Photos courtesy of The Barking Cow, @thebarkingcow_

Dubbed after her black and white pit mix’s nickname, The Barking Cow e-shop came to life in December of last year by young local artist, Cat Grogan. Experimenting with epoxy resin, every pour has been a learning curve with unpredictable turnouts. Proven to be a fun yet finicky process due to temperature, humidity, time of day and pigments, Grogan has found there are only happy accidents. “I’m always learning," she says. "I’ll get an idea in my head and go for it, but it turns out to be a completely different outcome and I usually love it even more than my original idea."

Continually playing with the flexibility of painted resin pours and glossed finishes, Grogan creates household goods layered with what appears to be the crystal blue tides rolling in from overhead—reminiscent of the Siesta Key Gulf. In addition, Grogan draws and etches her seashell or marine life illustrations into the wood, using pyrography wood burning. From charcuterie boards and serving trays to decor pieces, The Barking Cow sells art that people can admire but also use in their every day. “I try to incorporate a little bit of Sarasota into my beach scenes. I use actual sand from Siesta and shells from Turtle Beach. I have shark teeth from the Jetty in Venice that I want to use in future pieces,” she says. “I grew up in Maine, so I also pay a little homage to my roots in pieces like the lobster cheese board.” 

Find The Barking Cow at local markets, where she has the flexibility to take custom orders. Or, purchase a piece online at etsy.com/shop/TheBarkingCow. 

Photos courtesy of The Barking Cow, @thebarkingcow_