A day-old pup, Dali was abandoned and tied up. Now, he’s capturing hearts as an emerging artist, with careful brush strokes in his mouth. Named after the famous Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali by his owners, India’s first painter dog uses this gift to support the stray dog rescue initiative. And he does that with aplomb.
Dali’s First Brush With Art: A Joyful Discovery
“She would often grab the brush from my husband, who is an artist,” recounted Hoi Choudhury, the person who had adopted Dali, to the Press Trust of India (PTI). “She would run off with it playfully. A friend of ours joked that maybe this is her way of protesting, or perhaps she truly wants to participate. So we let her try, and pure joy filled our hearts as she made contact with the canvas; it was as though she was saying…’I want to paint too!'”
This one moment truly sparked the glory. As a result, India’s first painter dog, Dali, now creates colorful abstract art. To do so, she uses a custom-made brush crafted by Snehangshu Debnath at home.
“We did some research and realized we needed a dog-friendly brush,” he told PTI. “It had to be one she could easily grip in her mouth. Therefore, we made it using a wooden block shaped to fit her jaw.”
In addition, the couple used pet-safe colors. This way, Dali could paint freely and enjoy the process without any risk. Moreover, they added music and treats to keep her playful, focused, and happy while she worked on her masterpieces.
Dali’s vivacious creations eventually culminated into the production of a limited edition calendar portraying twelve of her favorite works. “We thought we could sell these paintings all over the world, and the money would go into helping and caring for street dogs. It was success, and people valued it and bought it,” Debnath told.
Beyond the calendar initiative that raised ₹35,000 for stray-dog welfare, Dali’s paintings have garnered international acknowledgment. Her Instagram account, which boasts nearly 50,000 followers, is shared with time-lapse videos of the creative process, wacky paw prints, and behind-the-scenes clips that entertain fans across continents.
There are an approximately 37 works of abstract art created by Dali, each a world in itself when it comes to tone and texture. The strokes are free and instinctual, yet they manage to give off an air of rhythm and composition: washes layered with watercolour that seem at once playful and deliberate.
Her family announced the plans for Dali’s first solo show recently, where her works are to be set up in a way similar to an exhibition of a professional artist’s debut. The project is to raise further awareness and funds for rescue projects, exerting no pressure on Dali, who paints only for herself, following her curiosity.