After 28-year-old artist Nathan Janes adopted his first dog, Button, he was prompted to revamp his style and subject of artwork.
“I was doing realistic wildlife,” Janes said. “I wanted to change into something more bright and colorful, now dogs are my main subject of choice to project my voice on canvas. One of the subjects I like to express is the prevention of cruelty to animals.”
He coined term for his particular style of work “Pop Arf,” which is pop art with a canine twist. Since embarking on the stylistic change three years ago, Janes said he’s received international attention for his craft, and his work has appeared in publications from as far away as the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia.
“With my dog paintings there’s been a lot of interest and it’s been growing more and more everyday,” he added. Janes said his artwork did not receive significant attention prior to the crossover.
In his most recent work, entitled “One Nation Under Dog,” the essence of the work combines the phrase “all dogs go to heaven” with his interest in monastery icon artwork, says Janes.
“I pulled them together to mix our world with the dogs, and converge the two,” James explained. The picture depicts a dog dressed in clothing typical in monastery-style artwork with a halo circling his head.
“This style is, for me, what I’ve grown into,” he said. “I’ve realized it’s my style and it’s most original to me.”
The Port Clinton, Ohio, resident has created close to 30 paintings in the last three years, one of which pictures a dog wearing an “adopt me” vest that has been used by animal rescue organizations to promote animal adoptions. To view Janes’ artwork, visit www.poparf.com.