Quotes About Man's Best Friend (or Who Let the Dog Quotes Out?)

I still remember the evening we went to buy our first family dog. He was a springer-beagle mix, with the build of a spring and the short hair of a beagle. His name was Lucky. He was six weeks old and the new puppy smell is still fresh in my memory. And yes, he was cute and he was loved.

For some reason it just seems like a good day to think about our dogs.

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"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
--Josh Billings

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”
 --M.K. Clinton

“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.”
--Charles de Gaulle

Lucky and me, 1967

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
 ―Will Rogers

“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”
―Andy Rooney

“You want a friend in this city? Get a dog!”
 ―Harry Truman (on Wash. D.C.)

“Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really.”
 ―Agnes Sligh Turnbull

This last quote above brought to mind the following recollection from my 20+ years at AMSOIL. The late A.J. Amatuzio, company founder and former president, loved dogs and always had a dog. In his later years he often brought his faithful companion to the office. After this last dog died he was once again heartbroken, as had sadly happened so many times before. He said to me, "When I die I am going to tell God that it isn't fair that people live 80 or 90 years but dogs lives are so short, so you have to have your heart broken so many times during your life on earth."

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On the Lighter Side

“Other useful commands to teach your dog are 'stay,' 'heel,' 'remove your snout from that person's groin,' 'stop humping the Barcalounger,' 'do not bark violently for two hours at inanimate objects such as a flowerpot,' ' do not eat poop,' and 'if you must eat poop, then at least refrain from licking my face afterward'.”
―Dave Barry

And finally, for an entertaining read, check out this blog post about national poet laureate Billy Collins and his poem Another Reason I Don't Keep a Gun in the House. A dog story from yet another amusing angle. Enjoy.

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May you stay forever young.

Artist Gillie Schattner: Dog Art from Down Under

About a week ago I saw a comment on Twitter by artist Gillie Schattner that made me want to check out her profile. As it turns out Gillie is the other half of the Gillie and Marc painting team that has produced a lot of those famous dog paintings some of us have seen. I asked for an interview and she consented, but instead of talking (she is half a globe away) we tried an experiment and used Twitter. I'm not sure I recommend Twitter as a vehicle for extensive interviews, but once we had the ball rolling, we stuck with it.
Marc and Gillie Schattner have had over 30 solo exhibitions with works that have been hung in galleries all over the world. They've also published some gift books and seem to be having the time of their lives.

Ennyman: First question, to get us started: What are your earliest memories of your interest in art.
Gillie: From around the age of 8 I 'd sit in my room for hours on end painting with watercolours. I copied flowers and photographs that I had taken.

Enny: When did you begin to find that you were interested in getting serious about art as vocation? What were the trigger events?
Gillie: I knew art was to be a part of my life in some way from the age of 12. I wasn't sure at that point exactly which direction it would be in, however, I painted every day and exhibited from the age of 15. I don't even know what triggered the passion, it was just there right from the start and still is. I am a registered nurse (qualified in 1985) but self taught in the arts. Marc studied Graphic Design at Swinburne, Melbourne.

Enny: How did you meet Marc?
Gillie: I met Marc in HongKong when I was travelling around Asia. I was 23, we married a week later in Nepal and have painted together ever since.

Enny: How much of your work is collaborative, and in what ways do you each contribute?
Gillie: We do everything together, brainstorm, then sketch ideas, paint on the same canvas, sometimes we do dyptichs.

Enny: How long have you been married? And how long have you been painting the dogs?
Gillie: Married for 19 years, and painting dogs for about 5 years. For our 20th years we would like to get remarried in Italy, it's a dream!

Enny: I assume you know it is unusual to marry someone so quickly after you meet them. How did that happen?
Gillie: Sounds corny maybe, but love at first site! Nothing has changed since the day we met, Marc is my soul mate!

Enny: Why did you leave New York and move to Sydney?
Gillie: Marc is Australian, so we finally moved home I suppose. It's wonderful here, and our children are Aussies!

Enny: So the dogs have been only the last five years. They seem pretty famous... that is, I have seen them around. Did that surprise you?
Gillie: Yes, our doggies have been extremely popular, I suppose everyone just loves dogs!! So now it looks like we may be painting them for a while!

Enny: What were you painting the first fifteen years you were married? Who does what in the collaborations?
Gillie: We had joint shows but painted separately. I have my own graphic design company and Marc his own advertising company as well.

Enny: Whose idea was the theme of your new show, yours or Marc? The opening image is provocative.
Marc: It is called 'Returning to the Animal Within' and is all about appreciating the simple things in life and not being so materialistic.

Enny: What media are the dog/human sculptures made of? That in itself looks like a bit of skill involved.
Gillie: They are made out of Fibreglass and then finished with a 2Pak car spray, we design them and then a technician makes them for us.

Enny: Last Q, maybe: Who are your favorite artists? What other artists have inspired you personally?
Gillie: Contemporary artists such as Banksy, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Patricia Piccinini, to name a few

Thanks, Gillie, for your time.

Is modern art going to the dogs? You can see more of Marc and Gillie's work a http://www.gillieandmarc.com/. Their current show, Returning to the Animal Within opens October 7 at the Nexus Modern Art at 123 Cecil Street in South Melbourne and will be on display through the 21st.

Contact info@nexusmodernart.com.au for more information.