They’re works of arf!
A Ditmas Park painter and doggy-clothing-designer is combining her two passions by offering her services as a pooch portrait artist, selling one-of-a-kind masterpieces she says will preserve your beloved canine’s unique personality in pencil or watercolor for generations to come.
“I really try to capture their spirit, their eyes and expression,” said artist Chrissie Dowler. “I try to capture what makes them special.”
Dowler says she has already immortalized several celebrity pups, including Mama Biscuit — a 16-year-old rescue pug whose three teeth, comically long tongue, and fashion blog have endeared her to canine fashionistas the world over.
For her portrait, Dowler draped Mama Biscuit in a Vivian Westwood gown and placed her on a pile of trash, eliciting a striking contrast she says symbolized the pup’s rise from poverty to power.
“It’s like a rags to riches story,” said Dowler. “That was a great project.”
Dowler has been illustrating dogs commercially since 2005, when she was hired as a canine clothing designer for pet supply company Ethical Pets.
The industry was really booming thanks to hotel heiress Paris Hilton trotting out her chihuahua Tinkerbell — may she rest in peace — in pink, designer digs, she said.
“It was a very good year for dog apparel,” said Dowler.
She has since worked with several high-end clothing brands, including Juicy Couture, Henry Bendel, and Lucky — all of which wanted their own lines of doggy digs to compete in the flea-bag fashion war.
Her puppy penciling skills can be found in other mediums as well, including children’s books “Madison in Manhattan” and “Madison Visits the Doctor,” which follow the adventures of the eponymous West Highland terrier as she explores the big city.
Overall, the artist’s career has left her with a well-honed understanding of dog anatomy, and an eye for the distinct personal traits that make each pup unique, Dowler said.
“I have a lot of dog illustrations in my portfolio,” she said.
Dowler’s portraits range from $150 for a sketch to $900 for a painting, but she is offering a 15 percent discount through September.
Contact Dowler for a quote through her website www.chris
