MADRA

Hard to believe it is that time of year again, when local dog shelter MADRA hosts an Art Auction to fundraise for the dog and pups in their care. Like every other business in Ireland they too have suffered during the pandemic having to close their doors to the general public and working with limited staff. But they still keep going tirelessly and with great support! When they put out the call kind souls always rally to help.

Which leads me to the reason behind this little blog…..MADRA is one of three animal charities I support, they rescue, rehabilitate and re-homes unwanted, neglected, abused and abandoned dogs. Last year they were spilling over with unwanted dogs and puppies which is when I adopted my wonderful boy. I cannot begin to tell you how he brought life back into a very broken heart…(that is a story for another post)remind me to share with you.

Anyway, this year I wanted the artwork I was going to create to be more meaningful and have a direct connection to the work that MADRA do. So I got chatting to Ciara the event organiser about the dogs who come through their shelter, she estimated that at least 60% of the dogs taken in were collies!

I set to work and after a couple of weeks on and off my desk, a collie face finally emerged. I posted the drawing on my facebook page and asked my followers what name they thought would suit.

There were lots of marvelous suggestions but one in particular jumped out at me ‘Hope’. That was it, Hope, it resonated with me and hit all the right feeling in my heart.

It wasn’t just her name, it was everything that MADRA stood for and delivers to all of their rescues, hope of a new home, hope of a new life, hope for someone who will adore and appreciate them. And so, Hope was the title.

She was collected during the week for framing and will reappear online for the Art Auction. This year MADRA have also had to adapt to the online platform due to the pandemic and restrictions. I will keep you posted as soon as I know the dates in early December.

’When I look into the eyes of an animal,I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I see a soul.'- A.D.Williams⠀⠀

Designed to be kind, what does that mean?

If you know me, or my work, you may have heard me say that my products are designed to be kind. But... what does that actually mean?

It means I do my best to be:

Kind to the planet: I put a lot of thought, research and care into each item that I bring to market. The products must be sustainable and ethically produced, with minimum negative impact on our planet.

Kind to animals: The animals that feature on my giftware are my inspiration, my passion and my joy. My way of showing my appreciation for that is to give back through my work – with a portion of sales profits from my giftware going directly to a selection of Irish animal charities.

Kind to people: My customers mean the world to me. I’ve been dealing with many of them for years and now consider them my friends. I pack my products in the way that I would like to receive gifts, with thought and meaning. And I try to thank each and every person that buys from me, I do my best to add value and bring joy to them through what I create. For me, kindness and compassion go hand in hand. A gesture like feeding a stray dog, saying "hello" to a stranger, remembering to recycle and cooking an extra plate of food to give to someone less fortunate may seem insignificant. But those small gestures make an immediate difference to the recipient and to us.

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” (The 14th Dalai Lama)