Pet Portraits in Gulfport Raise Money for Local Animal Rescues

Dogs are welcome and seen many places in Gulfport, tucked under tables at outdoor restaurants, browsing the Fresh Market with their people, and playing at the dog park. Soon more dogs will be seen downtown . . . on the buildings.

One brush stroke at time a pair of local artists, working from photos, are adding dogs to bare walls around town. Friday artist Anna Hamilton’s canvas was the deep brown siding of Domain Home Accessories, tucked behind plants by the front door. Holding a photo in one hand and a brush in the other, Hamilton traced a creamy outline of Liz Wood’s beloved Chihuahua. The rescued dog’s penetrating eyes emerged as Hamilton added earthy tones. In about an hour Bandit was on the building just to the side of the door as if he were waiting to head inside.

The Gulfport Pet Art Project is a collaborative effort coordinated by Murals for Mutts, Inc., which was founded in late 2010. The non-profit campaign raises money for animal welfare by painting pet portraits and pet murals in communities around the country. The Gulfport Pet Art Project will raise money for Limbo Chihuahuas-Chihuahua Rescue and Save Our Strays, Inc.

Local businesses donate the wall space. Participating in the Gulfport Pet Art Project was an easy decision said Bobbi Stapleton who owns Domain Home Accessories along with Michael Knettel. Their dog, Bailey, a rescued pit bull and Chihuahua mix will soon be joining Bandit on Domain’s earthy brown exterior. 

Local artist and animal advocate Mary Megan Barrett, who is also painting pet murals in town, approached Domain and several other local businesses to see if they would donate wall space. More wall space is needed. Check out www.muralsformutts.com for more information.

“You can’t not do this—to me it’s a no brainer. For this city it’s a no brainer. We are so pet friendly. You meet so many people when you have a pet. The thing we are proudest of (as a boutique) is all of our original art. We have original works of 83 American artists, 65 of them are from the local area. Having original art on the building is a no brainer,” Stapleton said.

Murals for Mutts came to Gulfport as a result of Barrett’s efforts and requests from people who saw Hamilton’s dog mural in Dunedin.

“I got emails from people saying, ‘Hey, we would love that in Gulfport.’ We got contacted by Barrett.” Hamilton said. “Through Murals for Mutts we could raise money for animal rescues, keep artists working and help promote local businesses. A lot of these animals we memorialize. It means so much for people to see the animal on the wall. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

The Gulfport murals will be all over downtown instead of just one wall like in Dunedin.

“(The pets) are going to be like they are just sitting there. They are going to be everywhere like a little scavenger hunt. This is fun because it involves the whole downtown,” Hamilton said.

Behind Murals for Mutts is the creative team of Hamilton and Dawn Carney. Hamilton considers the Dogedin dog wall on Skip’s Bar & Grill in downtown Dunedin one of her greatest achievements. More than 400 people have donated to have their beloved pets portraits painted on the mural. Carney who has rescued dogs starting with Lucky in the late 1990s has found her niche in artist management and public relations. She volunteers for dog rescue organizations including Dunedin Doggie Rescue. She believes, “service is the rent we pay for living.”

If you would like to see your pet’s portrait on the wall or if you would like to give a portrait as a gift, there are a few ways you can do this: Call (727) 902-1671 or e-mail muralsformutts@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. Or send Murals for Mutts a check and copies of your pet’s photos: PO Box 2696, Dunedin, Florida 34697. Pricing is $100 per pet.