Furry Muses in the Studio

Throughout art history, animals have been timeless muses, their motifs leaping from cave walls to Renaissance canvases—think lions in ancient Egyptian frescoes or loyal hounds in Dutch Golden Age portraits.

These enduring drawings and paintings remind us that pets and wildlife have long sparked human creativity, a tradition we're joyfully reviving in our modern workshops. In India, this connection runs even deeper. Elephants symbolize royalty and wisdom in Ajanta-Ellora murals, while deer and peacocks grace Mughal miniatures as emblems of grace and divinity. From tribal Warli paintings depicting harmonious human-animal coexistence to temple carvings of mythical beasts, animals embody our folklore, festivals, and very identity, proving they've always been woven into the fabric of our lives. We're channeling this ancient synergy today in workshops like “paint with puppies”, “sculpt your space” and “clay modelling”, blending heritage with heartfelt creativity.

Pouls.of.Art hosted a paint with puppies picnic where we collaborated with a NGO named Pawsitive which rescues indie puppies and helps them find their permanent homes through community interactions like these to encourage adoption. This model fosters community support for strays, turning fun experiences into tangible aid. In paint with puppies workshops, we offer a variety of things participants can paint—tote bags, fluid art or bandanas. Participants enjoy a two hour long assisted art session surrounded by playful rescued puppies. You paint your own masterpiece while getting dog cuddles. These sessions reduce stress through mindful creativity and animal assisted therapy. We use pet safe colours so that the cute little puppies stay safe while ensuring a joyful experience for our participants.

"The walls of the house could replicate Santorini or Shanghai towers, it depends on your vision."

Besides, paint with puppies, we host sculpt your space. It is a 3D diorama where participants put out all their creativity to make their dream houses. The walls of the house could replicate Santorini or Shanghai towers, it depends on your vision. With their houses, participants use air dry clay to make their pets or any animals in general. People make dogs, cats, rabbits and sometimes also flamingoes. People craft pet sculptures in dream house dioramas to create whimsical, personalized fantasy worlds where their animals "live" eternally—blending nostalgia, storytelling, and therapeutic play.

Our love for our pets extends way beyond our workshops. Our calendar pieces show a bond of companionship with pets in the illustrations for the months of January, April, July, October and November. Pets excel as companions because they offer unconditional love, triggering oxytocin release for bonding and stress relief—lowering cortisol, blood pressure, and heart disease risk. They motivate exercise through walks/play, combat loneliness by boosting social interactions, and provide emotional support during tough times, enhancing mental health without human drama.

"She's the friend who'll bite your enemies, cry at sunsets, and curl up beside you as if the world outside doesn't exist."

Our founder, Poulomi, also has a dog—Devasena, or as we call her DeeDee, who is a walking contradiction in the best way. She’s the friend who’ll bite your enemies, cry at sunsets, and curl up beside you as if the world outside doesn’t exist. She doesn’t just wear her heart on her sleeve, she throws it at you and dares you to do the same, thus inspiring Poulomi to make art pieces portraying her big eyes and irresistibly expressive face. Our brand, Lore, features Ghatto (ghattokach) as well, a portrait that celebrates not just a dog, but the joyful anarchy of a being who refuses to be tamed.

Equal parts adorable and devilish, Ghatto reminds us that love doesn’t have to be well-behaved to be deep. Our pets transform fleeting cuddles into enduring art, weaving their spirit into every stroke and sculpt leaving pawprints on our hearts that last forever.