Silky Silver (photo courtesy of Debbie Ecarius). Silver’s grave marker is local granite rock found in that heart shape, carved and color filled.   These local rocks were carved; some were color filled.

The very recent passing of our last dog Silver had me dwelling on the unconditional love and devotion our four-legged companions give so freely to us, and how much they are really part of our families. This was very much true for our three dogs; I am not discounting cats by any means, but we had dogs. There was The Gypsy Queen, the Chow mix everyone was afraid of because of her ferocious looks with all that fur, but who, when it came right down to it, would butt up against any stranger with pleading eyes which were saying: pet me, just pet me, and you can take anything you want from here.

She was the first one to just show up one day and adopt us, closely followed by the Two Boys, also known as the Nippers, for their habit of nipping at our heels in lieu of non-existing cattle. What is an Australian Blue Heeler to do when there are no cattle? Herd people, of course. The two were brothers from different litters, and Norm was adamant about not adopting them at first, so we simply called them Whitey and Silver because of their coloring and to not make it too personal. But they kept hanging out, and when the first snow fell that winter and we awoke to four pairs of pointed ears shivering in front of the door sidelight, they made it inside, and that was that.

Many of you got to experience them, and especially the “boys” were wherever Norm was. Well, Whitey or The Mighty Whitey passed away a month after Norm and a bout with cancer. So only Silver remained, who was even more so Norm’s dog than any had been. He stayed with me, and we became inseparable. Last year he too was diagnosed with lymphoma and he put up a great fight, until May 24th. He helped me through these rough times and now is with his beloved “Dad” once more. I guess I do not have to say more to illustrate why these creatures are so dear to all of us.

Naturally we like to let others know which pets we have, and we also like to spoil them in turn. So it does not take a whole lot of imagination to come up with products that honor our pets in some way, be it in a whimsical fashion or in a more serious way. And actually, I probably should not limit the topic to the two main pets: dogs and cats. People share their lives with so many other animals that the topic is virtually endless, so it seems. It started me thinking of various students we have had in the past, who ended up specializing in one of these directions. Most of these etchers have affiliations with specific clubs and/or breeders which have shows and competitions, which require awards, some of them nationwide.

This is, of course, a good business opportunity and can keep you busy a good portion of the year. You may even enjoy traveling to various shows and offer some standard products onsite. We have had former students who attend these shows with already finished items, but take orders, to students who set themselves up with travel trailers including equipment, and were/are able to personalize items right there and then. There are always treat and food containers that can be decorated with generic images and later personalized with the pet’s name. There are always water and food bowls that need decorating and not just items for the pet, but rather for the doting pet owner. From dinnerware to drinking cups and glasses, both in ceramic or glass, are coveted items.

We have also created ornaments or sun catchers with images of generic breeds, but have also personalized them to reflect a specific pet. These will always make terrific gifts around Christmas time. Another way we have used the crystal ornaments is to bead a necklace-type suspension for it, which people here in the Southwest like to hang from their rearview mirrors, or actually wear them as necklaces, or use them as a Talisman in their Nicho. A Nicho is a recessed area within a wall that is often used as an altar or shrine here in the Southwest.

Some people even take the personalization a little farther. I remember one client couple who asked me to draw their specific shepherd so we could represent him on two door panels which would lead from the kitchen to the dining area. The two door panels were executed in the shading technique and incorporated into their coat of arms. You may find quite a few clients who are that much into their respective pets and have the means to have you create a special project for them. This is often very true for people in the horse world. After all, when you spend tens of thousands of dollars on such an animal, it is no surprise that there is the wish to preserve its likeness in such a way. So instead of becoming the “court painter” you could easily become the “court etcher” and portray specific horses, or cats or whatever animal you find yourself drawn to.

Both of these items are surface etched.

One should also not neglect to think of all the etched items that can be made for fundraisers. Almost all clubs, but especially many non-profit organizations who work to help animals in need, depend almost entirely on donations to make it through their fiscal year. Again, this can range from small items to more elaborate artwork-type items. We have done a carved panel at one time for a Greyhound rescue organization, who auctioned the piece off as a fundraiser for their organization.

Then, of course, we come to the end of the line as well. When our beloved critters leave us, we usually take care of them as we would any family member. And so, there are also opportunities to use our techniques to create a wonderful memorial to our friends. In case of cremation, we have had a fellow glass blower create an urn and then etch it with whatever the owner wished. Often we are asked to blast a headstone or a marker for the beloved pet, which can be placed anywhere in a garden, even if you did not bury the pet there; this way the pet will be remembered while you are sitting under a favorite tree and gazing at the marker.

I know I have all three of our guys buried at home, on a hillside where they all used to lay and peer downhill in hopes of catching a rabbit or any other possible intruder to their kingdom. There are some rocks with paw prints etched into them and color filled, as well as rocks with words, such as Peace and Love and Faith. The house and the shop are awfully quiet now, and I still catch myself expecting to hear the patter of their feet on the tile floors or the tinkling of their dog tags against the water bowl rim when they drink, but they are no more. They had a good life, and I hope to join Norm and the gang someday. So long.

© Ruth L Dobbins 2010 all rights reserved