Danger Dog Blog

White Labrador Retreivers from Nepal

Louis the White Labrador Retreiver by Sagar    (enamel on metal 12"x12") 2008 Available

Louis is a handsome Labrador Retreiver, painted here by Sagar of Surya Studios.   His name tag has becomes Sagar's signature, Japanese writing that means 'ocean' - as does Sagar in Nepali.

Barney the White Lab by Sanjib Rana (enamel on metal 12"x15") 2011 Available

Barney at the Wedding is a dramatic rendition of an Enlightened Dog.   Barney is one of those dogs that everyone loves, with his wagging tail and bright smile.    I think that Sanjib captured him well.

Puppy Gus with a soccer ball by Megh Raj Thapa  (enamel on metal 12"x12") 2009 Available

Gus the Puppy and his favorite toy captures the sweet nature of this dog.  

Gus the White Lab by Baba (enamel on metal 12"x12") 2009 Available

Gus is all grown up in this portrait by Baba.   The Nepali script reads:  "Dharma Kukor" or "Religious Dog".

If you would like a portrait of your own pet, now is the time to order.  Contact me at ampage1@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

 

More available Labrador Retreivers on Nepal Dog's YouTube Channel.  

Nepal Art Dogs is a Fair Trade Art project that promotes the endangered signboard artists of Nepal.   With over 2000 pieces commissioned in 4 years, the Danger Dogs have made a difference in the lives of many artists.   I decided to concentrate on pets as there was a tradition in Nepal already of 'Beware of Dog' signs and I knew that people would like them.   These are truly fine artists whose livelihood is disappearing at an alarming rate.

On my most recent trips to Nepal, the Danger Dog commissions were the only art these artists were still hand painting -- all their other work was done from a mass-produced image, often printed on plastic flex.  

You can help by ordering a custom portrait of your pet.   Each signboard is approximately one  square foot, synthetic enamel on metal.   Each commission will be given to at least 3 signboard artists -- giving 3 people work, you a choice of 3 signs and museum shops Nepali folk art.  

No money accepted up front.   If you don't like any of your paintings, you pay nothing.   All artists are paid fair trade wages.

For pet lovers who collect art and would like to make a difference.

Micro-finance through art patronage.   

For cats, horses, ferrets, birds, hamsters, etc, please go to NepalDog.com for more examples.

If you would like to see a particular breed, please contact me at ampage1@gmail.com.  

 

 

O Canada! Canadian Danger Dogs

Makandal the Haiti Rescue Dog by Amar Shrestha, 2007 SOLD

Makandal emigrated from Haiti to Canada.   Mak`s full name is Makandal, who was the slave that perfected the art of poisoning the white masters and started the revolution!   I'm betting he enjoyed Canada.   Amar did a fine job on this one.

Batboy the Mastiff by Dilip Niroj 2010 Available    

Batboy is a (waning?) Canadian dog.   A huge enlightened Mastiff, I hope he is having a good time this  Canada Day.

Batboy the Mastiff by Baba 2010 Available

From the same photo as above, here we have Batboy by the always fabulous Baba.   The signboard is signed Surya as it came from the Surya Studio in Kathmandu.

Bruiser the Stinky Dog by Ram Krishna 2010 available

Apparently Bruiser smells!   So much so that he got the Enlightened Stinky Dog treatment.   Ram Krishna captured his sidelong glance.  He also lives in Canada.

Bruiser the Stinky Dog by Sufraj Khadka 2010 Available

Both of Bruiser's Nepali script translate as 'Dharma Dog' (religious Dog).

Flick the Golden Retriever by Jit Gurung 2008 Available

This portrait of Flick is a particular favorite of mine.   I was told that Flick 'would not say boo to a ghost' (a Canadian phrase?) and they did not choose this one as he looks a bit crazed.   However, it is another of my favorites.  He appears to be watching ants.

Duke the White Lab by Baba 2011 Available

Duke, while technically NOT a Canadian, is owned by one, so this charming portrait is included here.  

Duke the White Labrador by Sagar 2011 Available

Duke here is decidedly more menacing.   As a matter of fact, the owner chose the portrait that most captured his sweet nature.   Here Duke looks a bit like Humphrey Bogart as a dog.   Sagar enjoys painting exotic backgrounds on some pieces.   Is that an apparition in the background?

Hope all of my Canadian friends are enjoying their day off!  

These paintings are part of the Nepal Art Dog fair trade art project.   These talented signboard artists are losing work to digital graphic designers and rarely hand-paint signs now.  

HOW TO ORDER

To order your own pet as a Nepal Art Dog, please send me a photo of your pet.   I will give it to three different artists, giving you a choice of paintings and three people will get work.   Each painting is about one square foot and is on metal with synthetic enamel paint.   These can be hung indoors or out, be framed or unframed.

Satisfaction is guaranteed as I accept no money up front.   If you do not like one of the three, you pay nothing, and the 3 artists are paid in full in any case.   Let me know what you want it to say and that's it!

Send your photo to ampage1@gmail.com or find out more at www.NepalDog.com.

Let's keep these artists painting.

ORDERS OPEN FOR NEXT TRIP (OCTOBER, 2011).   I'll be back in early December with your order.

American Dogs = Nepali Jobs.   Micro-finance through art patronage!

 

Goodbye from Dogmandu!

 

 

Pokhara Danger Dogs!

 

This was the happy sight that welcomed me when I came to pick up from Shree.   Here is (from top to bottom) a spec sign that Shree made of the black labrador Leila, an order from a previous trip, a Double Dog of Max and Ernie, and Shree's portrait of Yuki, an Enlightened black and tan Shiba Inu.    Displayed alongside Shree's original art, for all the world to see.

Molly is up top with a rainbow background and Yuki's Westie friend Maggie is painted looking off from her perch over the Hudson.

Next we have the handsome Schnoodle Ernie painted in the mountains of Nepal.   And a reprise of a painting of the always popular Barred Rock hen Sirius Black.   When I came by earlier to drop off Nepali neighbors were snickering at the Dharma Chicken translation.

Next it was on to see Jit Gurung.   As always his portraits of the dogs were fabulous, but he mispelled the Tailwaggers Dog!   Tailwaggers is a store in Los Angeles (on Bronson) featuring natural pet products, and I will have the Tailwaffers changed to Tailwaggers!  Above is Jit with Logan the german shepherd, a Tailwaggers mascot.

As always, Jit forgot to sign his art.  On top is Danger Dog Zach.

Here is the final trilogy of the three Tailwaggers Dogs - Buddy, Dexter and Logan by Jit Gurung.

This is Leila, a beautiful dog from the Pacific Palisades by Jit Gurung.   Again Jit substitutes the G for an F, making Leila an Enlifhtened Dog.

Surprisingly, one of my more stable artists, Santosh, was not finished even though I gave him 2 weeks to complete the 6 Danger Dog portraits and I returned after 3 and a half weeks.   Maybe it has something to do with the Kurt Kobain t-shirt?   Is he trying to tell me something?  Here he is with his wife and a not-quite-dry portrait of the lovely Lhasa Apso mix Max.

I knew something was up when I saw 4 Danger Dog portraits drying in the sun outside his shop.   Left to right we have BatBoy with a yellow background, Maggie the White Westie, Ernie the Schnoodle and the first Awesome Dog Ozzie as works in progress.    The Digital Store signboard at top is made of flex plastic and is less than a year old.   Faded and damaged by holes, these 'new and improved' signs are  the traditional hand-painted colorful signboards on metal's replacements.

It is still not too late to order a signboard for this trip.   But time is running out.   Send me a photo of your pet and I will give that photo to 3 Nepali signboard artists - giving you 3 choices and 3 struggling artists work.  I pay fair trade wages and there is no risk to you as I take no money up front.   Satisfaction guaranteed - no bad karma here.

Send your photos to me at ampage1@gmail.com or go to NepalDog.com for more information.

They make the perfect gift for the pet lovers in your life.

 

 

 

The first Danger Dogs work-in-progress

This is always an exciting time for me in Kathmandu.   I should be picking up the first signs in a couple of days and meantime I get to see the work in progress.

 
These two beauties by Amar Shrestha are Happy Dogs.   You can tell by that irrepressible tail on the left hand dog!   These are a work in progress and I can't wait to see the final.

 
I stopped by Megh Raj's studio a few days early and was rewarded by these portraits of Dexter and the 4 Labradors in the hatch back.  

 
Logan and Buddy are two more Shepherd Danger Dogs by Megh Raj.

 
I saw this handsome 'Beware of Dog' sign on my walk home.

If you would like your pet's portrait painted on metal by these struggling Nepali signboard artists, please send me a photo of your pet to ampage1@gmail.com.   I will give that photo to 3 artists, giving you a choice of 3 and 3 artists work at the same time.   You pay nothing if you do not like any of your portraits of your pet.   The artists are paid fair trade wages for all work whether you buy their art or not.   

They make the perfect gift.   Order by August 1, 2010 for this trip.

The Nepal Art Dog Fair Trade project promotes the disappearing art of the Nepali signboard.   Micro-finance through art patronage.

I have commissioned more than 1500 pieces -- making a difference in the artists' lives.

Stay tuned, as I will be picking up more signboards tomorrow, hopefully.   Dogmandu!

For more information about the project contact me at ampage1@gmail.com or go to NepalDog.com.

Danger Dogs - Labradors!

In getting ready to show at the Craft and Folk Art Museum next Saturday the 12th of June, I have been going through inventory.    There are some great labradors available. 

 
This is the lovely Bijoux as painted by Ojna.  This is on a particularly heavy piece of metal and is a good example of a smiling lab.   Krishna Ojna is a professor of Economics when he is not painting Danger Dogs, and he is the brother of another of the Danger Dog artists - Hari Timsina.

 
This is Hari Timsina's portrait of Millie the Chocolate Lab.   I only found out that Krishna and Hari were brothers at the exhibit of signboard art that I curated in Kathmandu in November 2007.  

 
Jack Frost the lab has an eerie glow in his Dharma Dog portrait by Hari Prasad.  

To see other available Labrador Retreivers, please go to the NepalDog Channel on YouTube here:  

We are off on the 7th Danger Dog trip to Nepal soon and will be ordering more of these Beware of Dog signs from Kathmandu and Pokhara.  The time to order is now.

These make the perfect gift for dog lovers who collect art and would like to make a difference in someone's lives.

All commissions will receive 3 portraits of their pet by 3 different endangered Nepali signboard artists.   I take no payment up front, and you pay nothing if you do not like any of the portraits.   The artists are all paid fair trade wages in any case.

All signboards are approximately one foot square, painted on recycled metal with synthetic enamel and can be hung indoors or out.

Please contact me at ampage1@gmail.com for more information and check out the Nepal Art Dog website at NepalDog.com to learn more.