SNOWDOG LIFESABEACH

A BARRY Island-based artist’s seascape-inspired Ty Hafan hospice Snowdog is gaining a legion of fans trekking to spot him in Penarth.

Emma Everitt’s ‘Life’s A Beach’, at Penarth Marina, creation has wowed people taking part in the public art event.

Snowdogs: Tails in Wales is the biggest ever mass-participation public art trail in Wales, highlighting landmarks and open spaces and boosting the economy in Cardiff and the Vale.

The event has been organised by children’s hospice charity T? Hafan, public art producers Wild in Art, and Penguin Random House.

Each Snowdog has been named and decorated with its own unique design with designs from both amateur and well-known artists.

Mrs Everitt, 41, of Plymouth Road, Barry Island, an artist and primary school LSA, said it had taken two weeks to transform the 1.5m sculpture which uniquely sports an umbrella.

He was created at Cadoxton Primary school because he wouldn’t fit through her door.

Mrs Everitt said: “I use bold outlines and bright colours in my work because they make me feel happy. Hopefully my dog’s brightness makes people smile.

“My husband sent me a link to the Snowdog website back in January when they began looking for artists to get involved. It looked such a fantastic idea to raise money and awareness for a very special cause that I had to try to get involved. I was so keen that mine was the first design submission that Ty Hafan received.

“He’s sponsored by ITV Wales - if you unlock him on the Snowdog Wales app, the reward is a chance to team up with ITV weather presenter Ruth Wignall at the ITV studios to learn how to present the weather.

“Most of my paintings are inspired by our beautiful coastline and he’s no different. Barry Island was a strong influence in my design because I love sitting on the rocks down Whitmore or Jacksons, listening to the waves. It’s my favourite sound in the world, it lifts my spirits and helps me relax.

My design has a sunset head, cloudy ears and a clear starry night bottom but the original design didn’t have an umbrella on his head. As ITV Wales are offering a weather-related prize with my dog, Ty Hafan asked me would I be up for him having a brolly as well. Of course I said yes.

“He was hoping to use it more as a parasol, but he’s not having much luck.”

She added: “He has his own Twitter account, @Lifesabeachdog, and feedback across Twitter and Instagram has been amazing. It’s so lovely to see people’s photos of their selfies with him being posted online and the pics uploaded to the app by the public are incredible.

“It’s amazing seeing how people interact with the dogs, and Ty Hafan is such a special charity.

I’m excited to see him being auctioned, and hopefully raise lots of money for Ty Hafan. I don’t know how I’ll feel when he goes off to his new home - wonder if they’ll let me visit?”

The trail can be followed by downloading the Snowdogs: Tails in Wales app or by following the map available from T? Hafan shops or the Tails in Wales website.

The trail will end on Sunday, December 10 and the Snowdogs will be auctioned on Tuesday, December 12.

For details, visit snowdogstailsin.wales