Dogs on the Brain: Local artist WACSO indulges in a canine fixation

By Meredeth Barzen

While the Twin Cities certainly isn’t lacking in talented pet artists (see: pooch painters Stray Dog Arts and Lintu Art)—or talented artists in general, for that matter—one has emerged who stands out from the crowd for his stylized, hyper-local treatment of the people, places and pups that populate our fair cities. WACSO (stands for Walkin’ Around Checkin’ Stuff Out)—a.k.a. Robb Burnham—takes inspiration from everything around him, as his name would suggest. Often, it’ll be the fuzzy face of a four-legged pal, but you’ll see local landmarks like restaurants, architecture and adorable old men on benches represented in his work as well. WACSO will draw your dog if you’d like him too—but he won’t take any money for it, just a suggested $100 donation to a pet rescue (check out this recent portrait of his neighbor, M.A. Rosko’s dog Munter.)

“I get a lot of requests from strangers all around the country, which was a bit odd at first because I would really rather meet the dog in person, but I’ve got it down to where I ask them to send me as many photos of the dog as they can. That gives me a pretty good idea of what the dog is like,” Burnham says of his commissioned dog drawings. “I don’t want payment for these drawings so I ask for a donation to be made in my name to a shelter/rescue. I’ll send them a hi-resolution file that they can print however they would like. People have made T-shirts, calendars, mugs … I just had a woman use my drawing to get a tattoo of her dog that passed away. It looked awesome, and I think it was great therapy for her.”

Here’s a look into the philosophy and process that is WACSO:

Do you have any dogs?

I have two dogs: a female English bulldog named Frankie and a little block-of-cement French bulldog named Grady. Frankie likes to watch TV—in fact, if the TV is off, she’ll yip until the TV is turned on, and she’ll actually growl at the mugshots they show on news programs. She knows who the bad guys are; it’s pretty funny.

What’s your favorite dog-friendly spot in town?

Sitting outside at Java Jack’s Coffee Cafe is awesome.

Do your dogs make it into your drawings?

Yes, I constantly draw my dogs.

How long have you been drawing?

I’ve been drawing all my life, but didn’t really get serious about it until about five years ago.

Your work really celebrates the everyday and the local—what is it about those subjects that compels you to portray them?

I like everyday things. Life isn’t all about taking big vacations and going to exotic locations. We’re surrounded by all kinds of cool everyday stuff; we just have to stop and look for it. I had done a drawing of the Blackbird Cafe a while back because it’s a cool place. Well, sadly, it burned down recently—such a drag, but I started getting messages from people requesting prints of the drawing. It was really cool to see what that drawing suddenly meant to people and the importance of appreciating and celebrating the things we have.

What sorts of characteristics make you want to draw a certain dog? Physical traits? Personality? Setting? Owner?

I’ll draw any dog; they are all awesome. Think about it: You can be having the crappiest day of all time and see a dog and smile—what else can do that?

Why do you like drawing dogs in general?

The dog drawings just seem to make people happy. They make me happy drawing them … I laugh most of the time I’m drawing.

How long does it take you to do a drawing?

It’s hard to say how long a drawing takes; I lose track of time, but I’ll usually do dozens of drawings of a dog before I get the one I like best. Sometimes the best version is the first one I draw and sometimes it’s the last.

How do you decide what form it’s going to take (i.e. single-line drawing, detailed, with or without color, etc?)

I will usually do a few different styles; one-line drawings, a more refined style, add color, etc …, and see which I like best when I’m done.

Do you approach strangers and ask if you can draw their dogs? Are they usually game, or do you ever get resistance?

I’m a pretty shy person. I don’t mind talking to the dogs; it’s owners I have trouble with.

Where can people find your work?

Become a fan of my Facebook page! It’s now dedicated to just my dog drawings. I try to put up a new one every couple of days. You can also check out my Web site, which has all of my drawings.

What do you like about the Twin Cities?

The Twin Cities are fantastic—love it here. Tons of dogs, tons of places to walk dogs and the people are cool. I even dig the winters—all those dogs in boots and outfits crack me up.

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Tags: Blackbird Cafe, Java Jack's Coffee Cafe, Lintu Art, M.A. Rosko, Meredeth Barzen, pet artists, Robb Burnham, Sidewalk Dog, Stray Dog Arts, WACSO, Walkin' Around Checkin' Stuff Out
Filed under: art, cities, coffee shops, community, dog-friendly business, rescues, restaurants/cafes | 2 Comments »