A Bulgle? Beagle-bulldog mix – Music-book Doodles 2022

My new puppy is a Maltese-poodle mix and everyone who sees him asks the question: “what is it?” And then they tell me stories of other poodle mixes, which seem to be collectively called doodles. It reminded me of when I was studying genetics (back in the 1980’s – technologically ancient times, apparently) and we were exploring the moral issues of cross-breeding and recombinant DNA possibilities… well, now we are all (seemingly) getting GMO pets! While doing research on the puppy we wanted, we came across a multitude of strange mixes. Again returning me to my less enlightened youth when we joked about the most unlikely crossbreeds; now a beagle and bulldog mix doesn’t seem so weird… Have we become so desensitized that we’ve stopped considering the most important scientific warning taught to us so long ago in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: It’s not how to do something, but if why…

The dog is up in front and almost ready to jump in your face… this puts him in a better focal point on the page and allows for some tension about his intent… the backdrop is muted and textured, instead of my usual thick application… I feel it gives more movement. I realized that the beige and brown colours of the dog are more cow-like, perhaps adding the to solid bulldog feel. The Modigliani style eyes add a more intimidating intention as well.

What would you call this dog?

More to come…