Paws On The Wharf

Collage of 8 sculptures of guide dogs, all decorated in different ways. The first looks like a realistic guide dog, but the others in turn are wearing a Sherlock Holmes outfit, covered in faces of famous people who have been affected by sight loss, decorated in tribute to Back To The Future, painted with black and white swirling stripes, made to look like a dinosaur with small horns, covered in yellow hearts, and adorned with stars in dog-shaped constellations.

It goes without saying really, but guide dogs are beautiful, incredible and vitally important companions to many people with sight loss. And right now there’s a sculpture trail in London dedicated to these life-changing and life-saving animals. This post isn’t a sponsored ad for it, but it’s something I think is well worth exploring if you’re in the capital.

Paws On The Wharf has been organised by the Guide Dogs charity in association with Wild In Art (who were also behind Morph’s Epic Art Adventure & Walking With The Snowman that I saw last year).

A large display behind glass, filling a section of wall in a shopping centre. On a yellow background is the Paws On The Wharf logo and the heading Sniff Out The Trial, along with some additional text, a QR code and a large image of a guide dog sculpture covered in black and white swirling stripes. At the bottom left, sitting in front of the sign but still behind the glass, is a small red sculpture of a guide dog puppy, decorated with various colours and patterns.

It features 25 sculptures of guide dogs decorated in a variety of ways by different artists, which will be on display until 17 May, after which they’ll be auctioned off. It’s all about raising awareness and vital funds to ensure that people with sight loss will continue to be supported by these magnificent beasts.

Against a yellow background, next to a black and white QR code with colour around its edge, is black text that says Find 25 guide dog sculptures around Canary Wharf - a fun and free art trail until 17 May 2024. Give one of our sculptures a 'furever' home and bid at our auction event. Scan the QR code or visit GuideDogs.org.uk/PawsOnTheWharf/Auction

I had fun hunting them all down, so in this post I’m going to share some of my photos of these pedigree chums, all of which I thought were beautiful, and I hope you enjoy looking through them!

Contents

Finding The Sculptures

The sculptures have been spread around Canary Wharf (or Caniney Woof I suppose), organised into 5 areas over a total distance of 5½ kilometres. Yes, I know Barking & ‘Dogenham’ would have been more appropriate, but that’s not as interesting to look around or as central for people to get to.

This step-free trail can be explored in various ways, by picking up a printed map in person, downloading a map and associated information, booking a sighted guide and sensory tour (which includes items to touch and smell), ordering a large print or braille guide, and using NaviLens codes on the podiums for each sculpture. Many of the artworks also have tactile elements as well. So it’s very accessible.

For my visit, I downloaded the map and information and found them to be very useful, in particular the location document, as it has clear instructions on how to get from each sculpture to the next. It doesn’t explain exactly how to get from each distinct area to the next one, so I had to rely on a separate mapping app for that, but they’re not far away from each other anyway, so they weren’t difficult to find. In the end I located all of the sculptures in just over 2 hours without any problems.

Area 1 – Jubilee Park & Jubilee Place

The first three sculptures can be found in Jubilee Park. Sculptures 4 & 5 are then downstairs on Level -2 in Jubilee Place, while 6 & 7 are across the road in Montgomery Square.

1. Dot To Dog by Clarke Reynolds

Clarke is a blind artist who has covered his sculpture in dots reminiscent of colour blindness tests, with some of them raised to form tactile Braille letters. It can be found in the centre of Jubilee Park.

Left side view of a sculpture of a blue guide dog with purple and blue spots inspired by colour blindness tests. Some of the spots are raised to form Braille letters.
Right side view of a sculpture of a blue guide dog with purple and blue spots inspired by colour blindness tests. Some of the spots are raised to form Braille letters.

2. Hearts Of Gold by Marnie Maurri

This is a dark blue dog with lots of gold hearts all over it, and can be found by the east entrance to Jubilee Park.

Front view of a dark blue guide dog sculpture covered in gold hearts of different sizes, the largest being on its chest. The dog is also wearing a gold collar, on the front of which hangs a small gold tag with a red heart.
Right side view of a dark blue guide dog sculpture covered in gold hearts of different sizes. The dog is also wearing a gold collar.

3. Ben by Ben Jonson Primary School & Jill Busby

Sitting by the west entrance of Jubilee Park, this statue is covered in lots of cute little dogs designed by the Year 6 pupils from the school, with the names of each written next to them in Braille, and the use of neon colours to help them stand out. It was a fun way for them to learn about guide dogs I’m sure!

Front view of a white guide dog sculpture, with one green ear, one orange ear, and a green collar. The dog's body and legs are decorated with lots of brightly coloured mini dogs, with their names in Braille underneath, including Dave, Spot, Ben, Speed, Flowra, Coco and Max.
Right side view of a white guide dog sculpture, with a green ear and green collar. The dog's body and legs are decorated with lots of brightly coloured mini dogs, with their names in Braille underneath, including Brodie, Dave, Jimmy, Spirit, Sophie, Luke, Bobby, Bill Bob and Helen.
Left side view of a white guide dog sculpture, with a brown ear and green collar. The dog's body and legs are decorated with lots of brightly coloured mini dogs, with their names in Braille underneath, including Yas, Dash, Peggy, Zoe, Coby, Navy, Guppy, Sunny and Jo.

4. Trusty by Lauren Mullarkey

This sculpture is on Level -2 of Jubilee Place, for which there is an entrance with a lift and escalators opposite Sculpture 1. It’s by the Jubilee Line entrance, outside Cos, with a nice mosaic design using lots of coloured tiles.

Front view of a guide dog sculpture covered in small multicoloured tiles making a mosaic pattern. The chest is covered in tiles that form a rainbow heart that then spreads out across its shoulders, and it has a yellow mosaic harness. The dog is also wearing a red collar with a gold bone-shaped name tag attached to the front.
Left side view of a guide dog sculpture covered in small multicoloured tiles making a mosaic pattern. The chest is covered in tiles that form a rainbow heart that then spreads out across its shoulders, and it has a yellow mosaic harness with a black handle attached.pture covered in small multicoloured tiles making a mosaic pattern. The chest is covered in tiles that form a rainbow heart that then spreads out across its shoulders, and it has a yellow mosaic harness.
Rear view of a guide dog sculpture covered in small multicoloured tiles making a mosaic pattern, including a yellow mosaic harness with a black handle attached.

5. Rosetta by Amanda Quellin

Just along the corridor in Jubilee Place from the previous sculpture, near Wharf Kitchen, this dog is wearing lots of rosettes with suitably descriptive words for a guide dog like “reliable”, “faithful”, “loving”, “friend”, etc. My mate and colleague Emily has a guide dog who is black and called Rosie, so this sculpture very much reminds me of her!

Front view of a sculpture of a black guide dog wearing a red collar with a gold name tag, along with a gold dog coat covered with different coloured rosettes. The rosettes contain words like perfect, fun and top dog.
Left side view of a sculpture of a black guide dog wearing a red collar and a gold dog coat with different coloured rosettes on it. The rosettes contain words like trusting, kind, caring, dependable, stoic, strong and cuddly.
Right side view of a sculpture of a black guide dog wearing a red collar and a gold dog coat with different coloured rosettes on it. The rosettes contain words like helpful, funny, reliable, friend, faithful, loving and smart.

6. Herby’s Tale by Gayani Ariyaratne

This is on the West side of Montgomery Square, which you get to by using the pedestrian crossing by the east entrance to Jubilee Park. It has lots of lovely colourful flowers all over it. Gayani has also posted a video of its creation.

Front view of a sculpture of a yellow guide dog. The dog's chest is covered in raised tactile white and yellow daisy style flowers. The dog's lower half is covered with vibrant flowers on a green background. The dog is wearing a white harness, on the front of which is Herby's name in Braille. Herby is also wearing a white collar, on the front of which hangs a square green pendant with a letter H on it.
Left side view of a sculpture of a yellow guide dog. The dog's chest is covered in raised tactile white and yellow daisy style flowers. The dog's lower half is covered with vibrant flowers on a green background. The dog is wearing a white harness and white collar.
Rear view of a sculpture of a yellow guide dog. The lower part of the dog's neck is covered in raised tactile white and yellow daisy style flowers. The dog's lower half is covered with vibrant flowers on a green background. The dog is wearing a white harness and white collar.

7. Guide Line by Sue Guthrie

Over on the East side of Montgomery Square, this has a swirly pattern of textured black and smooth white stripes, which blends in nicely with the wavy stripes made by the paving.

Front view of a sculpture of a guide dog with a black and white swirly pattern all over it. The black swirls are slightly textured and the white swirls are smooth.
Rear view of a sculpture of a guide dog with a black and white swirly pattern all over it. The black swirls are slightly textured and the white swirls are smooth. The dog is looking out over a large square that has wavy stripes of grey and dark grey paving that complement its own swirling design.

Area 2 – Crossrail Place

These six sculptures are all fairly close to each other in Crossrail Place, mostly outside but a couple are indoors.

8. Guide Dog Adventures by Siân Healey

By the east entrance to the Elizabeth line, in front of Canada Place mall. This is a realistic-looking dog, inspired by Siân’s own guide dog, on which there are painted postcards of people with guide dogs in various locations.

Front view of a realistic sculpture of a yellow guide dog with a red collar, and the luminous green band of a Guide Dogs harness around its chest.
Right side view of a realistic sculpture of a yellow guide dog, with a white Guide Dogs harness, which has a luminous green section on the front of the harness and a bright green handle on the back. On the dog's back and its rear legs are postcards of guide dogs and their owners in different parts of the UK, including one of a couple of people with their dog walking over a bridge.
A painting of a postcard showing a couple walking through London, one of whom has a guide dog while the other carries an umbrella. Big Ben is in the background, with a red bus driving past. The postcard is painted on the back of a sculpture of a guide dog.

9. For The Love Of Dogs by Jess Perrin

West of the previous sculpture, near the entrance to Everyman Cinema, this sculpture has colourful imagery of guide dogs in the outdoors and traditional commands that you give them.

Front view of a cream coloured sculpture of a guide dog covered in a colourful pattern featuring dogs, sunshine, clouds, a hand holding a bone-shaped dog treat, and phrases including Lie Down.
Left side view of a cream coloured sculpture of a guide dog covered in a colourful pattern featuring dogs and their owners, bees, clouds, flowers and hearts, plus phrases including Good, Lie Down, Sit and Woof.
Right side view of a cream coloured sculpture of a guide dog covered in a colourful pattern featuring dogs and their owners, bones and a dog bowl with Maggie written on it and a bone inside, plus phrases including Stay and Fetch.

10. Jurassic Bark by Tim Sutcliffe

Inside the lobby behind you when facing the previous sculpture, this has a pretty cool design that makes it look like a blue dinosaur.

Front view of a sculpture of a guide dog that looks like a blue dinosaur, with textured scales and horns growing out of its nose, ears and neck. The dog has a red collar and red and gold harness with yellow eyes.
Rear view of a sculpture of a guide dog that looks like a blue dinosaur, with textured scales and horns growing out of its head, neck and back. The dog is wearing a red collar along with a red and gold harness.

11. Visionaries by Loïs Cordelia

Use the lift or the escalator next to Sculpture 10 to find this on Level -3 next to M&S. It’s covered with many faces of famous people with experience of sight loss.

I don’t recognise most of them by sight alone, but the names are revealed in the captions and description of a video by the artist. And I recognise several of them, particularly singers Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder & José Feliciano, tenor Andrea Boccelli, Braille inventor Louis Braille, Royal Navy officer Horatio Nelson, astronomer Galileo Galilei, Greek poet Homer, painter Claude Monet, Adrian Mole author Sue Townsend, politician and publisher Joseph Pulitzer and actress Dame Judi Dench.

Front view of a guide dog sculpture covered with different faces of famous people past and present with lived experience of sight loss.
Left side view of a guide dog sculpture covered with different faces of famous people past and present with lived experience of sight loss.
Right side view of a guide dog sculpture covered with different faces of famous people past and present with lived experience of sight loss.
Rear view of a guide dog sculpture covered with different faces of famous people past and present with lived experience of sight loss.

The sculpture also features:

12. Paws For Thought by Rachael & Phillippa Corcutt

Return to Sculpture 9 and head west again, and it’s by the west entrance to the Elizabeth line. This is adorned with beautiful flora and fauna.

Front view of the sculpture of a guide dog with a purple head fading to a blue body. The body is covered in colourful flora and fauna. The dog is wearing a gold collar with a gold tag attached that features a small blue heart.
Left side view of the sculpture of a guide dog wearing a gold collar, with a purple head fading to a blue body. The body is covered in colourful flora and fauna and features Canary Wharf cityscape illustrations.

13. Poncho by Art + Believe

This is south west of the previous sculpture in Adams Plaza, near the entrance to Canada Place mall. It has colourful geometic patterns inspired by Southern American ponchos.

Front view of a guide dog sculpture covered with a colourful and vibrant geometric design inspired by Southern American ponchos.
Left side view of a guide dog sculpture covered with a colourful and vibrant geometric design inspired by Southern American ponchos.

Bonus: Folklore Pup by Alison Erika Forde

An extra mini sculpture has also just been added to the trail for a short period, until the start of May. The little red puppy, decorated with flowers, vines and small dogs, is in Canada Place mall on Jubilee Walk, near Krispy Kreme Donuts, towards the Jubilee Line escalator. I had to return to Canary Wharf to track it down, as they only announced it after my main visit, but it’s worth finding, it’s very cute.

Front view of a small red sculpture of a guide dog puppy, decorated in bold folklore-style patterns including colourful circular designs around its eyes, ears, neck and chest, and black vines running up its front legs.
Close up on the head and neck of a small red sculpture of a guide dog puppy, decorated in bold, circular folklore-style patterns. Its ear, for example, has a black flower shape, the central circle of which is blue with a yellow centre. And around its eyes are blue ciccles alternating with short but thick yellow lines which could be thought of as large lashes.
Right side view of a small red sculpture of a guide dog puppy, decorated in bold folklore-style patterns including colourful circular designs around its neck, black vines running up its front legs, colourful flower and leaf patterns, and a mixture of white outlines and black silhouettes of small dogs.
Rear view of a small red sculpture of a guide dog puppy, decorated in bold folklore-style patterns including colourful circular designs around its neck, colourful flower and leaf patterns, and a mixture of white outlines and black silhouettes of small dogs.

Area 3 – Wren Landing & West India Quay

The next 2 sculptures are in a little square called Wren’s Landing, with the following 5 together over the footbridge on West India Quay.

14. Where’s Theia? by Caroline Daly

This is decorated with colourful, leafy foliage, with 5 mini dogs, a robin and other little surprises hidden amongst it all.

Front view of the sculpture of a guide dog painted light blue and covered in flowers and plants. The dog is wearing a yellow collar with an orange name tag that says Theia.
Left side view of the sculpture of a guide dog painted light blue and covered in flowers and plants.

15. Cobalt by Jenny Leonard

This brightly coloured sculpture has phrases that relate to the importance of guide dogs, including “raising awareness”, “improving accessibility” and “living actively, independently & well”.

Front view of a yellow sculpture of a guide dog, with phrases painted on such as Improving Accessibility, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The dog is wearing an orange collar, attached to which is a yellow tag with a grey border.
Left side view of a sculpture of a yellow guide dog, including a scene of someone walking with their guide dog viewed in silhouette, and different phrases painted on the dog's body such as Embracing Difference, Improving Accessibility, Raising Awareness and Inspiring People.
Right side view of a sculpture of a yellow guide dog, including a scene of someone walking with their guide dog viewed in silhouette, and different phrases painted on the dog's body including Life-Changing Services, and Living Actively, Independently and Well.

16. Bark To The Future by Glen Brooks

This sculpture is the first of 5 grouped together on West India Quay, across the footbridge from Wren’s Landing. It’s a very cool nod to the classic 80s film Back To The Future.

5 colourful sculptures of Guide Dogs in a row along West India Quay, with a bench in between the second and third sculptures.
Front view of a sculpture of a multi-coloured metal futuristic patchwork robot guide dog. 'Dog Brown' is written across the dog's shoulders with rivets detailing the words in braille.
Left side view of a sculpture of a multi-coloured metal futuristic patchwork robot guide dog. 'Dog Brown' is written across the dog's shoulders with rivets detailing the words in braille.
Right side view of a sculpture of a multi-coloured metal futuristic patchwork robot guide dog. Near the dog's right leg are 3 displays one above the other showing different date counters. The destination time is 6 June 1955 at 6am. The present time is 15 January 2024 at 10:40am. And the last time departed was 26 October 1985 at 1:24am.
Close-up rear view of a sculpture of a multi-coloured metal futuristic patchwork robot guide dog. In the centre of the dog's back is the flux capacitor, a compartment in which 3 wires come from top left, top right and bottom centre to meet at a central point. Below that compartment are several dials, buttons and digital number displays.

17. Life Is Golden by Becky Smith

Another sculpture covered in pretty colourful flowers. Apparently it also glows in the dark at night.

Front view of a sculpture of a gold guide dog with a multi-coloured floral and nature pattern including butterflies and birds. The dog has a red collar, from which hangs a black tag with gold writing saying Life Is Golden.
Rear view of a sculpture of a gold guide dog with a multi-coloured floral and nature pattern including butterflies and birds. The dog has a red collar and a yellow harness with black handles.

18. Spectrum by Amrit Singh

This is a pearly white dog covered in lots of colourful spots, some of which are tactile.

Front view of a white sculpture of a guide dog covered in brightly coloured spots of varying sizes, some of which are slightly raised.
Left side view of a white sculpture of a guide dog covered in brightly coloured spots of varying sizes, some of which are slightly raised.

19. Day Off At The Beach by Olivier Jamin

This cute sand-coloured dog has lots of foot and paw prints all over it, and a harness covered in colourful shells. Olivier is a deaf artist who leads BSL tours and workshops and produces art-related BSL content.

Front view of a sculpture of a guide dog covered with sand that has lots of foot and paw prints all over it. The dog wears a harness covered in colourful shells. It is also wearing a red collar, with a small sand-coloured tag hanging off the front that has a red heart in it.
Left side view of a sculpture of a guide dog covered with sand that has lots of foot and paw prints all over it. The dog wears a harness covered in colourful shells.

20. Straight On by Angela Charles

This sculpture has a mix of colours and black markings, along with written commands like “straight on”, “find the crossing”, “wait”, etc, and the phrase “good boy” on its collar.

Front view of a sculpture of a white guide dog covered in large patches of green, grey and pink, along with some black markings. The words Straight On are written across its harness, Good Boy on its collar, and Find The Crossing on its left leg.
Left side view of a sculpture of a white guide dog covered in large patches of green, grey and pink, along with some black markings. The words Good Boy are written on its collar, Find The Crossing on its left leg and Find The Way on its tail.
Right side view of a sculpture of a white guide dog covered in large patches of green, grey and pink, along a large yellow patch down its back, and some black markings all over as well. The word Wait is written next to the handle of the harness and also on its right food, and the word Left is written to the right of the handle.

Area 4 – Westferry Circus

The next 3 sculptures are in Westferry Circus, around the west side (the river side) of the circular area.

21. Baskerville by Mik Richardson

A cute tribute to detective Sherlock Holmes, complete with deerstalker hat, tweed jacket, monocle, magnifying glass, notebooks and a violin.

Front view of a sculpture of a guide dog dressed as Sherlock Holmes, wearing a deerstalker hat, monocle, tweed jacket, trousers and boots. The white tag hanging from his brown collar has the address 221B Baker Street on it.
Close-up of the head of a sculpture of a guide dog dressed as Sherlock Holmes, wearing a monocle and a deerstalker hat.
Left view of a sculpture of a guide dog dressed as Sherlock Holmes, wearing a deerstalker hat, monocle, tweed jacket, trousers and boots. A blue notebook sticking out of his jacket pocket is titled Memoirs.
Left view of a sculpture of a guide dog dressed as Sherlock Holmes, wearing a deerstalker hat, monocle, tweed jacket, trousers and boots. A side pocket on his jacket holds a magnifying glass and blue notebook entitled Detective Notes. A violin is attached to the back of the jacket.

22. Hope And Resilience by Kevin Gavaghan

This is a more abstract design, but still nice and colourful, with an image of a person bending over on the dog’s hind legs, held up by small figures. Kevin has Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) and says the artwork was great escapism for him.

Front view of a guide dog sculpture with an abstract design of blue, green and grey swirls.
Right side view of a guide dog sculpture with an abstract painting on its hind legs of a person bending over their knees, but being held up by small figures. The dog has blue, green and grey swirls on its upper body.

23. Every Man Has Their Day by Dom Pattinson

This sculpture is spray painted with graffiti, with nice little details like butterflies to look out for.

Front view of a multicoloured spray-painted sculpture of a dog, covered in paint drips and graffitied motifs such as a heart, lips and butterflies.
Right side view of a multicoloured spray-painted sculpture of a dog, covered in paint drips and graffitied motifs such as a heart, lips and butterflies.

Area 5 – South Quay Plaza

The final 2 sculptures are very close to each other on South Quay Plaza:

24. A Tangle With Colour by Alex Devlin

Visually impaired artist Alex has adorned this sculpture with very colourful swirls and patchwork to give the impression of a knitted wool pattern.

Front view of a sculpture of a guide dog with a black collar covered in bright multicoloured swirls and patchwork like a knitted wool pattern.
Rear view of a sculpture of a guide dog with a black collar covered in bright multicoloured swirls and patchwork like a knitted wool pattern.

25. Dog Stars by Donna Newman

This final sculpture is decorated with dog-shaped constellations named after former service dogs, including the first ever British guide dogs called Judy, Flash, Folly and Meta, and another famous dog called Endal who became an ambassador for service dog training and charities. Other names include Laika, Roscoe, Murphy, Smoky, Henry, Sherlock, Goldie, Salty, Stubby, Petra, Lassie, Pippa and Rosy.

Front view of a purple guide dog sculpture covered with stars and constellations in the shapes of dogs' faces. The names of the constellations are written beside them, including Laika, Judy, Flash and Roscoe.
Left side view of a purple guide dog sculpture covered with stars and constellations in the shapes of dogs' faces. The names of the constellations are written beside them, including Murphy, Judy, Smoky, Roscoe, Henry, Sherlock and Folly.
Right side view of a purple guide dog sculpture with a large moon on the back of its neck. The rest of its body is covered with stars and constellations in the shapes of dogs' faces. The names of the constellations are written beside them, including Meta, Goldie, Salty, Stubby and Endal.
Close-up of the right side of a purple guide dog sculpture, its body covered with stars and constellations in the shapes of dogs' faces. The names of the constellations are written beside them, including Petra, Meta, Lassie, Stubby and Pippa.
Close-up of the rear of a purple guide dog sculpture, its body covered with stars and constellations in the shapes of dogs' faces. The names of the constellations are written beside them, including Rosy, Meta, Goldie, Stubby and Salty.

Conclusion

So there you have it. I loved exploring the Paws On The Wharf trail, and I hope you enjoyed looking through my photos. Going on walkies to find all the sculptures is worth doing, as they’re beautiful, and you have until 17 May to do so. It’s a really nice way to raise awareness, and hopefully the subsequent auction will raise a tidy amount too!

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Author: Glen

Love London, love a laugh, love life. Visually impaired blogger, culture vulture & accessibility advocate, with aniridia & nystagmus, posting about my experiences & adventures.

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