Via photographer Alec Soth's archived blog. Alec, who is the author of Dog Days Bogotá, has a retrospective going on at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis until January 2, 2011. It's entitled From Here to There: Alec Soth's America and features his large format photos taken over 15 years of travels in America.
Alce Soth's new blog is the Little Brown Mushroom Blog. Highly recommend.
More about David Goldes here.
Mr. Dog Goes to Utopia by Kwak Su-yeon
One of my favorite artists, Korean painter Kwak Su-yeon just opened a new show at Gallery Erl in Seoul. She uses minwha, the traditional Korean folk style, to create a metaphor for her own life. She told JoongAng Daily:
“My past works featuring dogs with luxury goods had a satirical tone.
They showed people who were driven to work outside the home in order to
make enough money to purchase luxury goods, while their dogs were left
at home to enjoy them,” Kwak said.“On the other hand, the works
for this exhibition have more lyricism,” she continued. “The dogs
resting amidst the books or journeying to a Taoist paradise reflect my
desire to escape my own reality, in which I work for eight hours per
day alone in my studio, and leave for a utopia.”
I think anyone who works anywhere can relate. See her earlier depiction of luxury and satire from her Dog Days exhibition here.
Mr. Dog Goes to Utopia runs until July 1, 2010.
Last weekend, I traveled to Sonoma County,CA with my sister Sheila Cameron (Grass Valley), four girlfriends; Cindy Sanborn Hytner (Grass Valley), Kara Haspel Lind (San Francisco), Anahita Ross (Los Angeles), and Meredith Driscoll (Pittsburgh) for the Mutt Lynch Dog Days of Summer event. Darby came too. We had an amazing time. Here are some highlights…
Lunch at Diavola was outstanding!
First stop was a short walk into town to Diavola Pizzeria & Saumeria. It was just Sheila, Meredith, me, and Cindy (right to left), since Kara was still in San Francisco picking up Anahita whose flight was delayed. Lunch was one of those experiences that will stand out as one of the best ever. Truly right up there with any Italian pizzaria, if not better. We had the salami and cheese plate — the meats are made in house, roasted asparagus, with truffled pecorino and pancetta, the BLT panini, and the Sonja pizza with tomato, mascarpone cheese, arugula and prociutto. Wine was a Palmina, Pino Grigio from Santa Barbara and it was lovely. I never want to eat store bought meat again.
Next, we walked a few doors down to Locals tasting room where we tried the indigenous wines. Diane Lieberman, the manager, allowed Darby to join us as long as he didn't bite. He loved it, and we discovered (and bought lots of) some great Sonoma County finds.
Clockwise from top left: 1. Brian, Cindy, and Gretchen 2. dinner is served: Sheila, Cindy, Anahita, me, Amy, Morgan and Kara 3. Morgan and Trixie 4. Zucchini and Gretchen's pretty Fiestaware
That night, Cindy's high school friend, Brian Crebs, invited us all to dinner with his wife, Gretchen, and two beautiful daughters, Morgan and Amy. Gretchen, is a fifth-generation, Geyservillian, who lives in her grandmother's Craftsman house. Her father, Harry Bosworth, owns the Bosworth and Sons General Merchandise store in town. After dinner, Gretchen confessed to us that the "new" outside dining table we all sat around came from the back of her dad's store and was probably her grandfather's mortician's table.
The next day, we all went to Mutt Lynch Winery where I met Chris and Brenda Lynch and the winning artist in our Dog Art Today – Mutt Lynch Winery contest, Kellie Oliphant-Burns.
Kellie Oliphant-Burns, Brenda Lynch, Me and Darby
The Dogs Days were a whirlwind of dogs and dog artists and wine. I know I am biased, but the Leeroy Out Loud! Meritage is fantastic. Also, the event was a tremendous success for the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. $3,200 was raised for them that weekend.
Later, Cindy, Meredith, and Anahita stopped by Bosworth and Sons and met Gretchen's dad, Harry Bosworth. Meredith picked out a red cowboy hat for her son, Harry.
Another great meal. This time at our house.
Then the girls went into town, back to Diavola. Later, we all got in the hot tub, had some more wine, and turned on Saturday Night Live. It was the first and only time the TV was on all weekend.
Good-bye, Geyserville
Sunday morning, we said good-bye to our house and made a plan to do it all again next year. Hope you can make it.
Photo of Kellie, Brenda, and me by Darrell Zoromski
I am so excited. The Dog Days of Summer are finally here. Technically the Dog Days refer to the sultry weeks between July 24 and August 24 when the Ancient Greeks spotted Sirius, the dog star, in the night sky. But for dog art and wine lovers, it means Sonoma County’s Mutt Lynch Winery welcomes guests and their dogs to their annual meandering open house. This years it’s this weekend August 8 and 9, 2009.
As regular readers know, Dog Art Today collaborated with Mutt Lynch owners Chris and Brenda Lynch in a dog art wine label contest to find the artwork that would grace the label of their new, exclusive Meritage. Canadian artist, Kellie Oliphant-Burns, was the winner with her entry Leeroy Out Loud! inspired by her Greyhound, Leeroy (both seen above).
This Saturday, August 8 at 12 pm, Kellie and I will be there with Chris and Brenda Lynch and label designer, Rae Huestis, to introduce the Leeroy Out Loud! label and wine. There will be lots of other dog-theamed award winning wine, (congratulations, Chris andn Brenda, on your latest gold medals), treats for dogs and humans (I must especially thank Kara Haspel Lind for donating her incredible Kara’s Cupcakes — truly the best), and dog art for sale, all benefitting the Healdsburg Animal Shelter of Sonoma County. Tickets are $10.
Kara’s Cupcakes are the best I have ever tasted…seriously.
Also, fine art photographer Jesse Freidin will be there taking Polaroids of your dog for a $10 sitting fee, also benefitting HAS. Jesse was recently featured on In Circle Pets, where he discusses his hands on approach towards photography, as in film and a dark room — how novel.
Pug by Jesse Freidin
Darby and I will be there from 11:30 until 3:30 on Saturday August 8, and we would love to meet you. Please come by and celebrate the summer with your pup. I think it’s going to be a magical day.
Information:
Dates: Saturday and Sunday August 8th and 9th
Time: 11am to 5pm
Tickets at the door: $10 human admission, dogs get in free!
New winery location: 602 Limerick Lane, Healdsburg, CA 95448.
The New York Times features artist Jeff Scher's spectacular new short film Dog Days on its homepage today.
Click here to view it.
Also, all of the images are original paintings available for purchase. So if you see a beautiful panting dog you just have to have email Jeff right away. They are already going quickly.
David Hockney and his muses, Stanley and Boogie, in front of his Dachshund paintings. The photo is from an invitation to an exhibition at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rottredam, 1995. Via Marlou’s Phoenix Blog.
For more David Hockney visit his new authorized website. Via Mary Adam’s Drawing Etc blog, filled with interesting analysis of his career and excellent links.
To buy the book featuring Hockney’s Dachshunds, David Hockney’s Dog Days, click here
Dachshunds rank number 6 on the list of most popular dog breeds in the U.S. Obviously they rank number 1 in my mind as I grew up with a Wirehaired Dachshund named Rhett and now live wtih a Longhaired Dachshund named Darby. So, I’ll admit it, Doxies are my favorite. Here are some Christmas gift ideas for the Dachshund obsessed people in your life.
This image entitled “dox-ZEN” still proves to be one of my most popular designs. Seen here on a 5.5″x5.5″ keepsake box made of hardwood and ceramic tile. It’s perfect for holding jewelry, momentos, keys, etc. Here is a generic side view:
Also, 4 coasters fit perfectly inside. A nice gift for your cocktail Wienie Dog friends.
I featured this design in an earlier Christmas cards post, but I think it’s extra sweet with Dachshunds pulling Santa’s sleigh. It reminds me of little Max pulling the Grinch down to Who-Ville.
I posted about this book Picasso & Lump: A Dachshund’s Odyssey
If you want the real thing, or at least a reproduction of the real thing, how about Picasso’s famous Dachshund drawing, The Dog. Presented in a crisp black and white matte with an elegant black frame. Pure genius!
My Wirehaired Dachshund Angel ornament spreads the message of peace I think we are all craving this year.
My Mother surprised me with this book for Christmas one year, Day of the Dachshund
I just sold one of these Dachshund totes yesterday. It’s looking like my Striped Dachshund gifts – mugs, cards, t-shirts, aprons – are going to be the big sellers for me this year.
Holiday Doxie Christmas Cards with a Picasso vibe.
Pierre Bonnard is one of my favorite painters, and not just because little brown Dachshunds frequently appear in his work. Well truth be told, that’s what made me notice him, but then I fell in love with his color palette and the Asian influence in his work.
The Vigil is one of his paintings that makes my heart hurt I love it so much. I often place Darby on a pillowed chair and pull him next to me while I work. He’s happy to keep me company for hours and his presence gives me a sense of calm. The Vigil so perfectly captures a Dachshund’s devotion and the peace he bestows by simply being your pet.
Groovy Doxie t-shirt with a Puma-style graphic. Click here to see all my Puma-style t-shirts in lots of great colors and styles. Email me to add your breed.
No Dachshund owner should be without a copy of David Hockney’s Dog Days
Click here to read more about famous Dachshunds in history from Stacy (a 3 Doxie owner) of Mental Floss Magazine.
