Black Dog is a series inspired by the first dog in the series Bagheera, a young Belgian Malinois. As a competitive sports dog Bagheera is an amazing animal, fast, powerful, clever, inquisitive and dynamic in every way. Watching her train I was struck by her as an image of doggy perfection and had an idea to put her on a pedestal to celebrate this. At the same time I had tale of the Black Cat in a dark room at night in my head that set me off painting some flats black and beginning the Black Dog project. The project aims to look at all types, sizes, and breeds of Black Dog in an acknowledgement of the human / canine bond, the reverence we place upon this and that all dogs are perfect to someone.