Monday, April 14, 2008

Someone who Inspires me...

Wendy Gardner Featured in Canada's National Post, April, 2007


I want to introduce you to the work of a friend and a huge inspiration to me, Wendy Gardner of Scary Stories, Inc.

I originally found Wendy's work in 2003 at the Denver Art Museum's Gift Shop. I was looking around when all of a sudden I saw Dig Ivan Dig.

He was like a magnet drawing me to him. I picked him up and took him right to the checkout counter, saying to Fred with excitement, "Look at him, I must have him, he is so Puggy!" Fred just smiled and nodded as I left the museum like a kid with a huge smile on my face.

The first thing I did when I got home was to take Ivan up to my desk and look up Wendy's website. I found the page where she introduced her muses and found out Ivan is a pug! I knew it!








I contacted Wendy just to tell her that her art totally made my day. She has been a good friend ever since. Here is a video of her on YouTube where you can meet her, her kitties and her kids.












Wendy has developed so many wonderful characters, products and even a cartoon series on The Cartoon Network! Here is one of my favorites Flee the Flea featuring Dig Ivan Dig.





This is me with Wendy's Characters that I have collected over the years.

To meet Wendy and to see her work, please visit her website, store and blog.


She is a true inspiration.

9 comments:

Linda O'Neill said...

Wendy's characters are so adorable...what an amazing company she's created.

I like the picture of you surrounded by all your Wendy peeps!:)

Too Cute Pugs said...

Very cute! I love how you knew that little Ivan was a pug. I get excited when I see things like that.

Thanks for telling us about Wendy. I'm going to check out her work.

Too Cute Pugs said...

An additional comment after looking at one of the videos...I know that little pink bunny! She's Edie! We have one. I bought it at Target a couple of years ago. I don't know if she's a dog toy but Pearl and Daisy love her. They had a cardboard posters of her and another character at the store that day and I said to my husband I would buy the posters if I could.

It's funny because I was thinking while reading your post, hey those characters in the pictures look like Edie. LOL

windywoowoo said...

Hi Melissa..thank you so much!!!!!
that is so nice of you!!

Nichol Brinkman said...

Wow, look at that HUGE pug pillow. I also love those bunnies with stripes. Thanks for sharing!

Tara's Art Camp said...

thanks for sharing this wonderful artist. I love all the stuffies. I will visit the video later. What are those bunnies at the very bottom of your last photo?
Your photoshop is coming in handy!
hugs,
Tara

artpaw said...

Great share ...thanks. Wendy's site is fun and the your-tube vid of her talking is really terrific.

Nevis said...

Great looking stuff! I would've probally done the same thing. In fact I did a very similar thing the otherday when I found a magnent for the refrigerator. Terry was like...honey, if you want to know what a pug looks like, look down at your feet. I said we had to buy it because it was representitive of Poley/Rukia and that we had to have it. He smiled at me and bought it for me. Of course it was only $0.99 cents, so that is probally why he was so accepting of it!

Unknown said...

Hi Melissa...this was a wonderful post...you seem to have a wonderful people quality about you and the fact that you loved her work and looked her up is so cool...I am thrilled that you popped by to meet me and I know we will be talking for years to come...

Love the photo of you and all the cool characters you collected...

You are an Inspiration !!!

Hugs
Diana