Local pooch creating works of art

By MO CRANKER on February 29, 2020.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@MHNmocranker

Megan Bolen and her dog Rogan have a unique hobby.

Bolen recently taught her four-and-a-half-year-old miniature Australian Shepherd how to paint, and it has become a way the pair bonds and has fun together.

“I had actually gone out a few months ago and bought paint so I could do some pieces for around the house – then someone sent me a video of a dog painting as a joke,” said Bolen. “I started training him to see if he could do it and eventually we had a few paintings done.

“Then my friends told me we should sell them – now we’re here.”

Bolen and her partner buy the painting supplies and canvases. They allow Rogan to work when he feels up to it and shows he wants to, then sells the art through their Instagram account. All money raised from the paintings gets donated to local animal organizations.

“Every cent we get from the paintings is donated,” she said. “We’re going to be donating to different organizations in the city.”

Rogan has a basement studio where he paints. He stands on a small platform and holds the brush in his mouth. After a few swipes at the canvas with paint, Bolen will take the brush from him and play with him for a few minutes.

Each painting has up to three colours on it. Rogan has finished 10 paintings so far and has mailed them across North America.

Bolen says she shares a strong bond with her dog, allowing her to train him to paint.

“This is four and a half years of foundation training,” she said. “We do so much together and he learns to do things really quickly.

“He’s only really been holding a paint brush for about a month. It took some pretty consistent training to get him to where he is now with holding the brush, swiping it and standing where he does.”

There is a wait list to get work from Rogan and to date, the dog has raised more than $330 for local not-for-profits.

Bolen added that she will never force Rogan to work if he doesn’t seem up to it. If he seems to lose interest completely, the painting will stop.

“This is totally his choice,” she said. “If he decides he doesn’t want to do this tomorrow, then it’ll be the end of it.

“We’re both having a lot of fun with this – he gets a ton of extra attention from this.”

A painting can be had for a minimum donation of $30.

The dog’s work can be found on Instagram @roganpaints. The pair can also be reached by emailing roganpaints@gmail.com.

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