A CREATIVE COMPANION
“I always find beauty in things that are odd and imperfect – they are much more interesting.”
Throughout history, the Bull Terrier has been the chosen companion of artists, writers, musicians, actors and creative spirits of all stripes. There is something about the breed’s unique character — its irreverence, its fierce loyalty, its innate sense of the absurd — that has drawn creative people to it time and again. Here is a celebration of some of the remarkable people who have shared their lives and their art with these extraordinary dogs.
Poet Ralph Hodgson with Mooster (1912)
Broadway actress Eleanor Woodruff (1923)
Illustrator Cecil Aldin with Cracker (1930)
Basil Rathbone with Judy (1930s)
Actress Thelma Todd with Jiggs (1934)
Jean Melville with Midhurst Rhoda (1935)
Thelma Todd with Jiggs (1935)
Actress Dolores del Río (1936)
Dolores del Río with Faultless (1937)
Virginia Bradford and Babyboy (1952)
Irene Papas with Wildfire (1955)
John Steinbeck with Angel (1966)
Tattoo legend Lyle Tuttle with Chadwick (1972)
Jane Birkin with Nana (1975)
Serge Gainsbourg with Nana (1977)
Kirk Brandon (1981)
Rick Springfield with Ronnie (1981)
William Berloni with Oliver Twist stars (1984)
Eric Clapton (1980s)
James Ellroy with Barko (1994)
Pamela Goldblum with Louise (1998)
Derrek Santini with Lily (1998)
Kirk Hammett with Darla and Hoku (2002)
David Mason with Purdey (2005)
James Ellroy with Nikkie (2006)
Daisy & Alfred for Marc Jacobs (2007)
Marc Jacobs with Daisy & Alfred (2007)
Lily Allen with Maggie May (2007)
John Bishop with Bilko
Roy Hattersley with Jakie (2010)
Patrick Swirc with Paulette (2012)
Mikael Flis with Ludo (2013)
Marc Jacobs with Neville (2014)
Alfie Allen with Maggie May (2014)
Rafael Mantesso with Jimmy Choo (2015)
Lara Maria Gräfen with Vasek (2015)
Lonneke Engel with Vito (2015)
Meg Girard with Owen (2015)
Alexis Krauss with Rizla (2015)
James North with Nirvana-Lulu (2015)
Lix North with Nirvana-Lulu (2016)
Lix and Lulu, Mad Scientists (2017)
Lix, Mad Scientist (2017)
Calum von Moger with Rex (2018)
Alice van Kempen with Claire (2018)
Emily Devine with Kasper and Luna (2018)
Lauren Kobayashi Riihimäki with Moose (2018)
Ray Richardson with Wee Brian (2018)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lix North | Artist, Illustrator, Photographer. Owned by The Lulu Bully.
I grew up on a farm in rural New Zealand. Forever fond of my gumboots and jumping in muddy puddles, my childhood best friends were the farm working dogs (huntaways, bearded and border collies) and the family spaniels. Animals have always been an intrinsic part of my life, I spent a lot of my youth caring for farm and domestic animals, hand rearing orphaned animals and watching and assisting farm hands and vets. One of my earliest memories is the magic and awe I felt as a toddler watching my grandmother help a litter of puppies into the world. As legend has it, my first word was ‘woof’.
As an artist and photographer I seek the imperfections that make each of us, each fleeting moment, and the world around us, utterly unique. I strive to capture our points of difference, our foibles and eccentricities, our daydreams and delusions, our innate temporality - I believe that in the juxtaposition of wonderful strangeness lies an exquisite, honest beauty far greater than that built on pure symmetry, calculable balance or flawlessness. Who better as my muse than a Bull Terrier - the very embodiment of wonderful strangeness.
For fine art by Lix North visit www.lixnorth.com. For illustration, graphic art and photography visit www.lixcreative.com
Disclaimer: The content on lulubully.com is a fluid, living collection of notes, personal thoughts and experiences. I regularly edit tweak and update these blog pages as my ideas evolve. All opinions are my own and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, nor prevent any disease. Thoughts expressed, information provided and products mentioned are not necessarily approved by any governing body or health professional. I am not a qualified medical, veterinarian or naturopathic practitioner, my thoughts and experiences are offered purely as a layperson. Discretion, common sense and personal responsibility should be employed when applying any of the ideas expressed here to your own personal situation.