Kitty Shepherd To Spread Love On The Big Dog Art Trail

Big Dog Art Trail Featured Artist: Kitty Shepherd

Date published: 12 May 2023

At The Big Dog Art Trail, we love all of our artists who bring the Swindogs to life with their wonderful and unique designs.

They come from an array of artistic backgrounds and our latest featured artist, Kitty Shepherd, is no different.

She is an internationally recognised British studio potter and ceramic artist and has brought her talents to the giant fibreglass Swindog sculpture.

Kitty, whose studios are now in Granada, Spain, is sharing the love with her eye-catching design.

With links to Wiltshire, her work has been represented by Messum Wiltshire, a pioneering multi-pupose gallery and arts centre in Tisbury, near Salisbury.

A lot of Kitty’s ceramic work is based on music, popular culture and nostalgia, and she has transferred that to her Swindog called Puppy Love, a nod to Donny Osmond.

The sculpture is covered in hearts on a vivid orange backdrop that stands out from the crowd.

It caught the eye of passers-by in Worthing, West Sussex, when it was being created, as Kitty hosted an open studio at Colonnade House with the window onto the street acting as a gateway into the process.

“Creating a design and working on a huge dog for the art trail has been a very exciting adventure.

“I am a ceramic artist and this was a new experience for me to work with acrylic paints on fiberglass.

“I chose this very visible art gallery space in Worthing to work in knowing that it would attract a lot of attention.

“I didn’t have much time to look up and see what was happening outside and so the evening round of social media viewing for me was a lovely treat to see who came by. The children in particular had parents returning daily to see ‘THE BIG DOG’. 

“It has been a fantastic new experience for me to support a charity in this way.”

Kitty Shepherd, artist

Head shot of Kitty Shepherd

Kitty’s sculpture is one of 30 Swindogs that will feature around Swindon on the trail, which will run from 15 July to 3 September 2023.

A full list of locations has been revealed, with Puppy Love taking pride of place at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet.

“We want to give a heartfelt thank you to Kitty for being a part of The Big Dog Art Trail.

“Her ceramic work is famous around the world and to be able to add her to the artist line-up is a big thing for the trail.

“Her design is stunning and has already proved popular when we have taken it out around Swindon for our promotional shoots.”

Chris Hyde, Project Manager for The Big Dog Art Trail

After the trail is completed, Puppy Love will be up for auction with the other 30 Swindogs, with all money raised going to Julia’s House children’s hospice.

Your donations make a life-changing difference

Julia’s House is your local children’s hospice charity, providing a lifeline of care for the most seriously ill children and their families across Wiltshire and Dorset.

Each family we support is unique and so is the care we provide. When a family finds out that their child has a very serious medical condition their world falls apart. Julia’s House exists to help these children and their families.

Find out more about Julia’s House
Isabella with Julia's House Team Nurse Molly
Sculptures Artists App Charity