Collection:
Juneau—Douglas City Museum
Object ID:
2015.14.001
Accession#:
2015.14
Credit Line:
Donated by Linda Blefgen.
Object Name:
Drawing
Title:
"Dogstar" Cover Art
Artist — Creator Role:
Artist
Date:
2000
Year Range from:
2000
Year Range to:
2008
Description:
Painting of a young boy and a bull terrior dog running on a wooden dock. The background is a two—masted ship semi—silhouetted against the stary night sky. There is a silhouette of a man visible on the bow. The boy is caucasion with red hair. He is wearing jeans, tennis shoes, a red—brown shirt and a tan jacket. He is looking into the distance facing the proper left. In front of him is a white bull terrior dog, also looking into the proper left distance. Both the child and the dog are in midstride. In the lower proper right corner is the artist's mark. Painting is framed in a navy blue textured frame.
The painting was the orginial cover for the children's book "Dogstar" by Beverly and Chris Wood.
The painting was the orginial cover for the children's book "Dogstar" by Beverly and Chris Wood.
Notes:
Originally published in 2000. The book was republished in 2008 with a different cover.
The Patsy Ann Memorial Sculpture is located at the downtown Juneau docks near Marine Park. It was erected in 1992, fifty years after the dog's death.
www.patsyann.com
Book synopsis:
Juneau, Alaska, 1933. This is where 13—year—old Jeff Beacon is stranded when his parents take him on a cruise to help him get over the death of his beloved dog, Buddy. The problem: Jeff is a millennium kid, with laptop computer and hightop sneakers. Why has he been transported to the Alaska frontier? And how can he find his way home? Jeff must answer these questions quickly —— and his only help is the town's Bull Terrier, Patsy Ann. With Patsy Ann as his guide, Jeff befriends the gruff Captain of the DogStar and an adventurous girl named Rose —— and uncovers a dangerous secret. When the Captain, Rose and Jeff hatch a plan to set things right in Juneau, Jeff must make a surprising choice about going home —— and Patsy Ann holds the key. That's the "surface" story. Lots of fast—paced action involving counterfeit money, sunken ships and lost treasure. But the theme of DogStar is something much more important. Returning to the present, Jeff uncovers the true treasure —— his ability to keep Buddy alive in his heart forever.
Story of Patsy Ann:
Patsy Ann, a Bull Terrier, was born in Portland, Oregon on October 12, 1929 and came to Juneau as a pup. She died in Juneau on March 30, 1942. On the following day, a small crowd watched as her coffin was lowered into Gastineau Channel just a short distance from where her sculpture now sits, watching and waiting with eternal patience, whether shrouded in fog, bathed in sunshine or covered with snow. Because of her unerring sense of the imminent arrival of each ship that visited Juneau and her faithful welcome at wharfside, Juneau Mayor Goldstein dubbed Patsy Ann "Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska" in 1934.Patsy Ann was stone deaf (from birth), but she somehow "heard" the whistles of approaching ships —— long before they came into sight —— and headed at a fast trot for the wharf. She was never wrong. In fact, on one memorable occasion, a crowd was given erroneous information and gathered at the wrong dock. Patsy Ann gazed at the crowd for a long moment, then turned and trotted to the correct dock. Between ship's visits, Patsy Ann made the rounds of her friends at local businesses. She had a vast number of friends, most of whom slipped her bits of food, including a daily candy bar from one fan. Patsy Ann was as much a fixture of beer parlors and hotel lobbies as any paying guest. Old Juneau's Ambassador was the most famous canine west of the Mississippi, more photographed than Rin Tin Tin. During the 1930's her image adorned post cards sold by curio shops and for many visitors, she was the highlight of their visit to Juneau. Local author Carl Burrows published a "little book" in 1939, simply titled Patsy Ann. Her distinctive gait slowed over the years due to rheumatism brought on by unscheduled dives into the cold waters of the Gastineau Channel and she grew overweight from the high living of the ships' cooks. Still, she always headed for the docks, on the double, whenever steamship whistles shook old Juneau's boardwalks. Of no fixed address, Patsy Ann spent most of her nights in the Longshoreman's hall where, surrounded by kindred souls, she could run safely down the alleys of her bull terrier dreams. Fittingly, it was there she died gently on March 30, 1942. The next day, a crowd gathered as her tiny coffin was lowered into Gastineau channel. Patsy Ann captured the hearts of Juneau's citizens with her dignity, honesty, and devotion to her duties as "Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska". Fifty years after her death, her statue was commissioned by the "Friends of Patsy Ann" and installed on the wharf she knew so well. Sculpted by New Mexican artist Anna Burke Harris, clippings of dog hair from all over the world were included in the bronze at the time of casting, symbolically uniting the spirit of dogs everywhere. On July 3, 1992 at 7:30 p.m., Patsy Ann, in her new incarnation, was presented to the world under blue skies with a balmy breeze in the air. Patsy Ann sits at North 58 degrees, 17 minutes and 91 seconds North Latitude and 134 degrees, 24 minutes and 17 seconds West Longitude. Each year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Juneau from cruise ships and are welcomed on the dock by Patsy Ann, as they would have been in the 1930's. They are encouraged to "greet her and touch her and in leaving, carry with you the blessings of friendship through your life's journey".
The Patsy Ann Memorial Sculpture is located at the downtown Juneau docks near Marine Park. It was erected in 1992, fifty years after the dog's death.
www.patsyann.com
Book synopsis:
Juneau, Alaska, 1933. This is where 13—year—old Jeff Beacon is stranded when his parents take him on a cruise to help him get over the death of his beloved dog, Buddy. The problem: Jeff is a millennium kid, with laptop computer and hightop sneakers. Why has he been transported to the Alaska frontier? And how can he find his way home? Jeff must answer these questions quickly —— and his only help is the town's Bull Terrier, Patsy Ann. With Patsy Ann as his guide, Jeff befriends the gruff Captain of the DogStar and an adventurous girl named Rose —— and uncovers a dangerous secret. When the Captain, Rose and Jeff hatch a plan to set things right in Juneau, Jeff must make a surprising choice about going home —— and Patsy Ann holds the key. That's the "surface" story. Lots of fast—paced action involving counterfeit money, sunken ships and lost treasure. But the theme of DogStar is something much more important. Returning to the present, Jeff uncovers the true treasure —— his ability to keep Buddy alive in his heart forever.
Story of Patsy Ann:
Patsy Ann, a Bull Terrier, was born in Portland, Oregon on October 12, 1929 and came to Juneau as a pup. She died in Juneau on March 30, 1942. On the following day, a small crowd watched as her coffin was lowered into Gastineau Channel just a short distance from where her sculpture now sits, watching and waiting with eternal patience, whether shrouded in fog, bathed in sunshine or covered with snow. Because of her unerring sense of the imminent arrival of each ship that visited Juneau and her faithful welcome at wharfside, Juneau Mayor Goldstein dubbed Patsy Ann "Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska" in 1934.Patsy Ann was stone deaf (from birth), but she somehow "heard" the whistles of approaching ships —— long before they came into sight —— and headed at a fast trot for the wharf. She was never wrong. In fact, on one memorable occasion, a crowd was given erroneous information and gathered at the wrong dock. Patsy Ann gazed at the crowd for a long moment, then turned and trotted to the correct dock. Between ship's visits, Patsy Ann made the rounds of her friends at local businesses. She had a vast number of friends, most of whom slipped her bits of food, including a daily candy bar from one fan. Patsy Ann was as much a fixture of beer parlors and hotel lobbies as any paying guest. Old Juneau's Ambassador was the most famous canine west of the Mississippi, more photographed than Rin Tin Tin. During the 1930's her image adorned post cards sold by curio shops and for many visitors, she was the highlight of their visit to Juneau. Local author Carl Burrows published a "little book" in 1939, simply titled Patsy Ann. Her distinctive gait slowed over the years due to rheumatism brought on by unscheduled dives into the cold waters of the Gastineau Channel and she grew overweight from the high living of the ships' cooks. Still, she always headed for the docks, on the double, whenever steamship whistles shook old Juneau's boardwalks. Of no fixed address, Patsy Ann spent most of her nights in the Longshoreman's hall where, surrounded by kindred souls, she could run safely down the alleys of her bull terrier dreams. Fittingly, it was there she died gently on March 30, 1942. The next day, a crowd gathered as her tiny coffin was lowered into Gastineau channel. Patsy Ann captured the hearts of Juneau's citizens with her dignity, honesty, and devotion to her duties as "Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska". Fifty years after her death, her statue was commissioned by the "Friends of Patsy Ann" and installed on the wharf she knew so well. Sculpted by New Mexican artist Anna Burke Harris, clippings of dog hair from all over the world were included in the bronze at the time of casting, symbolically uniting the spirit of dogs everywhere. On July 3, 1992 at 7:30 p.m., Patsy Ann, in her new incarnation, was presented to the world under blue skies with a balmy breeze in the air. Patsy Ann sits at North 58 degrees, 17 minutes and 91 seconds North Latitude and 134 degrees, 24 minutes and 17 seconds West Longitude. Each year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Juneau from cruise ships and are welcomed on the dock by Patsy Ann, as they would have been in the 1930's. They are encouraged to "greet her and touch her and in leaving, carry with you the blessings of friendship through your life's journey".
People:
Blefgen, Linda
Wood, Chris
Wood, Beverly
Wood, Chris
Wood, Beverly
Search Terms:
Animal
Land Animal
Dog
Book
Painting
Childhood
Land Animal
Dog
Book
Painting
Childhood
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Dogstar Original Cover Illustration
Dogstar Original Cover Illustration