V an G ogh R eincarnated ? ONE-EARED RESCUE DOG BECOMES MASTER PAINTER
When a one-eared shelter dog in Connecticut struggled to find a new family last year, one of his caretakers had a wild idea: Why not teach him to paint? With help from TikTok and peanut butter, the aptly named Van Gogh became a social media star. “I’d seen TikTok videos of other dogs creating paintings, so why not Van Gogh?” Jaclyn Gartner, the founder of Happily Furever After Rescue, told The Washington Post. “He certainly had the name and the ear for it.” To leverage what she calls Van Gogh’s “fast and creative tongue,” Gartner covered small canvases in dollops of paint, wrapped them in plastic wrap, and slathered them in peanut butter. Then, she presented the treats to the boxer-pit bull mix. He quickly licked the canvases clean, creating his “art” along the way. According to the Post, Van Gogh’s first few paintings flopped — just like the work of the human artist Vincent Van Gogh, who didn’t become famous until after he died in 1890. This star rose thanks
to Jo Van Gogh, the wife of his brother Theo, who advocated for his work after both Theo and Vincent passed away. You could say that Gartner was dog Van Gogh’s Jo because, like the original painter’s, the pup’s art staged a
comeback! After his first “art show” drew just two guests, Gartner started auctioning off his paintings online. His abstract work like “Peacock Swirl” and a rendition of human Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” quickly raised more than $3,000 for Happily Furever After Rescue. As his reputation soared on social media, Van Gogh also found his forever home with shelter volunteer Jessica Starowitz. He now spends his days painting and lounging on the couch. You can follow his exploits on Instagram under the handle @officialvgdog.
B ack on T rack Why Craig Spooner Loves His Work
Paralegal Craig Spooner dreamed of attending law school but found himself sidetracked while attending the University of Northern Florida. As he studied for his degree in criminology and law enforcement, he says he became “interested in the dynamic of offenders and rehabilitation. I fell in love with talking to inmates who wanted to change.” He believed the prison system could offer more and worked as a guard for three years. But Craig eventually realized that changing the prison system was far more challenging than he’d realized. “That’s when I got back on my original path to work in law and make a difference helping people,” Craig says. After moving to Savannah and spending a few months at a personal injury firm, he says, “I fell in love with legal work, drafting the documents, and discovery. I felt like that’s what I should have been doing the whole time.” Craig has been a quick study since joining The Manely Firm in July. “Everything is so detail- oriented, and every case is so different,” he says. “I feel like I’m getting my hands in many different pots. My favorite part is the exposure I’m getting to so many different attorneys, learning their strategies, and understanding how it all works.”
While he thinks the intricacies of the cases are thrilling, Craig also finds fulfillment in helping people. “Some of our clients are in a really bad spot; there might be domestic violence or kids involved. Helping to guide them through the process and transition into the next phase of their lives gives me satisfaction.” Craig was born in England and moved to the U.S. with his mother when he was 16. He later gained his citizenship by serving in the U.S. Navy but tries to return to England once a year. Craig is a health-conscious vegetarian who loves to ride his bike and walk to work every day. “My knees don’t allow me to play soccer anymore,” he says, but he’s interested in becoming a referee or assistant coach. He’s also a huge fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars and tries to catch in-person games as often as possible. “Everyone here has a common goal,” Craig says of The Manely Firm. “You feel that energy when you look around the room. The people here are compassionate, integrity-minded, and easy to talk to. It’s a really good group of people and a nice culture.”
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