Inside Look: Uniform Pets Doctor Labrador Retriever
For this post I’m sharing about the inspiration behind the Doctor Labrador Retriever.
I've thankfully had a pretty uneventful medical history so far. I've never stayed in a hospital overnight, never had to have major surgery, but i've been around loved ones who have. Because of my lack if interaction with doctors and medical staff aside from the routine check ups and hospital visits, I tend to get an uneasy feeling around them. And I get the heebie-jeebies as soon as I small rubbing alcohol.
A quick catch up if you’re just joining in: for the next several posts, I’m going to be giving you an inside look into my new series “Uniform Pets”. I’ll be sharing the insights and inspiration behind each piece. You can see my previous post for my inspiration on the Police German Shepherd, the Girl Scout - Chihuahua, and Firefighter Aussie Shepherd.
The series as a whole came about as I was thinking about how we identify and categorize, specifically, dress code pertaining to jobs/organizations, as well as breeds of pets. We know a police officer in a crowd of people because we’ve identified their uniform.
Most of the time, we don’t think about these connections. They are part of the operating system that runs below the surface. In this series, I hope to make viewers stop and think more about these connections and assumptions.
For this post I’m sharing about the inspiration behind the Doctor Labrador Retriever.
I've thankfully had a pretty uneventful medical history so far. I've never stayed in a hospital overnight, never had to have major surgery, but i've been around loved ones who have. Because of my lack if interaction with doctors and medical staff aside from the routine check ups and hospital visits, I tend to get an uneasy feeling around them. And I get the heebie-jeebies as soon as I small rubbing alcohol.
Somewhere in my mind I always associated Doctors with problems. As in, if you have an health related issue, you need to go see a doctor. It was never preventative really, only reactionary. So I guess it made sense that my uneasiness surfaced. Couple that with the typical doctor jargon and often poor bedside manner, rising health care costs, and that's been a recipe for avoidance.
I suppose that's why I chose to pair this profession with the Labrador Retriever breed. A Lab (besides the punny connection of "lab" and a doctor's office) is my way of tearing down the insecurities and fear surrounding this profession a bit. Because a Lab is a family friendly, loyal, faithful and lovable companion. (When was the last time you used those words to describe your doctor?) The doctors that I have had who I did seem drawn to have been those who would tell it to you straight but were approachable and human. A Lab seems to fit the bill of a Patch Adams type. And I'm more than fine with that! Now take two of these and call me in the morning.
This piece was digitally painted using my iPad Pro, and app called Procreate and Photoshop on my Macbook Pro.
It's available in 3 options:
Do you know someone who would love this? Share it with them. Or better yet, why not get one as a gift to show your appreciation!
Inside Look: Uniform Pets - Firefighter Aussie Australian Shepherd
For this post I’m sharing about the inspiration behind the Firefighter Aussie Australian Shepherd.
I wasn’t one of those kids who said he wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up. I think I always knew on some level that I wanted to be an artist. But coming from a long line of family in public service (police mostly), I understood the importance and sacrifice associated with this position. Firefighters are called to be courageous, self sacrificing servants for the safety and good of the public. I will never know such a burden or call myself, but I readily acknowledge that they are to be thanked and praised for their selfless, and often dangerous work.
A quick catch up if you’re just joining in: for the next several posts, I’m going to be giving you an inside look into my new series “Uniform Pets”. I’ll be sharing the insights and inspiration behind each piece. You can see my previous post for my inspiration on the Police German Shepherd and the Girl Scout - Chihuahua.
The series as a whole came about as I was thinking about how we identify and categorize, specifically, dress code pertaining to jobs/organizations, as well as breeds of pets. We know a police officer in a crowd of people because we’ve identified their uniform. We’ve come to expect a certain dress code associated with our doctor’s visits. If he or she were dressed in a tie dyed t-shirt and shorts, we would question their abilities and professionalism. Yet, this same doctor might be dressed that way on their “off hours”. We don’t have the same feelings towards a Chihuahua and a Pit bull. One has become an icon of the Hollywood elite and the other has been mired in PR issues with news reports spreading incidents of their aggressiveness.
Most of the time, we don’t think about these connections. They are part of the operating system that runs below the surface. In this series, I hope to make viewers stop and think more about these connections and assumptions.
For this post I’m sharing about the inspiration behind the Firefighter Aussie Australian Shepherd.
I wasn’t one of those kids who said he wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up. I think I always knew on some level that I wanted to be an artist. But coming from a long line of family in public service (police mostly), I understood the importance and sacrifice associated with this position. Firefighters are called to be courageous, self sacrificing servants for the safety and good of the public. I will never know such a burden or call myself, but I readily acknowledge that they are to be thanked and praised for their selfless, and often dangerous work.
This piece was created to honor them and all they do. I’ve only know a few firefighters personally, and they have always been people of integrity and service. And often the sacrifice they face can be great.
In 2014, my brother lost a close friend in the line of duty. Lt. Gordon "Matt" Ambelas was killed when he became trapped while looking for victims in a high-rise fire in NY. He left behind his wife Nanette, and two young daughters.
I had the privilege of knowing Matt, through my brother. He was unassuming and in true form of a firefighter, a servant. He was an everyday man. And those like Matt, serve us everyday, risking their lives for our collective safety. They don’t run away from danger, but towards it.
In the case of September 11th 2001, the images of selfless firefighters (among others) running into the collapsing World Trade Center will forever be etched in my mind. They are true heroes.
So although this is a small offering, I hope this portrait honors all past and present firefighters.
I matched firefighter with an Australian Shepherd, or Aussie as they’re affectionately know as, because it’s been said that that breed is happiest when they have a job to do. They are wonderful family companions and a true working dog at heart.
As far as the two different color eyes (a genetic default known as Heterochromia Iridis) there are a few legends surround this, such that dogs with two different color eyes can view heaven and earth at the same time or that heterochromatic dogs are natural protectors. The truth behind why I chose to include this in my portrait is that I just thought it looked cool, and reminded me a bit of David Bowie :)
This piece was digitally painted using my iPad Pro, and app called Procreate and Photoshop on my Macbook Pro.
It's available in 3 options:
Do you know someone who would love this? Share it with them. Or better yet, why not get one as a gift to show your appreciation!
Inside Look: Uniform Pets - Girl Scout - Chihuahua
For this post I’m sharing about the inspiration behind the Girl Scout - Chihuahua.
This one reaches back to some of my earliest memories. I have a sister who is 3 years older than me. All through elementary school, she was a part of the Brownies and Girl Scouts. My mother also helped in her troop, so I would be taken along.
First a quick catch up: for the next several posts, I’m going to be giving you an inside look into my new series “Uniform Pets”. I’ll be sharing the insights and inspiration behind each piece.
The series as a whole came about as I was thinking about how we identify and categorize, specifically, dress code pertaining to jobs/organizations, as well as breeds of pets. We know a police officer in a crowd of people because we’ve identified their uniform. We’ve come to expect a certain dress code associated with our doctor’s visits. If he or she were dressed in a tie dyed t-shirt and shorts, we would question their abilities and professionalism. Yet, this same doctor might be dressed that way on their “off hours”. We don’t have the same feelings towards a Chihuahua and a Pit bull. One has become an icon of the Hollywood elite and the other has been mired in PR issues with news reports spreading incidents of their aggressiveness.
Most of the time, we don’t think about these connections. They are part of the operating system that runs below the surface. In this series, I hope to make viewers stop and think more about these connections and assumptions.
For this post I’m sharing about the inspiration behind the Girl Scout - Chihuahua.
This one reaches back to some of my earliest memories. I have a sister who is 3 years older than me. All through elementary school, she was a part of the Brownies and Girl Scouts. My mother also helped in her troop, so I would be taken along.
I remember craft projects, the uniforms, the badges and achievements. I remember sitting in the cafeteria of St. Rita’s Catholic school (where we both attended) after school hours with the smell of mop water still hanging in the air. And the cookies. Oh, the cookies. That’s probably the biggest marketing promotion for the Girl Scouts ever. Even to this day, I doubt people associate much else with the Girl Scouts beyond the cookies. But there is indeed MUCH more.
Consider their oath, while raising three fingers (long before a Hunger Games salute was even a thought): "A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency."
Later on, I did my own, albeit short, stint in the cub scouts. And even though it was short lived, I’m glad I did it. I have fond memories of pinewood derbies (but I always lost), playing “steal the bacon” with our bright yellow scarfs, and learning a little about some tools from our a neighborhood friends father who was our den leader.
This is dedicated to the scouts and leaders who at the heart of it all, looked to the needs of others rather than themselves.
Close up detail of the Girl Scout Chihuahua
And my choice of the Chihuahua just seemed appropriate for the sweet innocent look of this breed. A few friends and family members think I modeled this Chihuahua after my own, Cooper, but it’s not him (honestly!). Regardless, there’s something about those eyes that beckon you to buy cookies. Or an art print :)
This piece was digitally painted using my iPad Pro, and app called Procreate and Photoshop on my Macbook Pro.
It's available in 3 options:
Deluxe Matted 8x10 giclée art print (final size 11x14) - $65
Gallery Wrapped 16x20 Canvas - $320
Gallery Wrapped 24x30 Canvas (Limited Edition - 250) - $720
Do you know someone who would love this? Share it with them. Or better yet, why not get one as a gift to show your appreciation!
Inside Look: Uniform Pets - Police Officer - German Shepherd
For the next several posts, I’m going to be giving you an inside look into my new series “Uniform Pets”. I’ll be sharing the insights and inspiration behind each piece.
The series as a whole came about as I was thinking about how we identify and categorize, specifically, dress code pertaining to jobs/organizations, as well as breeds of pets. We know a police officer in a crowd of people because we’ve identified their uniform.
For the next several posts, I’m going to be giving you an inside look into my new series “Uniform Pets”. I’ll be sharing the insights and inspiration behind each piece.
The series as a whole came about as I was thinking about how we identify and categorize, specifically, dress code pertaining to jobs/organizations, as well as breeds of pets. We know a police officer in a crowd of people because we’ve identified their uniform. We’ve come to expect a certain dress code associated with our doctor’s visits. If he or she were dressed in a tie dyed t-shirt and shorts, we would question their abilities and professionalism. Yet, this same doctor might be dressed that way on their “off hours”. We don’t have the same feelings towards a Chihuahua and a Pit bull. One has become an icon of the Hollywood elite and the other has been mired in PR issues with news reports spreading incidents of their aggressiveness.
Most of the time, we don’t think about these connections. They are part of the operating system that runs below the surface. In this series, I hope to make viewers stop and think more about these connections and assumptions.
I’d like to begin with “Police Officer - German Shepherd”.
In today’s day and age, the public opinion of the police has been tarnished, especially where incidents of police brutality and misuse of power fills the news. While most artists, who are more activist in nature, might spend their efforts creating art around these injustices, I want to honor those who do their job with integrity.
My father was a NYC police officer, a detective in fact. I grew up respecting the police. I got an inside look at what officers had to go through, the sacrifice, risk, and a level of stress that few of us will ever know.
Artists and the Police are often at odds, and that was a bit true in our household as well. My father used to teach at the police academy in NYC that overlooked one of the buildings of the School of Visual Arts. Legend has it that he and other officers would often shake their heads at the strange artists (after all, I’m sure there were a fair share of artists who had trouble with the law). As the story goes, he was quoted as saying, “None of my kids will ever go to such a place.” Ironically, probably a good 10 years later, that was indeed the very art school I attended. He might not have understood art, but he was supportive of mine.
As a tribute to my dad (who passed away a few years ago) I used his badge and shield number in this piece. The name tag cites "Shepherd", not only references the German Shepherd breed but also the role of a shepherd (to serve, protect, help bring order and guidance.)
For the dog breed, I chose a German Shepherd, the breed most associated with K9 units. They are known for their high intelligence, loyalty, ability to be aggressive and ease of training.
Close up detail of "Police Officer - German Shepherd" Painting.
This piece was digitally painted using my iPad Pro, and app called Procreate and Photoshop on my Macbook Pro.
It's available in 3 options:
Deluxe Matted 8x10 giclée art print (final size 11x14) - $65
Gallery Wrapped 16x20 Canvas - $320
Gallery Wrapped 24x30 Canvas (Limited Edition - 250) - $720
Do you know someone who would love this? Share it with them. Or better yet, why not get one as a gift to show your appreciation!
Inside Look: Commissioning Custom Pet Portraits
I recently set up my booth at a local pet expo to sell my pet art and receive custom commissions. I love doing these shows because I get to interact with people and their pets. It also helps me to explain some of the process in commissioning a pet portrait and often uncovers many questions people have.
I recently set up shop at a local pet expo to sell my pet art and receive custom commissions. I love doing these shows because I get to interact with people and their pets. It also helps me to explain some of the process in commissioning a pet portrait and often uncovers many questions people have.
Do I create the art live in the booth or need to do a home visit? (No. I use photo reference). Do they need the photo available in order to complete the purchase? (no. you can email me a photo or two and we can talk about what works best for your needs). After all, this is a big decision, and one doesn’t want to feel the pressure to choose the best photo on the spot to have their custom art created from.
So I thought I would walk through a little bit of the process to bring some insight and perhaps answer some questions you might have.
The first thing may seem obvious, but ask yourself “why do I want a custom pet portrait?” We have such special relationships with our pets. They love us unconditionally. They greet us when we come home from a bad day at work. They snuggle with us as we watch tv or read our favorite book. They make life sweeter. And the idea of creating portraits comes from the desire of wanting to celebrate an important relationship in our life. It might even be to help remember and memorialize a beloved pet who has passed on. These portraits become visual markers, that help us celebrate and remember. This is why I create custom, one of a kind pet portraits that capture your pet’s unique personality– so you can treasure them for years to come.
OK, so now that you’ve decided a custom pet portrait is right for you, it’s time to decide on the right size and options. If you have limited wall space, or already have some previous pet portraits you intend to hang this new one with, you might consider an 8x10 print. Do you have large wall space? Maybe a 30x40 inch canvas is the best fit for you. I currently offer 6 sizes: Standard- 8x10 & 11x17 (on a high quality luster photo paper with archival inks), Premium- 16x20 & 20x30 inch museum quality gallery wrapped canvas prints, and Platinum- 30x40 & 36x52 inch museum quality gallery wrapped canvas prints. Custom sizes also available.
This is really all you need to finalize your order through my website’s shop. I have created a page to help walk you through options and all you need to do is add the desired option to your shopping cart and check out.
What about customizations?
One option that is unique to my pet portraits is the choice of natural coloring of your pet, or you can choose what I call the “Rockstar” treatment, vibrant colors. Choose what fits your pet’s personality, or yours. Or what you feel will work given the colors on your walls.
"Rockstar" color treatment
Natural coloring option
Next up - do you want a headshot or full body portrait? If you’re not sure, you can send me your photo reference and we can talk about what might suit your needs best.
I also get asked is if I can include more that one pet in the portrait. The answer is yes! There’s even an add-on to place in your shopping cart for each additional pet. One note: I do not recommend more than 2 pets in the same portrait in smaller sizes. You won’t be able to appreciate each pet due to the size.
Are there certain colors you would like in the background? No problem. We can talk about what would work with the options you have chosen and get you the right fit.
Once you have check out, emailed your photo(s) along with your custom options of coloring and headshot / full body, I start creating your custom portrait. When ready, I then send you a digital proof for approval. Upon approval, I create the final art and print. For canvas options there is an additional 7-14 days for manufacturing.
That’s it!.
My goal is to make this process as simple and personal as possible.
So are you ready to get your custom pet portrait? Click here and let’s get started today!
Do you have more questions? Feel free to use the contact form at the bottom of this page and I’ll get right back to you!
Gotta love the pets!! 👏🏻🐶😎 This ones for you @edbyellen @manny_the_frenchie @minniedoodle @petsmart
Gotta love the pets!! 👏🏻🐶😎 This ones for you @edbyellen @manny_the_frenchie @minniedoodle @petsmart #art #digitalart #ellendegeneres #edbypetsmart #edellendegeneres #dog #dogs #pet #petsmart #artist #petart #petportrait #petportraitartist #art
