Paul Boddum's Pet Paintings & Custom Portraits

above: Lucy (1992-2008), Portrait for Ann Rohmer


Paul Boddum (b.1966) is a visual artist based in Toronto. His passion is creating contemporary artworks for people who cherish their dogs and cats. Paul's inspiration comes from his love of animals and the unique personalities and stories of each pet he paints. Boddum's paintings are concerned with the idea of dogs being little versions of our ideal companion and the positive effects pets have by enhancing our quality of life.



Paul has done portraits for such animal enthusiasts as Art Smith (chef, author, television personality) one time personal chef to Oprah Winfrey, and Anne Rohmer of CP24 Breakfast Television and Animal House Calls Host. The Pet Network has profiled Paul on two occasions and his artwork has been featured in publications such as the Toronto Star, Style and Home, Canadian House and Home, Boston Herald, and the National Post. He has been exhibited locally and in the US including the Art of the Dog exhibition at Morgan Stanley, California with other nationally recognized animal artists from across North America. In 2002 after showing at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition he began taking orders for private commissions by independent collectors.

Jasper and Cooper:


Link:


Brody:


Paul Boddum studied visual art briefly at York University and in 1989 became a self-taught artist focusing on combining figurative and abstract painting styles. Currently he continues to work on private commissions and original works for future exhibiting.

Molly and Sadie:

Basil:

Moti:

Janet and Bug:

Sparky:

Charley:


The Artist's Statement:


My paintings address issues of personal identity and my growing up as an adoptee. I'm interested in exploring the effects of the environment one is exposed to and the nurturing of one's family. My impulse is to paint domestic pets and the transformative bond that forms from the need to be cared for by others.

My early portraits were inspired by a visit to a dog show, photographing the event, and drawing from that energy to produce works that capture the interspecies interactions and personalities on display. Afterwards I created my works using an overhead projector to blow up pictures of dogs from vintage breed books onto canvas in a Pop Art style.

Gesso:


These images confronted the viewer with a familiarity to viewing a human portrait painting like Chuck Close and Andy Warhol. My use of commissioned portraits is a traditional practice that I approach in a contemporary way. I purposely leave the human out of the picture, and declare the pet as family member of equal importance. My paintings are concerned with the idea of dogs being little versions of our ideal companion.

Rudey:


I present the animal as a subject deserving of its recent ascent in society to full blown family member. Dogs are now seen as similar to having a child, they are pampered and nurtured more so than any other time in history. The animal in my recent work is paired with bold abstract expressionist gestures.

My works Autumn (2007) as well as Pampered Puppy (2006) convey the expected details of the animals form, but the background is not treated like a background, it is painted as an extension of the animals.

Pampered Puppy:


Autumn:


Commission Pricing (as of 08/2009):

above: Ferris, the final painting and photograph from which it was painted

16 x 20 inches - $1000
20 x 24 inches - $1100
24 x 30 inches - $1200
30 x 36 inches - $1400
36 x 48 inches - $1800
48 x 60 inches - $2200

(square sizes)
30 x 30 inches - $1200
36 x 36 inches - $1400
48 x 48 inches - $2000

For 2 or more pets, $200. is added to the cost. Larger and custom sized canvases are available.

See more of his work and/or order a custom portrait here.

Other dog art related posts:

•For the Love of Dogs & Art: The Wurstminster Dog Show

•Dogs As Seen By A Dutchman: Maarten Wetsema's Fab Photos

•Moira McLaughlin: Dog Art, Dog Talk, Dog Videos. Doggone Fun.

Mosaic Portraits Made From Real Gemstones: The Ultimate Custom Luxury

Looking for an incredibly personal and decadent gift to give someone special? How about a custom portrait made of diamonds and sapphires and set in 18k gold? Too much? Okay, then how about some semi-precious stones set in sterling silver? Either way, Gemstone Creative of the UK can make it for you.

Whether it's a photo, artwork, a company logo or anything special to you, they will turn the image into a very valuable and unique piece of art. Talented and skilled artists and craftsmen hand-set gemstones to recreate the image in a bespoke wall mountable piece for you.

Here are some examples of their work:

Marilyn Monroe:


Jay-Z:


Queen Elizabeth:


David Beckham:

President Barack Obama:

Tiger:



Almost any kind of gemstone can be used from diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies, to semi precious stones such as amethysts, peridot, tanzanite, and quartz. All the stones are brilliant cut (round) so as long as the stone can be properly cut to size and ordered in volume (if applicable) then there should not be any problems.



Since each piece uses anywhere from two to tens of thousands of 0.25ct gemstones, the final price can not be determined until the type of gemstone and required quantities are decided on along with the precious metal they are to be set in.



As you'd expect, precious gemstones will be more expensive than semi precious stones, and 18k gold will be more costly than sterling silver. The prices are based on current market values and hence will fluctuate accordingly. They will provide you with a final price prior to starting any work on your design, and upon acceptance of this, payments will take the form of three separate installments.

All of the pieces are produced in London, England, where many of the world’s best jewellery craftsmen are located and having them made here ensures the highest level of workmanship. In fact, all the members of their team are based in or around London which prevents lag time delays occurring which is crucial for a business where each piece can take months to produce.

The Artists
Adrian Firth, Tessa Hunkin, Claire Milner and Ed Chapman, some of the world's most acclaimed mosaic artists, have all been commissioned to produce international mosaic projects at the highest level. They have honed their expertise in the ancient and delicate art of renovation of intricate mosaics in landmark cathedrals and important cultural heritage sites, as well as developing contemporary installations in public and private spaces.

The Process:

above: clockwise from upper left, Byzantine mosaic as inpiration, peacock artwork, peacock set in gems and detail.

The Craftsmen:



detail of the final product:


Their craftsmen have between them over 100 years experience in creating magnificent pieces of jewellery for acclaimed designers, celebrities, royalty, and private clients. Each Gemstone Creative piece is intricately assembled, and depending on size will use anywhere from several thousand to tens of thousands of gemstones which are all individually set in precious metal, be it gold, silver, or platinum. Gemstone Creative has spent a considerable amount of time sourcing, developing, and perfecting the artistic process.

The final product:



Ethical Sourcing (No blood diamonds!):

They only source quality gemstones and precious metals. Their suppliers follow the guidelines laid out by the Responsible Jewellery Council which is committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social, and environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the industry.

All their suppliers are members of the following trade associations:
• British Jewellers Association (BJA)
• International Coloured Stone Association (ICA)
• London Diamond Bourse and Club
• World Federation of Diamond Bourses


As far as how long it takes to get your custom product, it entirely depends on the size of the piece and the materials it is made from. Our smallest piece, 20cmx20cm, will take approximately 2-3 months to complete and this may increase slightly as the size of the piece gets bigger.

Gemstone Creative is an ambitious collaborative project that has opened a new chapter in the history of mosaic art. The idea is the brainchild of co-founders Sarah Sultman and Mark Hirschel who have spent over one year attentively assembling a team of renowned mosaic artists, specialist jewellery stone setters, and skilled craftsmen whose combined talents have made it technically possible to create complex, contemporary, luxury mosaic pieces.


Gemstone Creative

Special thanks to Luxury Launches!