On artist’s Rafael Mantesso’s thirtieth birthday, his wife left him.
She took their cookware, their furniture, their photos. But she left Rafael with Jimmy, their bull terrier who she had named after shoe designer Jimmy Choo.
With only Jimmy for company in an apartment painted white, Rafael found inspiration in his blank walls and his best friend and started snapping photos of Jimmy Choo. Then, when Jimmy collapsed in happy exhaustion next to the white wall, on a whim Rafael grabbed a marker and drew a new world around his pup.
And this began a collaboration of the artist and his bull terrier which gained fame through social media – even attracting the attention of the Jimmy Choo brand. In May 2015, they launched a limited edition line of accessories featuring Jimmy the Bull.
And a book of Mantesso’s drawings, A Dog Named Jimmy is also available. In November 2015, it made the New York Times bestseller list.
I love bullies and clearly many other people do, too. Jimmy even has a 2016 calendar featuring his image.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
DoggyMom.com 