A laneway fence off East Sixth Avenue in New Westminster is going to the dogs, one brush stroke at a time.
“He’s my inspiration, my dog Smyth. We walk down this lane almost every day,” said artist Margaret Halsey.
When Halsey noticed several months ago that the fence was newly painted, she felt it needed another coat and decided to ask the property owner if she could add a canine canvas. Alice Obermajer was more than happy to offer up her fence for pet portraits and even had her own dog pose for the first panel. “I love it. I love the fence,” she said.
The pooch art quickly caught on and soon more than 20 dogs lined the fence. That’s when Halsey thought she would further the cause for charity. She approached BC & Alberta Guide Dogs and the ‘Dogs of Sixth’ is now a fundraiser for something close to her heart. “My niece who has a daughter who is on the autism scale so to me, it’s a really important cause,” said Halsey.
For a minimum $50 donation, pet owners can immortalize their best friends in print and help raise money for guide dog services. Eighty per cent of the money raised from the dog fence portraits will go towards raising and training autism support dogs and guide dogs. It costs upwards of $30,000 to raise and train each service canine and the wait list is long, so BC & Alberta Guide Dogs appreciates the public support.
“What could be better than these canines who touch so many of our lives sharing their eyes with a human being who’s unable to see. It just spoke to me,” said Merilee Howley, who’s supporting the cause with three of her dogs adorning the fence.
The East Sixth Avenue fence has now reached its threshold for pet portraits and Halsey is looking for another fence to design more dog art. And yes, cats are allowed too.
“I’m just so happy, so honoured she wanted to do it on my fence,” said Obermajer.