Photo: Courtesy Lisa Kite
Lisa Kite brought Australian shepherd pup Ivy home 10 years ago and knew from experience she’d need to keep her working dog busy. After Kite taught Ivy to fetch drinks from a mini-fridge and put coins in a piggy bank, a friend suggested Ivy try painting — and she was a natural.
“You would’ve thought she was walking on the moon, how excited I was when she painted her first piece,” says retired nurse Kite, 59, who encourages Ivy’s once-a-week habit with a clicker and poached chicken treats.
Shortly after creating an Instagram for Ivy, Kite received countless messages from followers asking how they could buy the art. “People from around the world are buying them — she’s sold to almost every continent,” Kite says. “We’ve even had a waitlist.”
Courtesy Lisa Kite
The pup’s works sell via@ivykitetheaussie on Instagram, fetching anywhere from $50 to $500, with all proceeds going to various charities. “I want the art to be accessible,” says Kite, who only keeps funds for the canvases and paints.
The pair raised enough during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to give 15,000 lbs. of goods to food banks; in October they donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure; animal charities are frequent benefactors; and they regularly donate works and postcards to local schools.
“Her paintings often sell before I can even post them for sale,” Kite says, adding that Ivy even has a few collectors thanks to her enthusiastic fanbase and a recent installation at a hotel gallery in downtown Charlotte. “She seems proud and loves to show people.”
“I’m just so proud of her; it’s been a gift,” adds Kite. “And she’s happy.”
source: people.com
