‘Rubbish’ pet art dad raises thousands for charity with portraits
Hercule Van Wolfwinkle – real name Phil – has been tackling 150 portraits a week for local homelessness charity Turning Tides.
Move over Banksy- Hercule Van Wolfwinkle has taken the prime spot with his unconventional animal portraits on social media.
The unlikely new darling of the pet art world was drawn into it while doodling with his young son. Now more than a month later his work, which he describes as “rubbish”, is raising thousands of pounds for charity.
How did he paint himself into the pet corner?
Van Wolfwinkle, real name Phil, doodled a picture of his own pet dog and put it on Facebook jokingly offering to take commissions for £299, or nearest offer.
To his surprise, he was inundated with portrait requests. “I think people just found them funny, at a time when there’s not loads to smile about,” he told the BBC.
Since then he has produced hundreds of pictures of creatures from cats and dogs to tortoises, lizards, parrots and even the odd horse, all shared on Facebook and often accompanied by a funny fake review.
Has his sketchy talent elevated him into the millionaire artist bracket?
Not at all. The 38-year-old from Worthing in West Sussex has created all his portraits for free. But he has asked for donations to local homelessness charity Turning Tides and has so far raised more than £5,000.
“I couldn’t take their money – the pictures are rubbish. So I set up a JustGiving page and suggested people donate instead,” he said.
What is the big picture for Van Wolfwinkle?
Hercule is averaging 150 portraits a week, with a backlog of 600, while working full-time in commercial property.
Hercule is averaging 150 portraits a week, with a backlog of 600, while working full-time in commercial property.
But he has vowed to keep it up until he has raised at least £10,000 for Turning Tides, proving art is not always just for art’s sake.
(Story source: Inews)
