Joanna Osborne tells us why, if you love dogs, this is the Open House for you!

Artist: Felted Fido

Hi Joanna – We’re delighted the Dog Show is back again this year as part of the Brunswick trail. Can you tell us how you choose your dog-related artists?
We have about 4 or 5 regular artists who are always popular and visitors expect to see such as Sally Muir, Lorraine Corrigan and Felted Fido.  This year a few artists are returning from previous shows, which is lovely for us and hopefully everyone else too. We have six new artists who are chosen because we especially enjoy their work, they are doing something interesting or their work will hugely enhance the show, for more information go to www.thedogshowbrighton.com.
Instagram, word of mouth and frankly straightforward awareness all help to find new artists specialising in dogs. Although all our artists make ‘dog art’, they also paint and sculpt other things, varying from abstract to other animals.  By opening only every other year we hope to keep the show fresh and yet familiar. Do come to see if we have achieved this….

 Artist: Lorraine Corrigan 

This year you have some special dog themed events too; can you tell us about them?
Whilst being utterly loyal to dogs we widen our horizons by introducing a new way of portraying a dog. For this year we have Eli Heath of Eli Inking who will be here on the first weekend with a pop-up Tattoo Studio. Eli will be tattooing a selection of his refined, elegant and simple line drawings of dogs on the limbs of people.
And on the third weekend Sally Muir will be here with her On The Spot Dog Drawing…always lovely, always appreciated, always popular and now unfortunately sold out.

Artist: Sally Muir

Would you like to you tell a little us about your own work?
Everything I make is informed by previous work. Apart from having been business partners in a knitting business for several decades, Sally Muir and I have written seven knitting books, including two with patterns for 50 knitted dogs. I have now turned my attention to ceramics, making dogs, both sculptural and decorative. I have introduced a collection of functional ware but with one thing in common, dogs: jars with dog head knobs, decorative plates with dogs, bowls with dog heads.

Artist: Joanna Osborne

Also, you will be debuting a specially composed soundscape – would you like to tell us about the piece and its composer?
For this year Orlando is composing a very different soundscape for The DOG SHOW: enhanced classical music. Familiar pieces from the classical repertoire will meet the world of dogs. Nature benevolently invades the concert hall. Orlando Gough composes works for ballet, theatre, choirs and site-specific events, he also happens to be my husband and an enthusiastic baker.

 Artist: Harriet Lowther

Dogs are welcomed in your Open House – what will they specially enjoy about their visit?
An enthusiastic welcome from us and hopefully from Vita (our new Bedlington whippet) too but not guaranteed. Orlando will be making homemade dog biscuits, given free to all dogs. And an enormous amount of dog chat.

 Holy Smoke

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
Opening your house is a huge undertaking but it’s also more rewarding than imaginable, that is down to the wonderful artists, visitors and their dogs.

IF YOU LOVE DOGS YOU WILL LOVE THIS OPEN HOUSE

Artist Lucy Amos

Visit: The DOG SHOW
33 Sillwood Road, Brighton, BN1 2LE
No.1 on the Brunswick Town trail 

www.thedogshowbrighton.com
Instagram @thedogshow