Art for Pitties

From Jane of http://thedoghouse.etsy.com;

I strongly believe that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. It is sad that the American Pit Bull Terrier, once a loved and respected companion animal, has gained such a bad reputation by falling into the hands of irresponsible and cruel humans. By working with Even Chance, I hope to help restore this greatly misunderstood breed’s image in the public eye.

Even Chance is a San Diego based charity that rescues temperamentally sound pit bulls from shelters, hospitals, organised dog fighting rings & other inhumane situations. Rescued dogs are fostered until safe & loving forever homes are found for them. The charity also seeks to counteract misinformation about pit bulls with factual education, communication & resources for the public, including pit bull owners & potential adopters.

Art For Pitties, a project co-ordinated by Jenith Mateja, brings together pit bull loving artists to raise awareness about pit bulls & dispel the modern day myth that these dogs are inherently dangerous. I am proud to be one of the 30+ creative designers, illustrators, musicians & artists who have designed one-of-a-kind tote bags to be auctioned via the internet. The auction will be held in mid August & all funds raised will go to Even Chance.

The design I have printed onto my tote was derived from a photograph of pit bull baby, Cairo, who lives in Indiana with his owner, Celeste. Cairo looks so sweet & peaceful in this picture & it reminds me that any dog can be brought up & nurtured to be a loving & trustworthy companion. I also love the way the resulting print looks quite abstract & almost like a spiralling sea shell.

I printed the image of Cairo onto the tote in 4 brightly coloured contrasting colours, which I think give it a sort of ‘pop art’ feel. As a small thank you to Celeste for permitting me to use her photo, I also printed a smaller tote for her. Both totes are currently on their way over to the States in the mail. I’m so happy to be part of this project & hope we raise lots of awareness & funds for Even Chance.

Be sure to stop by the Art For Pitties blog for updates on the project, information about all the artists involved & details of the auction itself.