Art&Culture
Pet haven
Artist Corrie Wessman brings some much-needed humour to the serious business of pet portraiture.
s READ MORE
CLOSE
CLOSE
Pet haven
Wit and wisdom mix in artist Corrie Wessman’s portfolio of pet portraits, which embraces the creative possibilities of humour. Alongside quizzical giraffes and smug-looking llamas, Wessman depicts dogs charmingly attired in bow ties, polka dots and ruffled collars.
Wessman’s love of portraiture started out with people, but as the artist found herself focusing more and more on achieving perfect details, taking away from her enjoyment of the process, she found an antidote in an unexpected place. “After my first portrait of a snarky animal in a sweater, it felt as though I had hit a gold mine,” she explains. “All of the pushing and challenging myself to go deeper in my work to find something that ‘clicks’ more with me as a person and as an artist, suddenly fell into place.”
Above and beyond her work’s obvious charm there’s something deeper at play, and Wessman explains that authenticity is of utmost importance both for herself as an artist and for the subjects she captures. “I feel a connection with each piece, which then translates to connecting with my customers,” she elaborates. “They’re coming to me because of the connection they have with my work, which creates an automatic bond.”
—
All drawings courtesy of Corrie Wessman
cwdrawings.com
TAKE THE LEAD
We are thrilled to introduce Dog-Friendly, a collection of city guides for dog-loving people, created together with our long-time contributor, photographer Winnie Au, and fellow enthusiasts, indie publisher Hoxton Mini Press. Available for purchase here.
August 25, 2021
PACK OF DOGS
Have you ever imagined Amy Winehouse or Nick Cave as a Chihuahua, Neil Young as a Vizsla, or PJ Harvey as an Afghan hound? That’s exactly what San Francisco-based artist Michael Gillette has done through his unique illustration project, blending beloved, iconic music legends, both past and present, with their dog counterparts. Pack of Dogs, our first foray into book publishing, is a celebration of pup and pop culture for music and dog lovers alike.
August 25, 2020
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Spanish photographer Sara Monsalve strives to ‘capture your memories’—to immortalise the beauty, innocence and wisdom of our pets.
November 8, 2023
BETWEEN THE LINES
French artist Jochen Gerner distils the magic and energy of dogs using disarmingly simple techniques, relying on felt pens and school notebooks.
November 3, 2023
JUMP FOR JOY
Photographer Rebecca Rinaldi knows that to capture a dog’s true essence, play is the key ingredient.
July 13, 2023
PLAY DATE
An antidote to mass-produced dog accessories, MiaCara’s range of carefully crafted toys are designed to surprise, endure and delight.
July 12, 2023
REALLY GOOD DOGS
Photographer Randal Ford’s fierce clarity draws dogs’ personality to the fore to reveal each animal’s “true essence”.
June 8, 2023
JET SET PET
Moving your buddy from A to be B becomes an exercise in style, comfort and convenience with Cloud7’s Travel Collection.
June 2, 2023
NATURAL INSTINCT
In his series ‘Kinetic’, San Diego-based photographer James Lee celebrates dogs at full speed.
May 7, 2023
POODLE ELITE
Jouk Oosterhof photographs Amsterdam’s beloved family members (with a dash of lifestyle accessory).
May 3, 2023
TEAM EFFORT
What started as a fundraising effort to save photographer Kristoffer Paulsen’s beloved dog Josie, morphed into Melbourne’s most in-demand pet portraits.
March 31, 2023
KINGDOM OF HOUNDS
For decades, legendary Irish documentary photographer Tony O’Shea has captured the country’s annual drag hunt, and a country’s rich history along with it.
March 24, 2023
Loading more posts...