Sir Bentley Art

What does your start-up business do? I make whimsical recreations of dogs, cats and just about any other animals. My goal is to capture both the looks and personality of the pets from the photos the pet owners send me. Each figure is handmade, unique, and gives people a way to memorialize the emotional bond […]

April 11, 2013; 4:29 PM • by RVANews staff

What does your start-up business do?

I make whimsical recreations of dogs, cats and just about any other animals. My goal is to capture both the looks and personality of the pets from the photos the pet owners send me. Each figure is handmade, unique, and gives people a way to memorialize the emotional bond they have with their pets. With about 80 million dog owners and 86 million cat owners in the US alone, the potential market for my figures is nearly endless. Sir Bentley Art will also continue to use its creative abilities to help raise money for animal rescue groups.

How did your venture start?

The idea for the business was the result of hundreds of comments and inquiries on Facebook in December when I made a Nativity Set to raffle as a benefit to dog rescue groups. I also created a video called the ‘Hound Nativity’ using the figures I made as the characters in the play. It was a huge hit and the set raised almost $3,000 for four rescue groups in the US and UK. The figures were so popular, that I was bombarded with requests from pet lovers in many countries to make this a business and create custom replicas of their own pets.

How will you use the $10,000 cash prize to help your start-up?

I will use the prize money to help convert my basement into a workspace and storage area. I need storage cabinets and work tables plus an area specifically set up to photograph the art pieces.

April 11, 2013 4:29 PM 30