Amit Eshel’s Dog Art Jewelry

Dog art, and jewelry have a very special place in my heart. I love seeing so many people at dog shows wearing gorgeous tiny representations of their breed in gold or silver. The problem is that many of the breeds available from jewelers are really ugly depictions of the breeds we love. (Don’t even tell me you haven’t thought that) Even the most structurally correct dog pendants often lack the beauty and grace of jewelry- they are pieces reserved solely for dog shows, and simply look like tiny versions of stacked dogs.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, by Amit Eshel.

This is why I was so happy to find Amit Eshel’s jewelry. Finally, an artist and jeweler noticed the subtle proportions that make a great breed specimen. The grace and simplicity of the designs seems to distill the essence of the breed into a few beautiful lines of silver or gold without losing the expression that makes each breed unique. Because his take on show dogs was so unique, I was dying to know how- and why- he made these wonderful pieces. Thankfully, he was very willing to talk with me about his art and his passion for dogs.

Even as a little kid, Amit drew dogs in all his school notebooks. When he went to college, he followed his passion, and got BA in illustration & graphic design. When he was in his early 20’s, he spent some time in the US working at Innisfree Siberians and learning all he could about the breed. He spent much of his time preparing for dog shows, showing dogs, and sledding. When he returned to Israel, he was hooked on Sibs, and started making some husky artwork and prints. When he started to turn his art into jewelry, the response was incredible! Dog jewelry became his work.

I asked him about his process, and the inspiration for his styling. He responded, “My inspiration comes from the natural beauty of nature, tribal and ancient artwork from around the globe, and modern design perceptions.” The sleek lines in his work are reminiscent of tribal design, especially tribal tattoos. He manages to keep the jewelry from looking cliché or dated by adding a new, modern perspective. The minimalist feeling and his use of empty space gives his work a decidedly modern look.

Boxer with Cropped Ears
by Amit Eshel

I wondered what he does before starting on a new breed design, and he said, “I take a look at pictures of good examples of the breed, sometimes I get pictures from breeders and ask for their notes about the drawing before starting the process of production of jewelry.” The fact that he consults with breed experts certainly helps explain why the proportions are so exacting and the expressions so true to life. As he admitted, “I have great attention into small details, eye shape, and proportions.”

When asked about his plans to add more breed designs, he responded, “I currently have about 60 different breeds designs and I plan on making more than 200 different breeds eventually, including very rare breeds.” He added, “it’s very hard to find any of their products!” His favorite design “has to be the Siberian Husky of course, this is one of my first designs and it always reminds me of my own dog, who will turn 12 years old next month!” He currently lives in Israel with his Siberian Husky, and a Shiba Inu (shown in photo, below).

Amit and his family.

Amit is currently in negotiations with potential distributors in the U.S, and hopes that soon his products will be available at various dog shows throughout the U.S. You can currently find his pieces on Etsy, under the name “Siberian Art Jewelry.”

Breeds Currently Available include

• American English Coonhound
• Australian Shepherd
• Basset Hound
• Beagle
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Bichon Frise
• Bloodhound
• Border Collie
• Borzoi
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer (Cropped and Natural Ears)
• Bulldog
• Bull Terrier
• Cairn Terrier
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• Chihuahua (Smooth)
• Chinese Crested
• Chow Chow
• Dachshund (Smooth)
• Dalmatian
• Doberman (Cropped and Natural Ears)
• English Springer Spaniel
• French Bulldog
• German Shepherd
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• German Wirehaired Pointer
• Golden Retriever
• Great Dane (Cropped and Natural Ears)
• Great Pyrenees
• Maltese
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Papillion
• Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• Pharaoh Hound
• Pomeranian
• Poodle
• Rottweiler
• Saluki
• Samoyed
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Shiba Inu
• Shih Tzu
• Siberian Husky
• Vizsla
• Weimaraner
• Welsh Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
• Whippet
• Yorkshire Terrier