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Artist’s Breathtaking Pics Remind Us To Appreciate The Little Moments With Our Dogs

By: Adri Sandoval
Adri Sandoval is the Special Projects Manager for iHeartDogs and iHeartCats. Her work has deepened her love for animals, fostering a strong passion for rescue and animal advocacy.Read more
| March 13, 2019

It can be difficult to put into words just how much you love your dog. The pure joy they inject into our lives can elevate even the most everyday moments into something worth telling everybody about.

Los Angeles based artist Yaoyao Ma Van As tells the story of her and her beloved pooch in incredible illustrations on Instagram. The cute, colorful pictures are guaranteed to give you warm, fuzzy feelings when you see yourself and your favorite companion in the totally relatable day-to-day situations Ma Van As illustrates.

Ma Van As and Parker (Instagram)

Van Ma As is happily married and living with her husband, but most of her drawings depict a life alone with her dog, Parker. She tells the Huffington Post,

“Living alone isn’t as scary as it seems! Yes, there were definitely times that it sucked, but there were also countless amazing moments as well. It’s knowing that you’re on your own, and each decision you make is directly affecting how you move forward with your life. Each day you learn to be more independent than the day before. It’s definitely an experience that should be embraced.”

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

Anyway, is it really living alone if you have a dog?

Ma Van As tells a story that many of us are familiar with. The ups and downs of living a life shared with a dog. Many of her drawings are of moments we may take for granted, or even consider a low point in our day when we’re experiencing them. But these are also the times we tend to miss when our dogs have left us.

 

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She shows us these moments in a way that make us want to pull our dogs into a hug, even if he was just nosing you awake a few hours ago.

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on


Ma Van As may now be best known for the work she posts on Instagram, but she has also worked for Disney TV Animation, Rick & Morty, and Warner Brothers Animation, among others.

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

Parker is a Chihuahua/Cocker Spaniel mix that was adopted four years ago.

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

He doesn’t appear in every picture, but he adds something wonderful when he does.

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

Yaoyao Ma Van As’ work is available to buy in prints! You can buy many of these photos and more online at her INPRNT store. Follow her on Instagram to see more of her work!

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

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Melt away #illustration

A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

 

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A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

 

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Cuddles and kisses #illustration

A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

 

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Half watching #illustration

A post shared by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on

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