| Dog-eared Journals (the book) |
I've been keeping illustrated journals since about 2006, particularly when I travel. I've been spending a lot of time in Portugal where there is no end to inspiration for sketching. But it's not just the country itself that is fun to sketch. I've always been a dog lover and there are dogs of every size, shape and description in Portugal. I've found this to be a great subject for my sketches. What began as an interesting topic for the wandering of my pen has become a bit of an obsession. (I suppose a bit of an obsession is an oxymoron, isn't it?) With photographs, drawings, paintings and/or notes I compulsively document the dogs I encounter. I have thousands of photos of dogs. (Thank you digital photography!) While observing and sketching dogs in Burgau I met an extraordinary dog named Ruca. Ruca also keeps an illustrated journal and I've found it to be quite fun and enlightening to look through. I've convinced him to let me help publish it. It's filled with drawings, paintings and observations of his life as a street dog and an artist. Below you will see pages from his upcoming book "I'm a free dog living a bohemian life. When I'm not chillin' with my friends or playing Tag the Fire Hydrant, I'm busy making marks in my illustrated journal. What started out as a game making marks in the sand has evolved into documenting my life, my friends and the world around us. I use any method available to me to make the marks in my journals - ink pen, watercolour, collage, coffee, wine - whatever I can get my paws on. I've found that I appreciate my life even more now that I take the time to make a record of it."
Publication for Ruca's illustrated journal is set for autumn 2011. If you'd like to be notified when it is available, please send me an e-mail and I'll put you on the list. In the meantime you can get to know Ruca by visiting his online journal blog at www.dog-earedjournals.blogspot.com. It's got drawings, observations, photos and insights into life from a dog's point of view. |
