MChesworth

Published at 01:00, Monday, 24 April 2006

By Deborah Kuiper

A CUMBRIAN pet portrait artist is appealing for photogenic pigs to paint for a series of commemorative coins.

Animal portrait artist Sally Logue, 48, from Kirkoswald, has been asked to submit pictures of pigs to the New Zealand Mint for a series of coins commemorating the Chinese Year of the Pig. The commission comes after four of her dog portraits were used on similar coins to mark the Chinese year of the dog.

Mrs Logue first heard from the New Zealand Mint last autumn when they phoned her to ask for four dog portraits to go on commemorative coins commissioned by a Russian Banking organisation to mark the Chinese Year of the Dog.

She said: “They had seen my website and asked me if I could provide four portraits.

“The Mint were doing a series of four commemorative coins and wanted to use dogs that would appeal to Russians because they would be sold in Russia.”

At first she thought he was joking, but they spent an hour going through her website choosing dogs that would appeal to the Russian market.

The artist, who accepts commissions from all over the world, was happy that three of the four chosen were from Cumbrian homes.

These were Tara, a Springer Spaniel from Penrith, Trevor a black Labrador from Cumwhitton, and a Newfoundland called Jack from Whitehaven. The fourth dog, a Borzoi, was not from Cumbria.

The limited-edition coins sold out within a month and now Sally is looking for pigs for the next series.

She says the wrinklier the better because it makes them more interesting to draw.

“I don’t really know what kind of pig the New Zealand Mint are looking for, maybe they will be happy with a standard pink pig,” she said.

“When I am drawing dogs I like drawing wrinkly dogs like Boxers, the more detail the better.

“I did a pig portrait for a Cumbrian woman about 10 years ago but I have lost touch with her. Her Vietnamese black pot-bellied pig might be just what they are looking for.

The portraits cost £85 and if the picture is subsequently used for the coins the owner would receive two of the solid silver coins worth £50 each.

To commission a pet portrait visit Sally’s website at www.portraits4pets.com or phone 01768 898495.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk