My father, Herbert Joseph Halsey,

 also a dog lover and an artist.

He was one of very few artists who worked in a form of the ancient art of painting with encaustics. – Painting with wax.

He also painted with many other media including pen and ink crayon and watercolour.

When he died all his work was passed down to the family. See pet art section in my web site PetArtisan for my favourite one of his. This is done in pen ink and crayon and it was called the Family, 1979

He was also a very funny cartoonist, capturing many events, political figure, or situation with his artistic ability and his humour. He also did many cartoons about dogs.

My father was my first inspiration and with his encouragement I started painting early in my life.

He admired my work, my soft flowing style in my watercolours and, he often commented that I capture the soul of the animal in the eyes

I admired his ability to capture every detail in his work.

 

When I was growing up in England, as the good dad he was, he wanted me to have a dog, and of course one that he wanted too. My mum and dad got me an Irish setter, just a little puppy. I called him Prince.

We had a house with a back and front garden, fenced, and lots of room for Prince, yet my sister and I were both children under 10. I think I was 5 when they got Prince. Well I was really too little to be trusted to walk him or look after him, though he was my dog. My sister also only 3 years older was too young, and so the responsibility for the dog would be mum and dad. Dad had a very busy job at the time, and our mum also did too. Soon then found out that they could not do a good job of caring for Prince and they found him a lovely home where he had other dogs to play with, and lots of acres of space. Yes, I was sad, and did not understand then.

After we had Prince, so the story goes, there were many a dog that used to follow our mum home. She was afraid of dogs then. I am not sure why these dogs would follow her if they were strays or if they were neighbours dogs, but she would always take them to the police station. She was well known in our home town, for doing just that.

As they are both gone now, I can’t tell you any real detail, as this is all I can remember myself. Can you imagine the poor police officer when my lovely mum came in with another dog following her? I wonder now, how did she get the dog there, if she was afraid of them. Mum did not drive, and the police station was a decent walk away. Did she put the dog on a leash and walk to the station, or did she just walk and the dog followed her. Maybe my sister will know. I will ask.

I will tell you more about Mum in another story.

My dad grew up with a dog in the home. This was my grandparents dog Frisky. Good old Frisky, everyone loved him.

I think my dad really wanted a dog, yet after a year or so of mum taking them to the police ( so they say) he had to give up on the idea- temporarily.

When we moved to Canada mum and dad both worked very hard. Such a busy life, with the two girls- my sister and I- they really did not find time for a dog, until I was in my early 20s , and my sister in her own new home, and Dad got s dog for us again. I think he came from the neighbours. I remember him as being a lovely furry pup, a shepherd collie cross I think.

Yet he was not with us long either, as mum still had her fear.

 

My dad moved away for a few years, and when he was away, he got a dog. Lady he called her. She was a beautiful collie. One day when he came home, his new friend had given his dog away.

When he told me that story years later, he had tears in his eyes. He really loved that dog and definitely more than his friend. He left her soon after, and came back home.

My love of dogs, and my passion for art and in particular my passion for painting portraits of dogs, all comes from my dad.

Yet, when I did get my own dogs, my mum grew to love them all.

 

Herbert Joseph Halsey, December 9, 1924 to October 5, 2002. I miss you and will always love you.

Thank you for passing on your love of dogs and giving me my interest in painting, and passing on your talent through your life and now beyond.

See story on PetArtisan