© James Ambler / Barcroft USA
These abstract artistic visions are the work of Tillamook Cheddar, the world’s pre-eminent canine artist.
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Using her tiny paws to paint her pieces by scratching, the ten-year-old Jack Russell terrier has been compared to giants of the art world, such as Jackson Pollock.
Hailing from Clinton Hills, in Brooklyn, Tillamook Cheddar’s work is highly sought after in art circles and her pieces have sold for over $100,000 (£60,000) in total.
© James Ambler / Barcroft USA
Having recently finished displaying a selection at the Denise Bibro Fine Art gallery in Manhattan, Tillamook is re-fuelling her creative juices after over ten years on the fine art circuit.
“I was sitting on my couch at home when Tilly was just about six months old. I was writing something on a tablet on my lap. And she just jumped up and started digging away at the surface,” said F. Bowman Hastie III, Tillamook’s owner, who describes himself as her ‘assistant’.
“I had the idea that she was trying to communicate through writing or drawing. And I thought that I could record her markings with carbon paper.
“So I just initially slipped a piece of carbon paper under the top sheet. And she went right back to it.
“And when I revealed the image, I thought it was interesting enough to encourage her to continue.”
© James Ambler / Barcroft USA
With her individual artworks such as ‘The Corbomite Maneuver’, selling for £1,700, Tillamook’s artistic process has been refined to the point where Tillamook paints every day.
“Tilly uses Denril vellum transfer paper attached to a foam board as her canvas,” explained Bowman Hastie, 40.
“The transfer paper is covered with a layer of polyester film and sealed with tape to protect it from damage.
“She then uses non-toxic oil paint to transfer over the colours over to the paper.
“It is actually a pretty simple process, but is designed this way so that she doesn’t damage the artwork.”
After Bowman Hastie has chosen the paints for Tillamook to use she takes them herself over to the pre-prepared canvas and begins to dip her paws into the paint.
© James Ambler / Barcroft USA
“She works in a very fast and frenzied manner, almost like she is digging,” said Bowman Hastie.
“She paints for around half an hour in one sitting and I decide when the picture is finished.
“She is very protective of her artwork and growls and barks throughout the process.
“She will bite anyone who tried to take away the finished piece from her, so I have to be really careful when I take the artwork back from her.
“Tilly is very proud of her work.”
© James Ambler / Barcroft USA
Believing that her method of painting is down to her natural scampering and digging instincts as a terrier, Bowman Hastie and TIllamook Cheddar are prominent in the New York art scene.
“She has had over 20 different exhibitions of her work across North America and in Europe,” said Bowman Hastie, who works as a freelance writer in the Big Apple.
“We donate some of her profits to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and we are looking forward to maintaining her prolific level.
“She gave birth to to six healthy puppies in 2005, but that hasn’t slowed her down.
© James Ambler / Barcroft USA
“We kept one of he boys Doc Chinook Strongheart Cheddar, but he has shown none of his mothers aptitude for art as of yet.
“In the meantime, she is just a normal dog who runs around the park and chases squirrels.
“You wouldn’t know she was the world’s best animal artist.”
Words by James Nye
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I thought I’d seen everything from Jack Russells, but this really takes the cake. Maybe I should hang the leash up for a few days and break out the canvas and paints. The paintings are actually kind of interesting, like a visual representation of instinct.