Tuesday, January 29, 2013

"Mountain Breeds"

16" x 20" (image)
Oil-based ink on Kitakata paper
Limited edition of 5

This is a portrait of my mom's and aunt's dogs. Bella (top) is a Bernese Mountain dog, and Paco is strongly suspected to be part Collie and part Saint Bernard. My mom gave me a photo of the two dogs to turn into a print, and as I contemplated what sort of scene to put behind them, I discovered that they are both descendants of mountain breeds used on farms in the alps. All three breeds were highly useful for herding cattle and guarding property. They are a sort of naturally derived technology, integrated into the ever-evolving environment of man. Here Paco and Bella sit superimposed over the grandeur of a great mountain range, layered with other useful inventions that have allowed humanity to survive and flourish.

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