The Canine-Inspired Art Of South Florida "Dog Artist" Skip Hartzell

‘Swimmer #2’, Flashe on Canvas, 72 x 72 Inches

Skip Hartzell is known in South Florida as “the dog artist”, but Skip’s dogs are not ordinary dogs. Don’t look for portraits of your pooch or pictures of dogs playing cards, you won’t find them in Skip’s repertoire. The artwork he creates of man’s best friend are figments of his artistic imagination and creative vision. His inspiration comes in the form of a morning walk, accompanied by a furry friend.

“Dogs are always in the moment. Although nothing in life has held my attention longer or has been more fascinating to me than dogs, my work is about much more than that. It is about form, movement, color and texture. The dogs are a recognizable common denominator that allows me to communicate my joy of living, passions and sentiments,” explained Skip Hartzell.

'Dog Backwards', Oil & Graphite on Canvas, 48 x 60 Inches

The artist creates large paintings and works on paper that capture the essence of “dog”. He is best known for his unique sculptures recognized immediately by their distinct form and style that only Hartzell can produce. His painterly expression captures each dog’s own personality with beautiful textures, line and brush strokes using mixed media to bring each dog to life.

Skip Hartzell Collector, Curator Dr. Milagros Bello, Curator’s Voice Art Projects (CVAP) Miami

Whether he’s painting or sculpting, Hartzell’s dogs have a wonderful quality of friendliness about them, and it’s hard to keep yourself from reaching out to touch. And that’s perfectly okay with Hartzell. He’s never been one to place a rope around his artwork.

Wall Display of (4) Oil and Graphite Paintings on Canvas, each 20×16 Inches

“The texture is so important because the tactile experience of sculpture is so primal for me,” he says. “You grab with your hands and just start to mush things together and get your fingers on the materials, and there is just such a richness to the feel.” He says whenever he’s doing a show, he is quick to hand his sculptures to the patrons so they can enjoy the feeling, too. And whether it’s paint on canvas or sculpture, the texture is one of the most captivating and inviting parts of experiencing his artwork. Hartzell may not set out to mimic the look of someone’s beloved pet, but he says his sculptures and paintings often evoke a fond memory of a furry family member.

‘Big Pink’, Papercrete and Resin, 36 x 32 x 16 Inches

The artist has held numerous solo exhibitions at notable art galleries and prestigious art fairs such as Art Palm Beach, A.E. Backus Museum, ArtHouse 429, Paul Fisher Gallery, Aqua Art Fair during Art Basel Miami Beach and many more.

‘Two Missing’, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 24 Inches

“If you love dogs, you are going to love Skip Hartzell’s soulful pieces. His work is representative of caricature features of dogs,” said J. Marshall Adams, the executive director of the A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce. He is a longtime supporter of no-kill animal rescues and donates proceeds from the sale of his artworks to animal-rescue, no kill shelters. For sales, commissions, general inquiries or future show information, email: skipperhartzell@yahoo.com / visit www.skiphartzell.com