November – December 2014
![My first visitor the time keeping Casper.](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_06531-e1424721822255-225x300.jpg)
Following an open submission competition through Limerick City of Culture, my project Dogs’ Tales was selected as the first project to inhabit the Kiosk in Peoples’ Park, Pery Square, Limerick. A key aspect was to interact with the Park and it’s users, and having observed first hand the many dog walkers all year around, I wanted to create an additional link between them, while also introducing an element of humour to the proceedings.
![The Kiosk was more drawing than building after a while!](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_08541-300x225.jpg)
From 12-4pm Monday – Friday, November 17th – December 5th I was resident in the Kiosk and the park environs. From there I invited the many dog walkers who use the park facilities to drop in for a chat and a cuppa with their canine friend, and relate stories about them. At that stage I took some photographs/drawings of the dog, and then we retired to the park to take a portrait of the dog.
![A Bridal Party dropped in to us one Dog Day afternoon.](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_09731-300x225.jpg)
I had a great time and many good, sincere chats with a very diverse group of people. The dogs themselves ranged from chihuahuas, to French Mastiffs to mongrels, shy to extrovert, sedate to extremely hectic (!). As the project progressed I photographed the dogs around different areas of the park, culminating for the presentation day only, in a 360 degree portrait of the park itself in it’s Autumnal glory.
At the end of the project I collated all the information and presented it to the public and the participants on Saturday December 15th. Similar to my other projects, each participant received a memento of the project in gratitude for their time, in this case an unique A3 print.
![An installation shot of the collected prints.](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_1099-300x225.jpg)
![Fonsie's owner receives her print.](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Elanor-and-Fonsie-300x225.jpg)
Below is a taster of the completed works, which were available from the Culture House for collection the following week, along with a personalised letter of thanks to the dog(s) and owner.
Hopefully (fingers crossed!) we’ll publish a book later this year with the stories and illustrations to the fore, of which all the participants will receive a complimentary copy.
![(Super) Brann, a handsome greyhound who protects his Cat friends.](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Brann-complete-dogs-tales-1-212x300.jpg)
![Sailor, a young Collie who breezed in one day of his own accord.](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Sailor-complete-dogs-tales-1-212x300.jpg)
![Ada and Bláithín, two rogues who tested my organisational/photo skills to the limit!](http://www.carldoran.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Ada-and-Bláithín-complete-dogs-tales-1-212x300.jpg)