Jack Russell — Interior Design Hound

Calling All DOGS & Artistic Hounds from A to Z: Party in NYC!

You & your Dogs are invited to a party for Artistic Hounds in New York!

Robert Clarke Dog. Image: Rebecca Hossack

So grab your Dog’s best collar & leash and head over to the Rebecca Hossack Gallery this Wednesday (Novemeber 16^th) for the Pet-friendly celebration of:

The A- Z of DOGS…

A-Z of Dogs. Image: Rebecca Hossack

You’ll discover Dog paintings & prints ranging from Airedales to Zuchons created by the celebrated British Artist Robert Clarke.

Dogs Portrait. Image: Rebecca Hossack

The Artistic Hound is known for his series of Dog portraits, but this collection has a New York accent!

Yorkie Portrait. Image: Rebecca Hossack

Rob Clarke hasn’t always been a Dog-lover.

In fact, the artist used to be somewhat of a scaredy cat.

Pug Portrait. Image: Rebecca Hossack

At the impressionable age of 2 years old, Clarke had a run-in with a German Shepherd.

After the terrifying experience, Rob chose to avoid Dogs all together, no matter the breed.

Norwich Terrier. Image: Rebecca Hossack

It wasn’t until Clarke’s girlfriend persuaded him to get a Jack Russell Puppy in 2003 that his view of Dogs changed forever.

Jack Russell. Image: Rebecca Hossack

While attending Puppy training with his new Jack Russell, Clarke encountered lots of Dogs.

He met stocky Mastiffs and low-slung Bassets. There were plenty of pedigreed Pups and many Mutts.

Owners were encouraged to pass the Pups around for socialization…

Italian Greyhound. Image: Rebecca Hossack

The classes & the Jack Russell were life changing events for Rob Clarke and his artwork.

“You take the Dog to the park and you meet all sorts of fabulous people you wouldn’t come across every day…I was hooked…I started to draw and paint. It’s been a voyage of Canine discovery ever since.” Rob Clarke

Westie. Image: Rebecca Hossack

Clarke celebrates every Dog’s individuality & personality in his work.

Through a few strokes of his brush, Clarke manages to capture the characteristics & behavior of an amazing variety of Dogs.

You can even spot a Napoleon complex or two in his alphabet of Dogs…

Chihuahua Oil on Canvas. Image: Rebecca Hossack

While I’d never reveal the Dogs suffering from the complex, I’m sure you can guess.

The A-Z of Dogs New York Edition is sure to be a treat!

Here’s a personal invite for you & your four-legged friends:

Later, I’ve got to let the Dog out,

This isn’t the first time the Rebecca Hossack Gallery has gone to the Dogs.

Laurie Carroll, the Dog-loving director of the New York art gallery was my guest on Decorating Tails. You can find the Pet Life radio podcast here.

Want more? Check out what we dug up...

London’s Top Dog Is In New York: HOT DOG! Decorating Tails Radio Podcast

Decorating Tails Pet Friendly Radio Podcast: London's Top Artistic Hound is In New York with a Kennel of Dog Artists.

Laughing DOG Gallery: Living In Style With Big DOGS & Artistic Hounds Decorating Tails Podcast

Living In Style With Big DOGS: The Laughing Dog Gallery

PETER CLARK’S DOGS: Artistic Collage

Dogs are paper trained in Peter Clark's Dog Art Collages.

How Designers Decorate with Their Own Dog’s Portraits: Scott Lifshutz

Designers & Dogs Love Scott Lifshutz Modern Dog Paintings for Home Decorating.

Artistic Hound: JAMES CORBETT’S DOGS

Dog Sculptures created by a real Junkyard Dog: James Corbett. Auto parts are the artist's element of choice for his chrome canines.

London’s Top Dog Is In New York: HOT

Laughing DOG Gallery: Living In Style With Big

PETER CLARK’S DOGS: Artistic Collage

How Designers Decorate with Their Own Dog’s Portraits:

Artistic Hound: JAMES CORBETT’S DOGS

DOGS, Design & Monkey Business on OWN TV’s Home Takeover with Simon & Tomas. Episode 3: Safari in the Suburbs.

Did you catch Sunday’s episode of Home Takeover with Simon & Tomas this weekend?

Designing Dogs Simon & Tomas

Image: Oprah Winfrey Network & IDH

Home Takeover is a new series on the Oprah Winfrey Network starring Swedish Interior Designers Simon Davies & Tomas Cederlund and their little Interior Design Hounds:

Jack Russell Terriers, Percy & Pooter.

Simon & Tomas solve design crimes and in this week’s episode, Safari in the Suburbs, the decorating crimes add up to a felony offense:

Count 1: Caught red handed using stuffed toys as a living room accessory.

Count 2: Exceeding accepted noise decibels with monkey sound effects.

Count 3: Violating the trash statute using garden refuse as a home accent.

Count 5: Exceeding the viewing limit of DIY shows for crafty ideas.

Count 6: Failure to operate tools without proper supervision.

Count 7: Impersonating an Interior Designer.

Book ‘em boys.

Before Pictures: African Safari Room

Images: Home Takeover OWN TV

Which brings me to the guilty party: Fred & his wife Barbara.

Barbara is not really guilty, but she is certainly an accomplice to the decorating crimes.

Simon & Tomas should have asked Oprah to call Dr. Phil for assistance on this case.

Fred’s lovely wife Barbara is what the doctor would call an enabler. She blindly supports and even encourages all the man’s DIY decorating. Oh, Barbara…

Images: Home Takeover OWN TV

Fred considers himself a designer, and he’s been busy creating a Safari in the Suburbs of Southern California. Yes, I know…Orange County is quite the wild jungle. Anybody that watches Bravo TV knows that.

He:

I like monkeys. My monkeys are special to me.

Yooooo-Hooooo, Doctor Phil!

She: I don’t like Monkeys.

Image: Home Takeover , Simon & Tomas

Design Clients: Fred & Barbara

Here’s just one example of Fred’s idea of an “African Safari” designer touch: Beanie-baby looking monkeys swinging from trees in his living room.

They’re not really trees, they’re dead branches from the neighbor’s yard. Simon disdainfully calls them garden refuse in his British lilt.

And the pièce de la résistance? The screeching monkey sounds the chimps make when you squeeze them. You can listen for yourself here.

This apparently is music to Fred’s ears; just look at the man’s smile!

Yooooo-Hooooo, Doctor Phil!

Simon & Tomas Monkey Around

Images: Interior Design Hound

You know what that say about a Dog’s sixth sense, right? Well, Simon had to drag his Dog Percy into Fred’s house by the leash!

Simon: When your Jack Russell lies down on the floor and wants to play dead, you know there are going to be additional problems.

I dunno…maybe THIS had something to do with the Dog’s reaction:

Image: Home Takeover . Simon & Tomas

Simon’s take on the King of the Jungle?

Simon: It really is road kill.

Designer Jack Russell Terrier Pooter

Image: Simon Davies & Tomas Cederlund

Maybe you noticed one of Fred’s pieces of handiwork in the evidence mug shot at the foot of the bed.

The wood contraption is Fred’s idea of a multi-purpose piece of motion furniture.

Fred ~~upholstered~~ threw a couple of pieces of egg-crate foam on the top of the thing, followed by a towel. (There’s a reason they call it convoluted foam.)

Image: Oprah Winfrey Network & IDH

According to Fred, it is a great for storage.

Fred built the trunk to sit on. He pulls out the board he attached with a hinge, puts his feet up and watches TV on his “home theatre.”

Yooooo-Hooooo, Doctor Phil!

The Interior Designers’ take on Fred’s handiwork?

Simon: It’s a Spanish instrument of torture.

Tomas: I think we should hide his tools…this man should NOT be doing DIY.

Simon: (to Fred) You are as MAD as a hatter!

After the couple leaves, Simon & Tomas actually sit on the thing while pondering their design scheme for the Master Bedroom.

Fred’s trunk implodes.

In what has to be a television first for a design show, here is the Interior Designers’ response:

Simon & Tomas: Bleeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Have you EVER heard a Bleep on a decorating show in America?

Home Takeover with Simon & Tomas is definitely NOT your average decorating show. It’s bleeping hilarious!

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the reasons I find the Home Takeover TV show so refreshing is that Simon & Tomas do not try to “makeover” the homeowners.

The Interior Designers always respect their TV clients and their design preferences….

Home Takover with Simon and Tomas African Chic Decorating Modern African Safari Decorating

Images: Home Takeover OWN TV

Fred & Barbara wanted an African Safari inspired home and Simon & Tomas obliged. When creating a design solution for the couple’s Den and Master Bedroom,

Tomas asked: How can we bring in Fred’s personality in a stylish way?

Their solution was to create an African Safari look with rich, earthy tones to evoke the colors of Africa.

Hmmmmm…those colors look familiar:

African Wild Dogs. Image: National Geographic

The Interior Designers purchased authentic, vintage African accessories to add a “Safari” touch to the home while adding texture & interest to the painted walls.

The handmade, leather trimmed, Fulani hats were woven of fiber in Mali to be worn by during social gatherings or celebrations. Simon & Tomas hung them on the wall.

Simon & Tomas also purchased singing drums from Nigeria to hang on the soaring walls in the Den.

Decorating with African Accessories

Images: Home Takeover, Simon & Tomas

Fred & Barbara were delighted. You can watch the big reveal to Simon & Tomas’s Master Bedroom & Den makeover here.

Eboni, the couple’s beautiful daughter, was embarrassed to have friends over before the Home Takeover with Simon & Tomas. Here’s what she thought of their design makeover:

Eboni: Sick. (That’s a compliment.) My parent’s Master Bedroom is ridiculous! (That’s also a compliment.) I’m sooooo jealous!