Dionysian Dog on the Salish Sea

Dionysian Dog on the Salish Sea; R Williamson, digital illustration 11/22

An illustration for use by the building that my studio is housed in - The Salty Dog. Most years I make a whimsical flyer for the buildings annual holiday sale. Mostly it’s ceramic artists here, so I like to reference the media without singling out anyone in particular, and of course, throw in a gratuitous dog or two. Just one this year will suffice.

The inspiration is the famous image from the Dionysus Cup, showing the Greek god in a boat with the grape vine growing up around the mast and dolphins swimming all about. (I swapped out the dolphins for our local orcas.) An ancient masterwork by the Attic vase painter who signed himself Exekias. Unearthed in the Etruscan city of Vulci.

Dionysus in Boat; Exekias (530 - 540 BC)