Heidi Pitre, the Ideal Artist for Those Dog Days of Summer

“I know other people do dog portraits, but I want to make them personal,” Heidi Pitre says. “I like to add the personal thing, so it’s not just a painting of any dog.” That’s the real Ginger’s Hattiesburg, Mississippi home in the background on this issue’s cover.

“I’m partial to the rescue dogs, and she was a rescue—skin and bones. She’s happy now and loves her home, and she’s treated like a queen.”

Pitre adds: “It’s infuriating that someone could be cruel to something so innocent and loving. All they want is love. I think dogs should be highlighted as something special because they are.” Pitre has donated prints and original art to P.A.W.S. and other rescue groups.

She is the proud mama to two dogs—Lula (pictured), a boxer; and Cornbread, a dachshund. “I know this sounds lame, but my whole world revolves around them,” says Pitre. “It’s all about making them happy because they make me so happy. When I look at Lula, the rescue dog, I can’t believe anyone was ever mean to her. It’s been such a treat watching her personality change every day.”

Pitre is an oil painter with a clever, amusing style that has developed a cult following. Her "gently twisted" works see modern characters in irrational situations, standing with feet firmly planted in realism and an ear to the wall of the absurd. She prefers oils on large canvases, and a wet-on-wet technique that creates a rich, dreamlike effect. The artist’s portfolio includes print photography, pen and ink illustration, graphic design (both contemporary and traditional) and fabric arts.

Pitre is a native of New Orleans and holds a B.F.A. from the University of New Orleans. These days, she spends her time between Hattiesburg and the Emerald Coast.

On July 10, Pitre will auction off custom pet portraits with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Laurie Hood’s Alaqua Animal Refuge. The eBay link will be posted at www.aarflorida.com.

In the coming weeks, Pitre will appear at Grayton Beach’s Fire where her painting “Fire” (an adorable fire dog) is on display. She’s wrapping up a six-by-seven-foot backdrop for the Running of the Bulls event in New Orleans this month. “This is the roller derby girls,” she explains. “They dress up like bulls and chase crowds and hit them with plastic bats. There were about 3,000 people there last year, and it was only the third year. It’s a lot of fun.”

Next spring, Pitre will teach a workshop at Lafayette Children’s Museum in Louisiana. “They’ll learn all about paint and we’ll be making dog masks,” she says.