The art adorning the 2022 Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Mail Run wasn’t meant to be put on an envelope.
The art features the dogs of Tiffany McLean, and was drawn by Ramona MacLean as a tribute to them. MacLean is an illustrator and was walking the dogs.
After seeing the art, Tiffany told Ramona to submit it as consideration.
“It’s kind of a roundabout story,” Ramona said.
“I knew she had done some dogsledding, which is really cool.”
The dogs depicted on this year’s envelopes are lead dogs Chief and Spirit, wheel dogs Capone and Nanuq, and Suka, who Tiffany described as “leader of the pack,” in a post on the mail run’s Facebook page.
“When I was drawing it for her, I was trying to put all her dog’s personalities into them,” Ramona said.
“I thought it would be fun to have some mail falling out. They’re not doing the best job, but trying their best.”
Suka and Nanuq have died in the last year.
“This year I want to honour my dogs and the memory of Nanuq and Suka with this portrayal which captures them all so well,” Tiffany wrote.
“In my heart forever my dogs will remain as we mush through the snow under the dancing northern lights.”
Showing personality is a key for Ramona, who has illustrated several children’s books and teaches a Skillshare course among other art exploits.
“It helps you feel like the character you’re looking at has a full life and personality behind whatever the image is,” she said.
The artwork goes on envelopes that are taken by sled dog from Quesnel to Wells, where they enter the mail service and go around the world.
PHOTOS: Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Mail Run attracts long-time and new mushers
“I didn’t even know it was a thing,” Ramona said, laughing.
“We just altered (the image) a little bit for the guidelines, sent it in, and it worked out.”
Envelopes are available for purchase on the run’s website, sleddogmailrun.ca or at retail stores in Quesnel, Bouchie Lake and Wells. The mail run will take place on Feb. 25 - 27.
Envelopes can be dropped off at Total Pet, Bosleys, Four Rivers Co-op, Shoppers Drug Mart, Full Throttle Motorsports and the downtown Canada Post office in Quesnel, Rocky’s in Bouchie Lake and the BNC Mercantile and Jack O’Clubs in Wells.
READ MORE: 2021 Sled dog mail run artist inspired by 2020 event
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
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cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
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