A MT Martha artist and retired surgeon has unveiled his latest creative work, A World of Dogs in Watercolour, a beautifully illustrated book celebrating dogs and the joy they bring.
The book features over 140 breeds, each brought to life through David Freedman’s intricate watercolour paintings. From well-known family pets and less familiar breeds, the collection captures the personality, expression and charm of each dog.
“It is one of the joys of life to experience the giving and receiving of a dogs love,” Freedman said.
“They provide both loyal companionships as well a sense of purpose in caring for them. They’re always so excited to see you and sad when you go away.”
Freedman, 81, said he wanted to show the soul of each four-legged friend including their expression, posture, and the little details that make each breed unique.
But it was no easy task, with Freedman having called in advice including from international dog expert Jane Harvey to ensure every breed was accurately represented, with an abundance of photos also sent in from dog owners.
Following Harvey’s advice, Freedman said he looked up the Dogs Australia website and wrote down all the purebred dog clubs “just to get a feel for what purebred dogs were in Australia”.
“There are actually 350 breeds of dog in the world. I couldn’t do 350 in the book, so I cut it down to about 145 and I picked some dogs that aren’t common in Australia, but they look different,” he said, adding he tried to add “as much variety into the book as I could”.
All your favourite breeds are profiled in the book including the Border Collie, Golden Retriever and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, French Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel and Labrador with a few lesser known such as the Bolognese and Lhasa Apso also featured.
Freedman worked with his son-in-law Craig Whittle who helped put the words together of each breed. Whittle works in the film and television industry and has had a lifelong passion for books, writing, and research.
Both Freedman and Whittle have both experienced the devastating loss of losing a dog “so we thought, let’s do something positive for dogs and for all the love we’ve had from them in our lives”.
A lifelong painter, Freedman has illustrated two books about Australian birds.
“I worked up in Swan Hill most of my life as a rural surgeon. Painting was my hobby and when I retired in 2016 I took up painting full time and tried to reinvent myself as a book illustrator,” he said.
Freedman spent every day for about a year creating his latest book – time, he said, that passed quickly.
“I would sit down and have a beer and wonder what time it was because I was so absorbed in it,” he humoured.
The book, published by Slattery Books, is available online for $80. For signed copies at a reduced price and free postage, email Freedman at: david.freedman1@bigpond.com
First published in the Mornington News – 4 November 2025
