I am Alice

About ten years ago, Jo—my partner—made a convincing case that our lives were missing something big: a dog. I wasn’t so sure. To me, a dog meant responsibility, muddy paw prints, chewed-up shoes, and less freedom. As kids, my brother and I begged our parents for a puppy. We got a Beagle named Bengi. Beagles are cute but a lot of work, and the novelty quickly wore off. Benji was returned to the original owners a few months later. That was the end of pets for our family.

But after plenty of good-natured back-and-forth, Jo won me over. Before long, Alice the Labradoodle landed in our lives, literally—she arrived by plane from Christchurch, a little fluff ball begging for cuddles.

Now, she might have been a Labradoodle on paper, but in her heart, she was pure Labrador. Which basically meant one thing: she wanted to eat everything. Tennis balls didn’t last long. She’d gnaw on one spot until the fuzzy green “skin” gave way, her own version of victory. Bright rubber bouncy balls? Alice would chew these balls, which would show up later in her poop like odd little treasures. And crumbs on the floor? Forget it—we never needed a vacuum. Alice had that job covered.

She wasn’t always an angel, though. As a puppy, she once got her teeth into a prop I’d made for my painting, Follow Me—The Hand of Godzilla. Poor Godzilla didn’t stand a chance.

Her absolute favourite toy, though, has always been her Kong. She quickly learned that when the coffee machine fires up in the morning, treats are on the horizon. She trots over with Kong in her mouth, ready for her share. The deal seems to be three treats for her, three single-shot coffees for me—any more, and I struggle to paint a straight line.

I never planned to paint animals, but Alice had other ideas. Sometimes she’d flop down or strike a pose that was just too good not to capture. She became a muse in the middle of the chaos, reminding me that life is messy and unpredictable—and that’s what makes it beautiful.

One of my favourite memories is a photo Jo snapped of Alice watching me paint, her eyes locked on me, like she was silently cheering me on. That moment, and so many others, made their way onto canvas.

• Fetch (2013)
• Dream Job (2016)
• Obsession (2017)
• Chilling Out (2020)
• What Now? (2022)
• Temptation (2023)
• Daydreaming (2024)

What started as “just getting a dog” turned into so much more. Alice became family—a source of laughter, inspiration, and endless love. She’s the puzzle piece that makes our home feel complete.​

54 Obsession

Oil on fine portrait linen: 95 x 125 cm; 37.4 x 49.21 in (Sold)

83 Daydreaming

Oil on fine portrait linen: 95 x 180 cm; 37.4 x 70.86 in (Sold)