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The Life of Bridget Olerenshaw
Bridget Olerenshaw began specialising in canine portraits in 1958 and over the years she had probably painted more Pyreneans than any other breed - she always said that they were her favourites. She was commissioned by Country Life to paint the front covers for several Crufts editions of their magazine and had completed commissions for many well-known firms. She also provided illustrations for the several books usually to accompany the breed standards. As well as local galleries in her own area, exhibitions of Bridget's work were also seen at Crufts and at the Tryon Gallery in London. She and her husband actively showed Pyreneans during the 1960s and 1970s and she was very generous with her art for the Pyrenean Mountain Dog Club of Great Britain, designing covers for newsletters, sweatshirts, notelets and Christmas cards. Very sadly she lost her fight against cancer on 30 October 1989. In 1990, as a tribute to her, a fund was set up to provide an annual prize for the best photograph and the best painting of a Pyrenean.
