What is the most popular dog in New York?
Unbeknownst to artist Sally French, a Feb. 26 New York Post article stated it’s the French bulldog. That’s the breed of her son’s dog, Sunny (short for Sunflower), one of the inspirations of her monoprints on display with works by Kandi Everett at the "Sweet + Salty" exhibit at Koa Art Gallery.
"I just decided to riff on the Frenchie," French said, noting that French bulldogs are born without tails.
While observing Sunny, French wondered whether he would know how to wag a tail if he had one.
Could he "learn how to wag … the sideways wag, the roundabout?"
She also pondered whether he would know how to sit with a tail.
With that in mind, French tried to attach a tail to Sunny, but when that didn’t work she relied on her imagination and created a line of monoprints that show Sunny with and without his strap-on tail.
‘SWEET + SALTY’
Works by Kandi Everett and Sally French
>> On exhibit: Through April 16; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays >> Where: Koa Art Gallery, Kapiolani Community College, 4303 Diamond Head Road >> Info: 734-9374 or online at koagallery.kcc.hawaii.edu
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Her other animal-inspired pieces include her dog Einstein, who died last spring from lupus, and her daughter’s mixed-breed, Baby.
But animals are not the only subject that inspire French. Her four-part "Self-Discovery" series "addresses the developmental stages of self-awareness." Each work focuses on a stage of life — "The Me Years," "Back to Nature," "The Blame Years" and "The Sexual Years."
French has also directed her artistic skills to hot-button issues such as the fight against GMOs.
"I’m involved in that fight and my work shows it," French said. "Unfortunately, it shouldn’t be a fight. We should all be for the well- being of our people."
French keeps a busy schedule. It’s a bit of a challenge at age 67, but she just keeps going.
Besides working on her own art, French hosts fellow artists at her residential art studio in Kalaheo, Kauai, called the Double Dog Dare Studio.
Earlier this month, she and fellow Kauai artist Bruna Stude had a booth at New York’s Armory Week, "the art world’s Fashion Week," according to the Huffington Post.
"It was grueling. It was a hard push but our booth looked fabulous," said French.
And in a couple of weeks she will be in Denver to teach at the Denver School of the Arts.
But for now she is giving her full attention to the Koa Gallery exhibit.
"I think this series, for the most part, you’re walking into riffs … riffs on tails. You sort of improvise and play along," she said. "(I had) one idea of the poodle tail that led to another idea, and I just sort of ran with it and let one idea lead to the next based on my family of dogs."