At nine years old, Australian shepherd Ivy is the Picasso of pups, and her generous heart donates the money her art collects to other dogs and cats in need of help.
Ivy’s love for painting began when her mom, Lisa Kite, realized her pup needed lots of activity to stay happy. First, Lisa taught intelligent Ivy to fetch drinks from the fridge and how to save money by putting coins in a piggy bank. But Ivy needed more. Her poetic soul craved artistic release, and when a friend suggested Ivy take up painting, the fit was immediate.
A Natural Born Painter
Looking into Ivy’s beautiful brown eyes, you can see the art in her soul. And in every picture displaying her works on Instagram, Ivy proudly beams about her creations. She’s truly a natural when it comes to art, and this fact delights Lisa to no end!
“You would’ve thought she was walking on the moon, how excited I was when she painted her first piece,” Lisa told People.
Ivy’s art career began when Lisa put an easel on the floor and a custom-made paintbrush in her paw. Or, rather, Lisa put the brush in Ivy’s mouth. Ivy started with watercolors and then moved to Crayola washable paints because, as Lisa shared, “As a mom I worried this was going to be a real mess.”
But instead of a mess, Ivy gave Lisa art. And now, the talented painter pup uses acrylics to create her paintings, which feature a beautiful riot of colorful strokes brought to life by Ivy’s imagination.
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And Ivy’s favorite color to paint with? Blue!
Katie and Ivy credit clicker training and poached chicken treats as their secret to painting success. And when it comes to showing her works, Ivy is a proud artist who “loves to show people” what she’s wrought. Her talent has even earned her an exhibition at a local hotel gallery.
“I’m just so proud of her; it’s been a gift,” said Lisa. “And she’s happy.”
A Heart as Big As Her Talent
Because Ivy is so happy to have found her niche, she and her family love to share that happiness with animals in need by donating proceeds from the sale of her work to animal charities. During the pandemic, Ivy’s painting fetched enough money to fund 15,000 pounds of food bank donations. That’s a lot of kibble for deserving dogs and cats!
The buzz around Ivy’s painting began when Lisa started an Instagram page devoted to showing off Ivy and her talents. Right away, messages inquiring about purchasing the pieces filled her inbox.
“People from around the world are buying them — she’s sold to almost every continent,” explained Lisa. “We’ve even had a waitlist.”
“Her paintings often sell before I can even post them for sale.”
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Ivy is definitely an artist in demand! Check out Ivy at work below and view more of her gallery at @ivykitetheaussie on Instagram. Or, to acquire one of her works, visit @availablepaintingsbyivy on Instagram.
Feature Image: @availablepaintingsbyivy/Instagram
Toledo, United States.
