The Swindogs Have Their Artists! - The Big Dog Art Trail

The Swindogs have their artists!

Date published: 8 February 2023

FINAL ARTISTS

The Big Dog Art Trail has reached an exciting milestone as the final artists, and their Swindog designs, have been chosen. At the end of 2022, more than 200 fantastic designs were shortlisted to 60 and now the final 30 designs have been chosen.

A pack of 30 Swindogs – larger than life balloon dog sculptures – are set to be unleashed across Swindon during the summer of 2023. The uniquely decorated sculptures will create the UK’s first-ever balloon dog art trail and will raise essential funds for the local children’s hospice charity, Julia’s House.

TALENTED MUM & SON DUO

The final list includes artists from Swindon and nearly a third are from the South West.  Among the Swindog artists are Judy and Morgan Guillery, a mum and son duo from Mouldon View in Swindon.

Judy, age 45, runs Judee Tree Art and has been involved in various art projects in Swindon. She likes to include typography in her artwork along with a positive message.  Judy’s design is inspired by nature and growth and she has named it Love Grows.  She also wanted her design to reflect her art journey which began with family trees, hence Judee Tree Art. Judy hopes her sculpture will bring happiness to children when they discover it along the trail.

The Swindon Advertiser, the trail’s media partner, invited their younger readers to create a design for the Swindog they’re sponsoring. Morgan, aged 12, had his design selected as the winner and will now paint his striking design onto one of the huge balloon dog sculptures. Morgan’s art already has a following on social media and he worked with his mum Judy on a mural for his primary school, St Mary’s in Swindon. Morgan has always been technically minded and enjoys tinkering with mechanisms. He often includes mechanical elements in his drawings and Swindon’s steam heritage inspired his Steam Punk style design.

Judy says, “Morgan and I are both over the moon!  We’re so excited to be part of The Big Dog Art trail and so very grateful for this amazing opportunity.  I had hoped from the beginning to be a part of it, but to get to do it with my son is more than I could have imagined, what could be more special. We can’t wait to work alongside the other artists and share this wonderful experience. We’re ready to put in the effort to make it really special and hopefully help Julia’s House with their amazing work.

Judy and Morgan will be painting their sculptures, side by side, in the studio space for artists in the GWR carriage works.

DESIGN SELECTION EVENT

The super-sized Swindogs have been sponsored by local companies and the sponsors attended a design selection event where the shortlisted designs were put on display and they had to choose a favourite design for their Swindog.

The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, one of the Swindog sponsors, hosted the design selection event with representatives from headline sponsor Imagine Cruising UK, Swindon Borough Council, Swindon Advertiser, Beard, Intel, Nationwide Building Society, Bespoke Guardian Swindon Wildcats, Jazzbones Creative, Arval UK, Better Link Centre, Telenco and Persimmon Homes.

The event was also attended by Julia’s House Patron Annabel Karmel MBE, a sponsor who will be supporting the trail throughout the year, and Swindon artist Hannah Dosanjh, who designed the first Swindog.

The brilliant and unique Swindog designs are being kept under wraps for now and they’ll be unveiled in the summer.

“We would like to say congratulations to our final artists but also thank you to everyone who submitted a design.  The designs were superb so the sponsors had some difficult decisions to make. Now we have our final 30 designs we can really envisage how amazing the Swindogs will look around Swindon. We’re so grateful for the support from our partners, sponsors, artists and everybody involved in bringing The Big Dog Art Trail to Swindon this summer – the event is going to make a life-changing difference to the local children and families we support.” Martin Edwards, CEO for Julia’s House 

If your company would like to be involved in The Big Dog Art Trail you haven’t missed out just yet, there’s still a handful of Swindogs looking for sponsorship.

Sponsor pack

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

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