Linda Helton says she's been an artist and illustrator for 30 years, but she's been a dog person forever. Her admiration for man's best friend is so deep that her first fine art show celebrates mutts of all stripes (and spots, too).

"I thought it would be fun to paint dogs and their owners after meeting lots of dog lovers while walking my dog," Helton said.

Her appropriately titled show, "Best Friends," opened on Aug. 4 inside Davis Foundry Gallery, which is owned by longtime friend Art Garcia. Helton's work, which will be on display until the closing reception on Sept. 8, includes playful paintings and drawings of canines and the humans who love them.

"Her work has a friendly and whimsical quality about it, child-like and uninhibited," Garcia said. In fact, Garcia added, when he asked Helton to paint a letter for his son's room she selected the letter "D" for dog.

Garcia, who is a self-professed fan of the underdog, has a 14-year-old rescue named Syd. While he is a dog lover at heart, that didn't color his decision to hang Helton's work.

"Linda is fantastic talent, I've known her work and when we first spoke about the exhibit I asked her to select a subject close and dear to her heart," Garcia said. "It's a delight to host Lindas first exhibit at the Davis Foundry Gallery."

Davis Foundry Gallery is located at 509 W. Davis Street across from Bolsa.