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The Joy of Pets - the ramblings of an Animal Portrait Artist. 

When I was younger my family were once the proud and somewhat bewildered owners of a wonderfully eccentric Sussex Spaniel called Charlie. Anyone acquainted with these rare traditional sporting dogs knows as well as I how downright odd they are. And Charlie was no different. Despite his pedigree, he was a home-loving boy, and would only go for walks when it suited him, which is to say, when he knew it was late, I would be tired, and we wouldn't go far! He was prone to sulking, and could be downright antisocial, inclined to growl at anyone who came within sniffing distance of whatever gnarled sodden thing he had taken a fancy to that day; he took pleasure in ignoring other dogs' attentions; he seemed, when not asleep, to be in an almost constant state of high anxiety, and his ears smelled funny. But I wouldn't have had him any other way. His personality was like that of one's oldest, best friend; the one you know will always be there for you when you need it most; the one who's company never spoils, in fact, who's company only gets better with time. I cherished him.

Sadly, the day came when his grumpy little puffs of disdain quietened down for the last time. My family were saddened beyond belief, but had recently, before he passed away, commissioned a portrait of him for the sitting-room. It was at this time that I suddenly realised its value. For days afterwards I would gaze at this image, and became entranced by the way the mere lines and layers of grey pencil had coalesced into the very embodiment of Charlie's character. I began to draw my own copies of it, and gradually I developed a style of my own with which I drew no end of animals and people. 

Nowadays, I am an animal portrait artist, and I am still a pet-lover. I have a wonderful Westie called Gulliver, and I should like very much to remember him forever. And so I draw him. Drawing is a therapy; it is a veritable pleasure, and it enables one to see everything more clearly, but the best thing about drawing Gully is that he will always be with me. In years to come, I hope I will look upon these unique drawings and a vivid happiness will lift my spirits. 

Now then, I am sure that you too will have a pet, and I know that to you, he or she will be the Best in the World. You will love them like family. So what better way to preserve the personality and character of your best friend than with a unique drawing? Photographs are two-a-penny, but an artwork, even if inspired by a photograph, is an altogether different thing. It has a certain weight. It is crafted. It will be looked after forever, and it will be framed and put in pride of place for people to admire for years to come.  And it will not be the drawing, but the memories it evokes, that will be treasured. 

I am an animal portrait artist based in Brighton, England, and I have been commissioned to produce drawings of pets for many years. Some of the responses to my artworks have moved me greatly over this time, and I am always amazed at how appreciative people are of my work. It is a privilege to be able to draw animals, and I would consider it an honour to draw yours. If you would like to know more, please contact me at jamesarguile@googlemail.com or phone 07816 124094. 

www.jamesarguile.com

Animal Portrait Artist

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