.
• The American Veterinary Medical Association warns that chaining a dog can contribute to aggressive behavior.
• The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture prohibits chaining as the primary means of confinement under the Animal Welfare Act.
• The Center for Disease Control states that chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite than unchained dogs.
• Nearly 100 state and local jurisdictions ban or severely restrict dog chaining.

It’s ironic to think that a fence can actually provide freedom, but we recently learned of an organization in Durham, North Carolina called The Coalition to Unchain Dogs. They’re a non-profit, totally volunteer effort dedicated to improving the welfare of dogs living outdoors on chains in their community by raising money and building fences.

We think its a wonderful concept! The group also educates the community about the dangers of chaining dogs, and raise awareness about how chaining them impacts their physical, mental and emotional needs.

Next month the Coalition to Unchain Dogs is having a benefit concert to help raise funds to help build more fences to help more dogs! Please visit their website to find out how you can help by volunteering your time or making a generous donation!

We are getting some great entries for our Pet Photo Contest!

If you haven’t entered yet, don’t procrastinate, you only have until the end of the month.

We are accepting submissions thru August 31st and we will announce our 12 lucky finalists on September 3rd.

Then it will be up to the internet to decide the winner who will receive an original 18″ custom dog portrait or cat portrait courtesy of Pop Art Pet!

Visit our Contest Page to enter your pet’s picture today!

Did you know, in 1954, Andy Warhol, a renowned cat lover, published a series of 25 cat portraits in book form? Printed on limited edition, hand-colored Arches watermarked paper, the prints were privately printed and made as a Christmas keepsake. He named his book “25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy.” He had originally meant it to read “… Named Sam” but his mother, who did the lettering, left off the “d” and Warhol thought that the final version was fine.

In the 1950s, Warhol bought a brownstone where he and his mother resided. And, although they had owned cats for twenty years, his series of cat portraits were not based on the cats he lived with and knew. Instead, they were based on the photographs of New York Cat Photographer Walter Chandoha.

In the 1970s, Warhol ’s interest with cats faded and his interest in dogs rose. His boyfriend decided they should get a short-haired Dachshund puppy. They named the dog “Archie”.

Warhol became so enthralled with Archie that he became his alter ego. As he held Archie during interviews, when Warhol did not want to answer a particular question, he would simply deflect the questions to Archie. Warhol took the dog everywhere – to his studio, to art openings, to dinner, to photo shoots, and to London when his work took him there.

When Archie was almost three, another Dachshund came into the picture. This dog, they called “Amos”. The three of them got along famously. Amos and Archie would run around the townhouse barking, chasing and playing with one another while providing constant entertainment for Warhol. All was well, except now Archie would stay at home with his newfound friend Amos instead of gallivanting the city with Warhol.

In 1976, the art collector Peter Brant commissioned Andy Warhol to paint his Cocker Spaniel named Ginger. Andy made two paintings of Ginger, as well as drawings. Peter Brant liked these so much that he thought Warhol should do a whole series of cat and dog drawings. Andy liked the idea too. It would open up a new area of commission portraits and would give him a chance to use Archie and Amos in his work.

Also Andy, just like us, liked to work from photographs when creating his cat portraits and dog portraits. He said he had a difficult time staging his pets and having them remain still – which we can certainly understand.

Source: Melanie Light

It’s no secret that obesity is growing at an alarming rate in the U.S. But, many people might be shocked to discover they need look no farther than their own backyard to discover the latest victims of this epidemic – pets.

That’s right. We’ve supersized Fido and Fluffy. An astounding 35 percent of the total pet population in the nation – 48 million cats and dogs – is considered overweight. Overeating and too little exercise are the chief culprits, with many pet owners greatly contributing to poor nutrition, without even realizing it. (Feeding a pet table scraps tops the list of faulty feeding habits; one ounce of cheese fed to a 10-pound cat is equivalent to a human eating a whopping three and half hamburgers.)

However, there’s good news. It’s not too late for our plump felines and chunky canines to shed a few pounds. With proper nutrition and exercise, cats and dogs can get down to their ideal weight and remain there – an important step toward enhancing a pet’s overall health and well-being.

“The major factors of obesity are the same for people and pets, high caloric intake and a decrease in physical activity,” says celebrity personal trainer and multiple dog owner, Gunnar Peterson. “Many pet owners think that food equals love, but this is not the case. My dog Lennox would much rather wrestle with me than have a treat, and it’s a workout for both of us.”

By working with a veterinarian and tracking progress online through www.PetFit.com, pet owners can see results as time goes by, which helps motivate them to keep up their pet’s new nutritional plan and exercise regimen. Some of the tools available on the site include: a weight check tool, which estimates the ideal weight of a dog or cat based on breed size, age, current weight and a calculated body conditioning score; the weight tracker, a personalized calendar that charts progress and provides feedback to set and maintain goals; and a calorie burn chart, which shows how calories are burned as a result of common activities such as walking, swimming or strenuous play. The site also offers nutrition and exercise tips for pets, including dog and cat workouts and feeding do’s and don’ts.

“The bottom line,” says Peterson, “is to stop lovingly overfeeding, get out and exercise with your pets and ensure their food has the right mix of nutrients.”

Source: PetFit.com

According to “Business Week“, Americans now spend $41 billion a year on their pets – more than the gross domestic product of all but 64 countries in the world. That’s double the amount spent on pets a decade ago, with annual spending expected to hit $52 billion in the next two years. That puts the yearly cost of feeding, and caring for pets in excess of what Americans spend on the movies ($10.8 billion), playing video games ($11.6 billion), and listening to recorded music ($10.6 billion) combined!

It wasn’t so very long ago that the phrase “a dog’s life” meant sleeping outside, enduring the elements, living with aches, and sitting by the dinner table, waiting for a few scraps to land on the floor. Today’s dog has it much better. Today, according to surveys, 42% of dogs now sleep in the same bed as their owners, up from 34% in 1998. The menu for both dogs and cats reflects every fad in human food – from locally sourced organic meat and vegan snacks to gourmet meals bolstered by healthy supplements like glucosamine to ward off stiff joints. Half of all dog owners say they consider their pet’s comfort when buying a car, and almost a third of buy gifts for their dog’s and/or cat’s birthday. And you’ll notice that nobody uses the word pet “owner” anymore – we who live with pets know very well who owns who!

We personally consider this all to be good news. But the best news of all is that all this human-quality care has helped to radically extend the life span of pets. Even larger dogs routinely live 12 to 14 years now, and the average is considerably longer for smaller breeds, a big jump from the average a few decades ago. So you see the more we improve their lives, the longer they live, and the longer they can continue to improve our lives. So don’t be ashamed to spoil your pet – they deserve it, and you’re not alone!

This summer we’ve been all about the birthday gifts! Seriously, about half of the portraits we’ve created have been for somebody’s birthday surprise.

For example, Lily is the love of 9-year-old Caroline’s life (and vice versa), and her parents thought a Comic Style portrait was the perfect way to capture their special friendship. So for Caroline’s 10th birthday we created this adorable dog portrait of Lily the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Then there was Mandy, Black Lab and best buddy to Steven who turned 12 this summer. Once again it was the parents, knowing of the amazing bond between the two, who thought a portrait would be the perfect gift! They chose a Pop Art style portrait, but instead of the classic, Warholized, four-panel layout, they went with a dramatic, yet whimsical single panel portrait of Mandy.

The tables were turned when Allison decided to have a portrait done for her father-in-law of Lou, the little Maltese that he allegedly loves more than his kids (and kids-in-law). We did a Pop Style portrait of Lou, and by the way the portrait was a gift for his 60th birthday!

And finally wife & daughter conspired to surprise John with a portrait of his beautiful girl Meg when he turned 86 years young earlier this month!

So you see, you are never too young or too old to know the wonderful ways a pet improves your life! So keep Pop Art Pet in mind next time you’re in need of a birthday present for a pet-lover in your life. Our original dog portraits and cat portraits make great gifts for any age!

Did you know cancer is the No.1 natural cause of death in geriatric cats and dogs? Cancer accounts for nearly 50% of pet deaths each year. As with human healthcare, advanced research is bringing amazing advances to the fight against cancer in pets.

The Animal Cancer Foundation is currently working to develop and support research that advances the prevention and treatment of cancer for pets. Specifically, their endeavors focus on furthering research in comparative oncology, which is the study of cancers that occur similarly in both pets and humans. In this way, ACF is committed to advancing the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of such cancers, and becoming a preeminent resource in educating the public and scientific community.

You can help by sponsoring an ACF special event, make a dedication in memory of a beloved pet, volunteer your services or simply make the donation you can afford. You may also want to purchase a copy of Josée Clerens and John Clifton’s inspiring book, “Sparky Fights Back, A Little Dog’s Big Battle Against Cancer”, or buy a Pet4Pets cancer awareness collar and matching wristband at www.pet4pets.com. A portion of your Pet4Pets purchase will support the search for new, more effective cures for cancer in pets, and in people.

Someday soon, new therapies may provide your pet with a high quality of life for years to come!