She said: ‘Finn is a real rambunctious, kooky character, so he was perfect for doing these photos with.This is a copycat version of the kind made by Greenies.
‘At the start of the pandemic, I got laid off from my job at an art gallery and was suddenly left at home with Finn, but he didn’t like being left alone when I went to paint.
‘My mum suggested that I do something creative with Finn to include him, so I started doing the art recreations, getting my inspiration from paintings that had dogs in them.
‘I realised he didn’t need to be just a dog – he could be anything – so that’s when we did a Van Gogh which had a mother and child in it, and he was the baby.On a hot summer day, fill up an inflatable pool with water and ice.
‘It opened up a world of amazing photo opportunities.
‘It’s nice to see how many people enjoy art without knowing, by looking at our work.
‘Everybody should be able to enjoy art so if me and Finn can make that happen for some people, that’s wonderful, and I’m thrilled.
‘Australian shepherds are a working breed, so they need a job to do every day, and, since I don’t live on a farm, that’s why we do this. He absolutely loves it.’Use Covers to Keep Your Furniture Fur Free. Do you allow your pets on the furniture? If you do you’re well aware of how hard is to keep them clean. My favorite tip for keeping your furniture clean and fur free is to use a cover. You can use sheets, blankets or slip covers — and if you want something to match your decor you can get them custom made. When it’s cleaning time you just throw those covers in the wash & you’re good to go.
‘There’s a comedic twist with what we do and people talk about our photos and don’t realise they’re analysing art which is incredible to me,’ she said
‘One time we recreated a painting of a girl getting ready in front of a mirror, so I put Finn in place of her and decided to switch the hair and beauty products to Finn’s brush, toothpaste and toys.
Check for Fleas By Giving Your Dog the White Towel Test. Do you think you dog has fleas? Have them lay on a white towel while you examine & brush their fur. The sheet makes it easy to see any loose flea dirt that falls from your dog.
‘Doing tiny things that switch it from copying it to reinterpreting it is really exciting.’
Now, Eliza and Finn have over 10,000 Instagram followers, with their photos earning a few thousand likes on every Facebook post.
Eliza said: ‘I never anticipated this little project to get this big online. It’s crazy – at first, it was just for my friends and family.’
She added: ‘I’ve always felt that there’s a strange stigma around talking about art, but this enables me to make art accessible to everybody.
Learn how to make your own chicken jerky. Its a healthier alternative to the store-bought kind. Get the directions here.
‘I get so many messages from people who make it a daily ritual with their kids to look at our daily photos which is amazing.
‘It’s nice to let kids enjoy things like this and is a baby step into looking at other art.
‘There’s such a mix of people in the community it’s created – some like art and some just like dogs.’
Finn also seems much happier ever since they started their project, so Eliza is hoping to keep it going for as long as possible.
‘The benefit beyond me enjoying creating these photos is that it’s improved Finn as well,’ she explained.
Here's an ingenious leash that has a built-in waste-bag dispenser and a compartment for keys, cards, phone, and treats.
‘He adores doing it – he won’t leave my side until we get the next photo done every morning.
‘I wish people could see him do it because he’s always so excited after he finishes each photo – he wags his tail and gives me high fives.
‘I’m hoping there’s enough art in the world to keep doing this with him because he loves it so much that I don’t think he could do a day without it.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected]