INTRODUCTION
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Pablo Picasso
There’s something universally uplifting about childrens’ drawings. They make us smile, laugh, and re-con- nect with a less self conscious time - an antidote to busy, rule filled adult life! And dog drawings, well we think they are even more joyful! Flying dogs, dogs in space, stripey dogs - spontaneous and fun, they remind us of the everyday magic of creativity. We were all children once, and we all made marks that were instinctive and our own. When we launched this competition we did not expect to receive 700 entries. We’ve been blown away by the imagination and creativity of all the children who drew their own dogs, imaginary dogs, whatever dogginess came to mind. Every entry that appeared sparked joy, engagement and often laughter. When we started to see so many of them together within the book layout, the sheer number was a reminder of the limitless quality of creativity. Each of these doggy drawings reveal personal stories and tell us about how children see and feel their world and of course their canine companions! Children’s author and illustrator Catherine Rayner bravely took up the challenge of judging the entries and choosing winners and runners up from each age category. The gallery team have also selected a group of their favourites to display in the gallery. Each of us - Catherine and all four gallery staff - had completely different favourites and the exercise soon grew beyond the competition as we realised that each entry formed a part of the bigger picture. This book features all of the entries - we hope - and it is a showcase of creativity, humour and imagina- tion. Turn the page, smile, laugh. And maybe pick up a pencil and draw a dog of your own! A big thank you to all the children who took part - we hope that you keep making marks and watch as your world appears on the page. Have fun, make, play, visit galleries, use whatever materials you can find!
Eileadh Swan Gallery Director
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker