My work is a tribute to the relationship between human and canine. I employ various traditional and digital media to create snapshots of this unique bond. Working in a variety of media such as animations, drawings, paintings, sculptures and time-based work, I am interested in examining the diverse aspects of the dog.

One of my favorite experiences as a dog owner is, after being away for an extended period, returning home to the enthusiastic greeting my dog inevitably provides. This welcome is something “dog people” are all familiar with: dogs exhibiting wide eyes, ears flat, tail wagging, and an elated expression on the owner’s face. Such incidents reminded me of the videos of dogs reuniting with their owners—usually soldiers—posted on social media. People look forward to coming home to a dog, whether it has been after a day at work or a week long vacation. It is reinforcing to have a creature consistently, without fail, excited by your presence. I was inspired to create a video that captured—via high-speed video—the moment dogs recognize their owners and the subtlety of the exposed emotion.

I recruited over 25 dogs and owners from service dog and search and rescue communities. I instructed the owners to separate from their dogs for a period, whether it was fifteen minutes or a weekend. Using a Phantom HD Gold high-speed video camera, I recorded the dogs between 300 to 500 frames per second as their owners entered the studio.