Thank you for the Music

Thank You for the Music

'Thank you for the Music' is a series of studio portraits featuring a variety of dogs giving their interpretation of ABBA songs. The portraits are a quirky take on some of ABBA's music with 27 dogs - big, small, young, old, pedigree, mixed breed, rescue and non rescue - all doing their part to help raise awareness and funds for the Wild at Heart Foundation

I Have a Dream

Dogs and Abba.... what’s not to like? When I think of some of the things that make me smile, dogs and Dancing Queen are most definitely at the top of my list. Combining these two subjects may seem a slightly bizarre pastime,  

but capturing a dog sitting behind a Singer sewing machine while listening to ‘As Good as New’ became the norm for me in the studio back in 2018.

The idea was born after photographing gorgeous little Ted next to ‘Rocky’, the imaginatively named rocking horse. “Stick a bicorne on him and he’ll look just like Napoleon!” Et voila, Waterloo! It didn’t take long to come up with a list of workable songs (there are nearly 100 to choose from - thank you Benny and Björn) and recruit the first few dogs to see if this was a doable project. 

Admittedly I was met with a little scepticism at first.... “So, you want to put Spot in a restaurant setting, looking at a bowl of pasta for ‘Mamma Mia’? Er, okay.... he does like pasta, so I guess he’ll do it....” As it happens Mamma Mia didn’t make the round one shortlist and no one calls their dog Spot any more.

Angel Eyes swiftly followed Dancing Queen and so it began. Some songs instantly lent themselves to a variety of ideas, while some were less workable. A few were never going to make the shortlist - Elaine, Dum Dum Diddle, Suzy-Hang-Around or Cassandra? 

The Visitors

Maggie the Wonderdog, Spud, Bernie, George, Flora and Ginger are all rescue success stories from the Wild at Heart Foundation and I was delighted to have been given the opportunity to include them, along with other rescue and non-rescue dogs in this project. All dogs deserve a happy and safe life, and if this slightly quirky set of pictures can raise awareness to the plight of rescue dogs around the world then I am pleased that I have played my part.

Don't Shut me Down

After testing the waters with a successful, initial exhibition at Gallery 1885 in Kennington, I had another London exhibition ready to go and chose to have the opening night the day that Boris Johnson announced lockdown. Timing, as they say, is everything.

Maybe in the future, I'll revisit and add some more songs to the repertoire - 'Head over Heels', 'I saw it in the Mirror', ' I'm a Marionette'....and some I'd possibly like to do again. Hasta Mañana, as they say.....

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy them!

Knowing me, Knowing You

Thank you to all the dogs: Archie, Zeus, Spud, Gorgeous George, Kobe & Cedric, Maggie & Mishka, Saki, Lois, Flora, Peggy, Billy, Chesney & Tula, Ned, Betty, Harper, Loki, Lottie, Babs, Lila, Wiggo, Bernie, Little Ted, Ethel, Ginger and of course all their wonderful owners.

Woof!