Pets of the Art World

April 17, 2020

Perhaps the only beneficiaries of the pandemic today are pets, who are suddenly getting around-the-clock attention while their owners work from home. And the joys are mutual: With their fluffy cuddles, unconditional love, and inability to talk back, pets make great quarantine companions for people, too.

We asked art world insiders to share pictures of their whiskered work-from-home buddies, and how they’re helping to make this difficult time a little bit sweeter. “Here’s a shot of Maria sitting on my drawing paper in the dining room. We are having quite a bit of ‘alone time’ these days. She likes to try to chase the pencil around while it’s in my hand and I’m trying to work! It’s great to have a pet to make art with… they are so nonjudgmental.”

“Albee and Noonan have helped me keep a rigid schedule during this quarantine. In between meetings, we all go to a remote nature preserve on Long Island for a long walk together. It’s been very helpful for all of us to get outside, and they have such fun roaming around and swimming.

Both dogs are from the organization Puppies Behind Bars, an organization that trains prison inmates to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders, as well as explosive-detection canines for law enforcement.” “Harper is extremely into my personal social isolation but very bad at social distancing.” “Pigeons first brought poetry to me as child growing up in Holland. They became my lifelong sweet travel companions, along on an at times rocky migratory path, calming down my anxious mind to quiet, and again today at this time of the extremely worrisome COVID-19 virus outbreak, they steady my being.” “Bert is a serotonin distributor, you don’t even have to pet him; it works just by looking at him.” “Princess Buttercup is thrilled to have a captive audience whilst her humans are social distancing.”

“This is the longest period of time Dini and I have spent time together (just him and I). Together we are learning how to cope without mom [artist Julie Curtiss, who is self-isolating in France]. He’s now always on my desk for a change. Every morning and night we have long and strenuous conversations about behavior, eating habits, and personal space. Dini enjoys sitting on my books and watching me struggle through beginner yoga poses. All the while I enjoy his presence. In other words we are making the best of it. To be honest, I couldn’t make it without him… just don’t let him know that.”

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