Dog Art Today

Tag: film

  • Ed Ruscha, Woody, and the World’s Hottest Pepper

    Ed Ruscha, Woody, and the World’s Hottest Pepper by Lance Acord

    In honor of LACMA’s Fall 2012 Art + Film gala, honoring Ed Ruscha and Stanley Kubrick, filmmaker Lance Acord made a short film about Ed Ruscha.  His dog, Woody, features prominently, as does his interest in nature and gardening.

    You may recall my fondness for Ed Ruscha based not just on his dog art, but his most excellent business card.

    This film celebrates an artist and his muse.  Without dogs, there would be no art.

    The exhibition Ed Ruscha: Standard is on view at LACMA until January 21, 2013.

  • Yappy Hour Tonight May 3 at Strathmore Unleashed!

     

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    Visit Strathmore for more information.

  • Sid by Jeff Scher

    I've been saving this film, "Sid", by Jeff Scher for the first week of summer.  Enjoy…

     

    See more of Jeff Scher's work at his website.

    Happy summer!

  • My Dog Tulip

    I was going to write a long article about why “My Dog Tulip,” animated by hand by husband and wife team Paul and Sandra Fierlinger, based on the 1956 memoir by J. R. Ackerley, looks so good.  Then I was sent this video review by Jim, who says it all.  And he actually saw the film, so I’ll let him tell you…

    I’ve mentioned before that I am not big on stories about other people and their dogs because they usually involve the dog dying.  But this film looks more like a celebration.  And I even want to read J. R. Ackerley’s book, which has been re-released with one of the Fierlingers’ drawings on the cover.  It is available here.

    Right now the film is touring the country.  Visit the “My Dog Tulip” website for more information.

    Also, John Anderson of the New York Times recently wrote about the film, the filmmakers, and all the dog-lovers involved in the making of “My Dog Tulip” here.

    And finally, note the tag line for the film: “Sometimes love really IS a bitch.”

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    Perfect.

  • Dog Art Today Quoted in The Toronto Star

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    Recently I was interviewed by Francine Kopun of the Toronto Star newspaper about the upsurge of interest in dog art.  Her story, Good Boy, Now Sit…For a Portrait ran today.  View it here.

    Farley is by Katie Sonnichsen who is also featured in the article.  Dog art continues to make news.  Very exciting for all of us artists and dog art lovers!

    P.S. If you are visiting Dog Art Today for the first time, welcome!  Please feel free to leave a comment and introduce yourself or send me an email and let me know what you think.   Also, it is free and easy to subscribe to Dog Art Today and have new posts sent directly to your inbox.  Click here to join.

    P.P.
    S. You might also like to view my video Dogs in Art that charts 5,000 years of dog art in 3 minutes, and features many of the artists mentioned in Francine's article.


  • John T. Unger’s Cave Canum Redux: Lupus Ludi

    Dog_mosaic_lupus_ludi

    I flipped when I saw John T. Unger’s interpretation of Pompeii’s famous “Beware of Dog” sign, Cave Canum.  It is so vivid, and beautifully laid out.   Look at the special attention he gives to the dog’s curved hind leg muscles, and compare it to the original:

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    Cave Canem, Pompeii, c. 50 A.D.

    I also love his desire to match the text with the image.  Unger felt like the dog looked too happy to be a threat.   So, after much research and Latin word play, he came up with Lupus Ludi, which to him translated into “playful wolf.”  A Latin scholar left a comment on his blog explaining that the exact translation would be “Wolf. Games.”   She suggested, “Happy Puppy’ would be ‘Laetus catellus’ (lit. ‘joyful puppy’).  [or] Playful wolf would be ‘Lupus ludibundus.”

    But I think Unger is correct.  Artistically speaking “Lupus Ludi” is just right.  It also reminds me of the Italian expression for good luck, “in bocca al lupo,” or  “in the mouth of the wolf.”  I have no idea where the saying comes from, but a good luck dog sign is a nice idea too.  After all, isn’t every home with a dog a lucky home?

    Here are some more Cave Canems (pl?) to enjoy:

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    Cave Canem by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1881

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    Close up of the Cave Canem sign from Gérôme’s painting above

    Cave Canem also makes a cameo in my “Dogs in Art” film:

    Visit John T. Unger’s website to see more of his wonderful artwork. He also is the TypePad guru at TypePad Hacks, where he shares tips about going under your blog’s hood and tweaking it to your heart’s content. Very cool.

  • Recap: Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art

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    Dogs and their owners showed up last Saturday for the opening reception of Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art in Hartford, CT.  As I previously mentioned, several of my collages and my film Dogs in Art are in the show. 

    Galley owner, Janice La Motta, was very pleased with the reception and noted that there was great range of dog parading in and out all day, surprisingly no duplicate breeds. 

    The fabulous Monica McLaughlin (no relation as far as we know) of Plans for Pups came in from Manhattan with her two Westies, Missy Paulette and Casey Jane, dressed up for the occasion and took some photos for me, as did fellow artist Jane O’Hara, in from Rhode Island with her husband, artist Gedas Paskauskas.

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    Gary Steinborn’s Venice Clay Dogs grace the window.

    La_motta_dogs_janice wp_IMG Janice La Motta and Jane O’Hara

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    Any Basset Hound art?

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    Monica McLaughlin with Missy Paulette, Casey Jane, and new friend who loved them both.

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    Dog art lovers mix and mingle.  (See my movie on a pedestal.  I love it!)

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    Moira McLaughlin originals.

    Also, my collage Greyhound’s Goddess sold to art collector Linda Cheverton Wick and her husband, artist Walter Wick of the I Spy book series.  Needless to say, I am thrilled!

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    Sold!

    Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art runs until August 22, 2008.

    More Information:

    La Motta Fine Art
    11 Whitney Street
    Hartford, CT 06105
    860.680.3596

  • Dogs in the Louvre

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    Dogs in the Louvre by François Nourissier and Élisabeth Foucart-Walter looks like the perfect book for first time dog-lovers visiting the Louvre, or for repeat visitors who want to appreciate the works from a dog-centric point of view.

    Buy your copy here.

    A curios note: The painting on the cover, Two Hunting Dogs Tied to a Tree Stump by Jacopo Bassano, 1548, is one of the works I used in my film Dogs in Art.  But I found it at the Uffizi in Florence.  Developing…

  • Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art

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    The Starlet by Moira McLaughlin

    I am very excited to announce that I will be a part of gallery owner Janice La Motta's upcoming exhibition, Just Dogs, at La Motta Fine Art in Hartford, CT on July 26th.  Four of my original collages and four limited edition prints will be on view along with my recent film Dogs in Art.

    I am very honored to be included with eight other talented dog artists from across the country; Bill Bonecutter, Eric Ginsburg, Jane O'Hara, Dana Rose Lee, Leslie Enders Lee, Peter McCaffrey, Chuck Rigg, and Gary Steinborn, the last two whom, I am proud to say, Janice found on my blog.

    Here is a taste of some of the works that will be on display.

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    Lotti by Leslie Enders Lee

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    Red Ball by Jane O'Hara

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    Boss-Tweed by Eric Ginsburg

    There will also be a selection of 19th century dog prints on view.  And best of all, dogs are weclome!

    Information:

    Just Dogs
    Reception:  Sat. July 26, 2-5 pm

    La Motta Fine Art
    11 Whitney Street
    Hartford, CT 06105
    860.680.3596

    Show runs until August 22, 2008

    8.11.08 Update:  See pictures and a recap of the show here.

  • Happy Birthday, Mom!

    View the new film I made for my mother, a tribute to her beloved boxer named Lance.

    Mom, I hope you have a wonderful day!

    Love, Moira.

    View the wide screen version on YouTube.