I then decided that if I were to use actual dogs for reference that had been lost or stolen, it may help the owners to trace them.

I approached a company called www.doglost.co.uk, a national registration site for reports of lost and found dogs. I asked this company if they could supply me with the details of the owners of missing dogs in my area, they agreed to support me with this project. From the list they supplied I can then get in contact with the owners of the lost dogs and arrange to meet up with them to borrow photos. Then I make up a life-sized, cut out template painting of the dog to use, firstly to get the likeness of the dog as closely as possible, then to draw around on site, this means that I have the proportions of the animal worked out before I start.

This was Henry, the first dog for me on my list, he is an 8 year old greyhound who has been missing since May 2006. Once his owner had approved the template, I returned the photographs and then had to find a venue to paint him. Lush, a handmade cosmetics company kindly allowed me to use a wall of their shop which had a pedestrian walkway by the side.

the final painting

the poster

Lush, 29 High Street, Poole
view from the main High Street