Dunedin Muralists Blend Their Most Well-Known Works Into One Lovable Character

Two muralists recently combined their most iconic Dunedin creations into something that everyone can take home.

“The two questions I get all the time [when I’m out painting],” said , of “Dogedin” fame, “are, ‘Did you do the oranges?’ and ‘What’s up with the dogs?’”

Hamilton, 38, is most known for her downtown dogscapes, the most recent of which, is the Murals for Mutts charity "House of Dogs" wall, an ongoing series of dog portraits at the .

But Hamilton can’t take credit for the more than 90 hand-painted oranges that seem to be randomly placed on buildings all over Dunedin. That’s the work of Dunedin's beloved renegade muralist .

Dogs.

Oranges.

Dogs and oranges?

The questions got Hamilton thinking, and BAM! It hit her one night about a month ago. She called Spathelf immediately to share her idea.

He loved it.

The collaboration led to the creation of “Stirling the Blue Dog.”

He’s a playful, all-American-looking blue Lab holding one of Spathelf’s rogue oranges in his mouth.

And they are going to put his lovable face on all kinds merchandise for art and Dunedin enthusiasts to take home. Stirling the Blue Dog debuts on his first T-shirt at Sunday’s interactive art event, the at , where Hamilton and Spathelf will be among the featured artists.

If Stirling takes off, Hamilton said, she'd love to be asked a third question when she's out painting dog portraits.

“Now people can say, ‘What’s up with the blue dog with the orange in its mouth?’” Hamilton said.