Pup Art

The Annapolis, Maryland-based artist’s affinity for animals comes naturally. Growing up, her Mom was (and still is) involved in training Bloodhounds for search and rescue. “To say we were a dog family would be putting it mildly. Not everybody can live with Bloodhounds,” laughs JJ.

As an adult, JJ spent several years as the PR Manager of first the Maryland Zoo and then the National Aquarium in Baltimore. “I think having spent so much time around animals, learning about them and appreciating them and the conservation efforts around their preservation has given me a unique background in animal appreciation,” she says.

Today, she starts every day in her studio with her mixed breed pup, Ruby. “At the start of 2018 I gave myself permission to paint only my favourite subjects and not worry about whether or not anyone else liked the art,” she says. “My business took off.”

Unreined, what she produced was often food-themed and frequently whimsical, like a pigeon with a ramen nest on his head. Her work is now collected, found in public and private collections around the world, and licensed by companies like Bed, Bath and Beyond. When she’s not in her studio, she can be found at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery where she oversees the drawing programs.

Her animal portraits tend to combine respect with her signature adornment: hats. “When you add a food crown or hat, there’s an attitude involved which makes that painting so much more personal,” says JJ. “I also don’t ever mock the animals. I show them in a way that makes the ridiculous food ‘hats’ seem perfectly normal.”

Your dog could be featured in one of JJ’s delightful paintings. Commissioned portraits start at $350—an incredible gift for yourself or a fellow dog lover—and prints are also available through jjgalloway.com.