Artist Statement

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I love that art is a way to advocate for the things that you believe in and create an impact in the world. Art is everywhere and even if we don't consciously recognize it, the things we are surrounded with impacts our moods and world views and I think it is a really powerful tool. My time spent as a kennel worker brought me a lot of joy and is what inspires the artwork I create today. Many of the dogs that came through there touched my heart so I wanted to share their stories through paintings and promote adoption of shelter animals.

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When I’m coming up with concepts, I’m thinking about how I want to create a positive experience for the viewer and inspire them. The ultimate goal is to emanate joy and compassion while giving a voice to those who can’t speak up for themselves. I want to show off the animal’s personality in a fun and whimsical way so I depict them as fantastical creatures in magical settings.

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Here are some of the stories behind the work:

 

“Merman Willie”, 25”x40”, Acrylic on Canvas

Willie spent 7 years of his life chained up and kept outside. When he was found his doggy roommate had frozen to death. Animal control successfully prosecuted the owner and confiscated Willie. He was in bad shape and at risk of being put down but was pulled from Animal Control in VA and brought to Faithful Friends in 2017 where I met him. He was adopted out and now Willie and his mom work to help other animals in need, he’s even been featured on The Dodo several times! He is the sweetest boy you’ll ever meet and is living out his life as a couch potato.

 

“Ice Queen Queenie”, 16”x20”, Acrylic on Canvas

Queenie spent most of her life in a closet before she was rescued and came to Faithful Friends. She had a lot of scars all over her body but despite her past greeted everyone she met with a wiggly butt. During her time at the shelter she was also part of the pet therapy program. Luckily she didn’t have to wait long to find her forever family (2018).

 

Moon - The Great Dog, 25”x40”, Acrylic on Canvas

Moon is a beautiful great pyrenees that was found abandoned on the side of the road in Oklahoma after being overbred at only 8 months old. She was malnourished and left to die but luckily was picked up by a passer by and is now healthy and in a good loving home (2020).

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“Magic Boy Simon”, 30”x40”, Acrylic on Canvas

Simon was brought to the shelter in 2017 after a concerned passerby found him abandoned, tied to a bench in a park. Over time he won my heart with his goofy and loving nature and I just had to adopt him. He now lives with me and has a little brother named Rick who was another stray that I adopted in 2021.

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“K9 Jack”, 30”x40”, Acrylic on Canvas

Jack came into the care of FFAS after he was purchased from someone off the streets of Wilmington. The individual who purchased Jack did so because they were worried for his safety. He was placed into three homes but returned because he had too much energy. Thanks to the power of social media, a police officer saw Jack and thought he would be a perfect partner. Jack went through evaluations with the Trainer Borough Police Department and he passed, classifying him as a 1 in 1000 dog and making him a candidate for training. Now Jack works full time with his dad as an official detection dog for firearms and lives with another K9 pal named Ace.

 

“Rescued is my Favorite Breed”, 12”x17”, Screen Print

One eyed beauty Moca Ray was a pet therapy dog while at the shelter and was adopted in 2018.