I recently completed a dog sculpture commission for a client in Australia. Our pets are often a big part of our lives for a number of years. It’s a wrench when we lose them. A memorial artwork reminds us of the good times and helps us cherish those precious memories.

Choosing an artist to create a memorial piece is a very personal decision. Ultimately, you should choose an artist whose work really speaks to you. Someone who will capture not only the look of the animal but also the special connection between you. For a memorial piece, you don’t just need the animal to look right. You need a sense of its personality.

My client in Australia was recovering from the heartache of losing Ellie, his beloved whippet. Ellie was a rescue dog, who was adopted when she was three years old. She went on to live for ten wonderful years. My client and Ellie had a very close bond. Naturally, it’s always a terrible loss when we have to say goodbye to a beloved pet. My client wanted to commission a whippet dog sculpture of Ellie.

As with all my dog sculpture commissions, I work closely with my client to discuss which pose best captures their dog’s character. For Ellie we agreed on a curled up pose with alert ears and eyes. What struck me most about Ellie was her big, engaging eyes. Eyes that draw you in and can’t be ignored.

My client kindly shared his library of photos with me, giving me a good impression of Ellie ‘in the round’. This is so important with sculpture, as the work is three dimensional and must convince from all angles. The photos clients take open a window into their family lives and those shared experiences we all cherish. These help me understand not only Ellie’s physical appearance and movement but also her character and personality.

I sent my client regular photo and video updates as Ellie the whippet dog sculpture progressed. This is something I always do. It means clients can share in the creative process and provide feedback as their sculptures take shape. This is an emotional process not only for the client but for me too! A memorial sculpture needs to capture the spirit of the animal. I can’t help getting emotionally invested in the process. Naturally, all this takes time. In terms of observation and detailing, my pet sculpture commissions are among the most challenging I undertake.

Having completed the sculpture to my client’s satisfaction, my next job was to select appropriate glazes and finishing. Ellie was a pebble-coloured brindle. To achieve this look, I had to apply a number of layers of underglaze built up successively over time. I used a gloss glaze to make the eyes really stand out. The eyes were the first things I noticed when I opened the kiln.

I always breathe a sigh of relief to see all my efforts haven’t been in vain. I was particularly pleased with Ellie the whippet dog sculpture. She took a lot of time to get right. But knowing the importance of a memorial artwork to the client makes it all worthwhile. I carefully packed Ellie for shipping to Australia, and she arrived safely a few days later.

Fantastic news… Ellie arrived this morning in Adelaide! It was a very emotional moment for me, and it filled me with joy and love for my beautiful girl once more. You have captured her eyes and they look so amazingly well. I am overjoyed. Thank you for your time, patience, skill and dedication. She is sitting on her blanket now, in front of my fire (which we do not use!) and placed with her favourite toy. There she will stay where I can look at her every day. Thank you again. I love her and you have done an amazing job. You are wonderful and it’s been a pleasure.

If you would like to commission a pet or animal sculpture of your own, please contact the studio for more information and a quote.