Four&Sons

Author Archives: Sarah McArthur

About Sarah McArthur

1. Wild at Heart

   April 26, 2013 5:14 am Leave a Comment

   Plunging into the world of pet ownership is both thrilling and challenging. We speak to Jane Lee of pet and lifestyle company Wildebeest, about making things a bit easier for rookies, designing from necessity, and her love for the local San Francisco Bay Area maker community.

   Did the pet ownership process inspired you to start Wildebeest?
   Yeah, that’s how I started making things, for my dog Shelby. As excited as I was to bring Shelby home and start my new life with her, I was consistently disappointed with the limited options when shopping for basic, necessary supplies. Not much jumped out at me as stylish, unique or innovative and I had declared, ‘no donut-style bed in my home!’

   You have such a strong design aesthetic, I have to ask, is your background as a designer?
   I studied Industrial Design in college and worked at a small design consultancy for seven years before pursuing Wildebeest. The work experience has definitely shaped me into a more confident designer but there’s so many elements that make up a good design and I feel that I’m still very much evolving in different areas of this craft. Design aesthetic is important but for me balancing that with unique functionality and quality makes the product more meaningful and the aesthetic to shine even more.

   You seem passionate about the San Francisco community and supporting manufacturing close to home. Give us an insight into the SFMade community.  
   My love for San Francisco has made me a supporter and believer in creating a sustainable community based on local resources and local manufacturing has proven to be very efficient for Wildebeest’s current scale of operation. I work closely with the factory, dropping in almost once a week, before, during and after production. This is a luxury I wouldn’t have, had I worked with manufacturers overseas.

   The starter kit including collar, lead, collapsible bowl and other essentials really got me. What’s the response been like?
   It’s been a great intro product to the Wildebeest brand and we’ve gotten good feedback and interest from all over. This product is all about making the experience as new pet parents more convenient and exciting by providing a few essentials needed for basic but crucial activities like walking and playing. Besides the concept, the packaging design and the fun, info-filled poster included are what makes this product stand out.

   Where do you see Wildebeest headed in 2013?
   We’re working on a few new products at the moment as well as collaborations with creative talents around us which I’m really excited about. It’s really cool to see more interest building around the Wildebeest products and I’m excited to see where we go in the next few years.

   —

   wildebeest.co

2. The Big New Yorker Book of Dogs

   March 18, 2013 8:50 am Leave a Comment

   An epic catalogue of dog culture featured in The New Yorker over the years. Reading through, you start to wonder what it is that draws a disproportionate number of dog lovers to work there.

3. Join the club

   February 14, 2013 2:26 am Leave a Comment

   For the last month, there’s been a hubbub down on Avenue A in the East Village, New York. A lovingly restored, century-old tavern space has finally opened its doors to a new breed of clientele — dogs.

   Alexia and Danny Frost together with Leo (their miniature Australian Shepherd) are the brains behind Ruff Club, which is set to shake up the traditional cookie cutter approach of pet care centers. With a focus on social, this dog-friendly club spends time connecting owners through events, and creating a community hub where people and their pets can just hang out. Four&Sons spoke to Danny Frost about the story behind this new space.

   You started Ruff Club when you found that traditional dog daycare centers didn’t offer a way to meet other pet owners. Why do you think it’s important to offer a strong social culture?  
   Dog owners share a common bond and are generally eager to exchange ideas and meet new playmates. In the course of raising Leo, we learned that although New York City is home to 1.1 million pets, it doesn’t offer many natural gathering places for these types of conversations and new relationships.

   Ruff Club’s strong sense of community extends into all details, like having locally roasted coffee and a scholarship program for local dogs. You obviously feel a lot of pride in this area?  
   Alexia and I have lived here for seven years and I don’t think we would have conceived of this concept had we lived anywhere else. Our neighborhood is home to 55,000 dogs (according to a recent New York City Economic Development Corporation survey), and East Village folks are decidedly ‘social animals.’ Although the area is constantly changing, we’re exceedingly proud of its historic character, its urban grit, and, of course, its quirky and vibrant shops, restaurants, and residents. We partner with local and sustainable suppliers whenever possible and emphasise our local values as a way to distinguish our brand.

   What were you both doing before Leo inspired you to create Ruff Club?
   Alexia was working in talent management and ready for a career change. I asked her what her dream job would be, and she instantly replied: “Imagine we opened a dog daycare?!” It seemed absolutely insane at first because we didn’t have any experience working in the industry. Looking back, I think it was precisely this lack of experience that helped us challenge fundamental assumptions about the industry and forge a unique concept. It also required us to surround ourselves with a highly experienced staff, which means we get to learn something new everyday.

   How quickly did Ruff Club come together?
   It took us a year to find a space in which we could realise our entire concept, and then six months to build it out. Although this is not very much time in the lifespan of a business, it felt like an eternity to us. We expected to feel overwhelmed when we opened, but because of the time and energy consumed by our construction, instead we felt an enormous sense of relief.

   You’ve done a great job on the fitout, it has that social club feel with lots of great details. What was the inspiration behind the interiors?  
   Thanks. Traditional dog daycare facilities reflect certain assumptions about the industry that we chose not to accept — most favor the sterile, the scaleable, and the transactional over any sort of local character or cohesive look and feel. When we started designing our interiors we decided to throw this playbook out completely and create a new kind of dog-friendly space that (1) is welcoming for pets and people, and (2) channels the distinctive flavor of our neighborhood (even the wallpaper depicts East Village streetscapes). We’re fortunate to have a century-old space that oozes historic character, so our buildout was mostly a matter of restoring original details and letting them speak for themselves. We added just a few modern flourishes in order to reinforce our brand’s contemporary, tech-forward approach to pet care.

   Ruff Club has only been open a short time, what’s the community response been like so far?
   Today is our one-month anniversary and the response to date has exceeded our wildest expectations. We’ve added to our membership ranks everyday that we’ve been open, and as a result we are able to roll out new services ahead of schedule. The launch has been exhausting, humbling, and entirely surreal — in other words, a dream come true.

   —
   All images courtesy of Ruff Club
   Photography by Will Russell Photography
   ruffclub.com

4. Mongrels and angels

   October 19, 2012 5:08 am Leave a Comment

   There’s little to be said about Venice Beach without descending into the cliché. A true mongrel, Venice is a place for those in-between, neither here nor there, participant or voyeur.

   Smart as a whip and hailing from Tennessee, I met She-ra during my second day on the boardwalk. Her owner said they hadn’t long been here but were already looking to move on, and so it goes.

   —
   All photography by Sarah McArthur

5. Growler

   August 7, 2012 4:33 am Leave a Comment

   From collectables and vintage pieces from by-gone eras, to limited edition contemporary art and photography, even clothing, Growler has it all. This one-stop-shop of beautiful dog-related objects is a real treasure trove. We chat to Tess Gomm, who handpicks them all, about searching for the unusual, what’s hot and the truth a about cats.

   First of all, why dogs?
   I love to be loved back and I don’t like cats much. There it is. I’ve said it.

   Who instilled the love for our canine friends in you?  
   My grandfather was a shepherd in Sussex and I adored his sheepdogs. But in those days dogs were dogs. They lived outside. Snoozing on the sofa not allowed. I badgered my parents for a dog and they finally gave in when I was 13 and deemed ‘responsible’ enough. Her name was Tip and she was a collie cross.The first time I ever saw my Dad cry was when she died aged 15.

   Is it hard work sourcing vintage dog themed collectables?
   It’s definitely harder to find things than it was when I first started collecting seriously about 11 years ago. Ordinary things are a dime a dozen. I like to think the Growler collection is more eclectic. In truth, I never know when and where I’m going to stumble across something magical – flea markets, antique fairs, junk shops, car boots… I do them all.

   Do you have reliable sources?
   I do have my sources but obviously I could never reveal them. I also have friends around the world who keep an eye out. Right now I have some great pieces waiting to be collected from New York.

   What was your most recent purchase?
   A 1960s tin commemorating Soviet Space Dogs Belka and Strelka. They were the first Earth-born creatures to go into orbit and return alive. It will be on the site very soon. It’s pretty cool.

   Collectors can be obsessive in nature. Do you have a lot of repeat custom from the same collectors?
   Understandably anyone with a Jack Russell is going to be interested in memorabilia or art relating to that breed. And even though we’ve only been open a few months I already have customers who have asked me to look out for specific breed-related pieces, which I’m more than happy to do. All part of the service!

   What’s hot in the dog collecting world right now?
   People are loving the metal dogs from the 40s and 50s. They come in all breeds, shapes and sizes. They’re beautifully battered and scuffed and looking for a new home.

   Do you have pieces that you can’t part with?
   Of course. Though I have to be strict about anything new coming in. Space is becoming an issue.

   What is your most cherished collectible?
   There are a few — a ceramic bulldog my partner bought me as a birthday gift. He’s in some of our lifestyle shots and I’m always getting asked if he’s for sale. Sadly he’s not! And we also have a collection of Hubley metal dog doorstops that I’ll never be parted from.

   What’s the strangest piece you’ve come across?
   Not so much strange, but kitsch definitely! I have a beautiful porcelain pin dish, French, 1920s, With a Jack Rusell having a poo! Go figure.

   You collaborate with a number of artists, creating limited edition dog related prints for Growler. Did you approach them with a commission or did a shared passion bring you together?
   It’s a bit of both. I’ve known Rob for years and we talked about doing the A-Z a long time ago. Hugo and Emma are friends of friends. Jillian is my cousin! I admired Martin’s work from afar and when we launched Growler I approached him about selling his work and he was nice enough to say yes. Suffice to say all Growler’s contributors are big dog people so we do have a shared passion! Artists and photographers are now starting to approach us – which is really cool. There’s a new photographer coming on board very soon (Gerrard Gethings), who I am very excited about.

   Growler seems to have a strong ethos when it comes to supporting dog related charities. Was there a particular experience that led to this?
   All our dogs have been rescues. We feel very strongly about giving an abandoned dog a new start. Call it recycling! It’s not always easy – for them or us – but we get there in the end. That’s why we do as much as we can for rescue organisations and, with Martin, we support the Dog’s Trust, the largest dog welfare charity in the UK. We lost one of our dogs to cancer last year. He was looked after by a wonderful team at the The Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Hertfordshire and we’ll never forget their kindness and support. Now we do as much as we can to raise awareness and funds for the hospital.

   Finally, long haired or short haired?
   One of each.

   —
   All images courtesy of Growler
   growler-london.co.uk

6. A new leash on life

   August 1, 2012 9:15 pm Leave a Comment

   Undead pooches, schlock horror and black and white, all coming to you in 3D this October. Tim Burton, king of all things dark and strange, is back with Frankenweenie, a feature length adaptation of a short he originally directed in 1984. The film, at once parody and homage to Frankenstein, is a slice of what Tim Burton does best—wayward characters with the heart of gold, accidentally unleashing mayhem on small town America.

   The film centre’s around well meaning protagonist, Victor, who loses his best friend, Sparky, in an unfortunate incident. Distraught at losing his pal, Victor decides the best way forward is some home-style reanimation — bringing Sparky back from beyond. While initially the the plan goes well for Victor, the other kids at school soon find out and start getting in on the undead action… Trouble inevitably ensues.

   The stop-motion animated feature breathes new life into the Frankenweenie story. Originally produced 27 years ago as live-action, Disney thought the short film was too scary for children and it’s rumoured to be the reason they fired Burton. Now back on the payroll, Burton’s characteristically dark style is a drawcard for movie-goers and one that Disney is more than happy to bank on.

   Speaking at a press conference, during the 2012 Comic-Con, Burton revealed that the relationship between Victor and Sparky in Frankenweenie is the realisation of a personal story, “When you’re young, it’s the first kind of pure relationship you have. It’s something that connects right to your heart. I was lucky enough to have a special pet that I had that kind of relationship with.” Bringing together this emotionally charged relationship with another of his passions, Frankenstein seemed like a natural conclusion for Burton, “it was easy to kind of marry the two things without it seeming like a stretch.”

   The film brings together an intimate cast of Burton’s best loved collaborators (including Martin Landau and Winona Ryder) for a lavishly detailed production and is sure to inspire everyone from the trainspotting horror buffs and the little ‘uns to rig up a science lab in their mum’s attic.

   —

   Frankenweenie opens 5th October
   Images courtesy of Disney

7. Pothound

   April 22, 2012 10:12 pm Leave a Comment

   Art director and animator Christopher Guinness passion for dogs led him to pitch the short film Pothound to the Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The result is a beautiful film with real purpose. We talk to Christopher about healing wounds, happy accidents and the Caribbean twist.

   Pothound (noun)
   1. A dog of mixed or indeterminate breed. A mutt or mongrel.
   2. A street dog frequently associated with mischief.

   Pothound seems to be quite a personal project. How did the project come about? What inspired you to write it?
   I always wanted to do a dog film. They are such loyal creatures and so easy to empathise with. I kept putting it off to pursue more commercial projects but when my dog Bell died, I took action. So writing the script was a hybrid of a long planned goal and a healing process coming together.

   Did the TTSPCA (Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) approach you to make a promotional film for them or was it something you came to them with?  
   We approached them, sold the concept and they were on board. We wanted the film to not only have a good message but to lead to somewhere.

   What kind of a response have you received since the launch of the film?
   The film has gotten a fantastic response and has formed a nice fan base home here in Trinidad and Tobago. It has been selected for bunch of international festival competitions, won five awards so far and landed a feature segment promoting the TTSPCA, TTFC and Bubbercin on Trinidad and Tobago’s evening news.

   Was it difficult to cast the lead role of Bubbercin in Pothound?  
   Nope! I wrote the script with that special little dog in mind. She has the most soulful eyes and gives you these looks that melt your heart.

   Your partner Leizelle is credited with the dog training in the film, is this something that she’s familiar with?
   Haha, well Bubbercin is her dog. My wife Leizelle is a champion for animal causes. She trains our pack of mongrels to do all sorts of tricks.

   Working with animal actors can lead to fairly unexpected results. Was the film tightly storyboarded or did you work organically?
   A little of both. Because of my animation background I usually have a tight visual structure, but a lot of improvised shots made it into the film because Bubbercin kept doing these little magical things I could have never planned or hope to execute.

   There’s a very muted colour palette in the film.
   Was this a deliberate choice or a aesthetic one?
   Yeah, I wanted a retro feel with a Caribbean twist. It’s the kind of colours I see in my memories as a kid.

   How did the animation sequence in Pothound come about?  
   Well the plan was originally to have the scene be live action. I have test footage with Bubbercin mauling the hell out of my pant leg. She’s such a nice dog though so to the get her to act that way is not easy. She doesn’t have the attack dog mentality where we can sick her on a stunt person, so instead I fell back to my roots and decided let’s make the sequence an ultra stylistic animated battle.

   What is your favorite part of the process?  
   The little moments where whatever is happening transcends your expectations.

   —
   To watch Pothound, click here
   Pothound has been selected for the Vimeo awards (Narrative category).
   To vote, go to https://vimeo.com/awards/vote/narrative

   —
   christopherguinness.com

8. Wanted. Home.

   February 15, 2012 12:56 am Leave a Comment

   At last count the population of Istanbul, Turkey, was pushing through the 13 million mark. Defined as one of the worlds 27 or so megacities, Istanbul is now Europe’s third largest city behind the likes of London and Moscow. These megacities deal with all the challenges that you’d expect from sprawling metropolises, including how to deal with rapid growth.

   For Istanbul, growth boomed in the seventies, as new industrial expansion and the promise of jobs lured many migrants there. This expansion led to increased infrastructure which rapidly enveloped surrounding areas into the greater metropolitan area of Istanbul. It was then the area of Üsküdar, previously a leafy outer suburb became a part of urban Istanbul.

   Üsküdar today is a busy residential and commercial area and like the rest of Istanbul struggles to cope with a stray dog problem which has continued to plague the capital. The dog’s of Üsküdar, which today choose to call the disproportionately large number of cemeteries home have been captured in a series of images by artist and photographer Joanna Rajowska.

   Rajowska’s series, The Dog’s of Üsküdar, was inspired by a story from early 20th century Ottoman-ruled Istanbul. In 1911 the authorities of Istanbul were so worried about stray dogs spreading disease and making the streets unsafe that they made a decision to ‘cleanse’ the city, banishing all strays to the uninhabited island of Sivriada. Not long after, Istanbul was stuck by an earthquake. The disaster was interpreted as a ‘punishment by God’ for their treatment of the dogs and they were soon rescued from the island and brought back to the city.

   Rajowska saw the series as an opportunity to explore the issue of animal exclusion from society and the relationship between humans and animals, which can at once be detached and devoted. She also saw the individual graves, which the dogs had chosen to make their home, as housing units for the animals – an interesting parallel with the overcrowding problem in Istanbul.

   The series of images taken by Rajkowska appear accompanied by text, written later by Sebastian Cichocki in a book also titled The Dog’s of Üsküdar. The text written by Cichocki does not relate directly to the pictures and is instead a multi-layered fictional narrative. The limited edition book and images were presented together for the first time in an exhibition.

   —
   Photography by Joanna Rajowska
   See the complete series and more of Joanna Rajowska’s work here
   

9. Parklife

   February 13, 2012 11:09 pm Leave a Comment

   Sabrina Märky is a self described ‘dog enthusiast’. Her passion for the four legged kind was spurred on by living next to one of New York City’s dog parks. Märky would visit the dog park each day, purely with an interest in the dogs, when one day she decided to look beyond our furry friends and see why the park was so popular.

   Dog parks in America first evolved in California around the late seventies. Before this, the idea of an ‘enclosed area devoted exclusively to canine activity’ was a foreign concept. Dog parks can now be found in every state but Alaska. In NYC, the dog park is an integral part of the daily routine for the majority of dogs who do not have the luxury of a backyard to roam about in.

   Initial research by Märky into dog parks found that seeing your little friend getting their daily exercise was really only half of the story, that in fact the dog parks popularity was equally about social interactions for people, as well as dogs. She then went on to formalise her research into the project Human Socialisation in Dog Parks.

   Märky found that social interaction was difficult to start with people in NYC, except if you were at a bar ‘which doesn’t typically result in a lasting relationship’. She found that “the dog parks facilitate the perfect place to get to know people in a fun environment”. These community interactions are sometimes difficult, though it doesn’t seem isolated to NYC. Speaking with Emily, a frequent Canberra dog park user, she mentions that, “it’s one of the few opportunities for ‘community’ style interaction you get these days unless you’re a member of a church, sporting team or something related to babies/children”.

   Back in NYC it seems that social interaction is not just limited to dog owners at the dog parks. Märky says that “crowds of people come to the Halloween parade just to see the dogs, which makes for such approachable conversations such as ‘your dog is so cute’… [the dogs] make conversations with strangers much more approachable.” Although Märky says “it’s hard to say how many of the relationships go beyond the dog park” she’ll always say hello if she meets someone again outside of the park.

   Märky’s enthusiasm for her study translated into a long-term relationship. Six months after completing her study she got herself a miniature Australian shepherd. ‘Waldo Emerson’ now allows her to visit the dog park as often as she likes.

   —
   Download a PDF of the complete research here

10. Presently empty

    December 5, 2011 9:30 pm Leave a Comment

    Many a fine artistic enterprise has grown out of the Southern Californian desert. With a solid history of producing some of the finest rock and roll the States have to offer there’s something special about the hard living desert lifestyle that creates a rare breed. In the words of desert loving Eagles of Death Metal front man, Jesse ‘Boots Electric’ Hughes “the desert is beautiful, but it’s also really severe” and it’s these contrasts that bring life to John Divola’s series Dog’s chasing my car in the desert.

    In contrast to Divola’s Isolated houses series which capture the beauty of the desert landscape through large format, this series is quick and dirty. It’s black and white, super fast film on a 35mm camera. It’s dynamic images that capture the frantic nature of a dog on a hopeless trajectory. It’s the harshness of desert life. It’s an instant that is captured again and again, it’s a different dog, a different town but it’s the same. It’s desert life in Southern California.

    The dance between dog and car is a futile endeavour but the story replayed itself for Divola repeatedly. This repetition brings the series together with contrasts that constantly push and pull the viewer. Divola contrasts domestic and wild, empty and full, speed and stillness with the bigger questions like culture and nature, heroic and idiotic.

    John explains, “no one sneaks up on a dog in the desert. A dog can hear your car coming for several miles and will see you coming almost as far away. By the time you arrive he has developed a level of anticipation.”

    The desert creates a rare breed.

    —
    Photography by John Divola
    See the complete Dog’s chasing my car in the desert series here