Story by Emily Williams • Photos by Lee Walls Jr.
A pet has always been among the most prized fixtures of the household in Donna Jernigan’s life.
The pitter-patter of paws has been
a constant throughout her childhood and adulthood. Her 91⁄2-year-old Pomeranian, Sampson, is the compan- ion in residence at her home in Mountain Brook.
“He’s just my little companion,” she said. “He sleeps with me. He likes to eat whatever I’m eating.”
When she ventures away from home, Sampson is usually right by her side, enjoying every moment of the car ride to his next destination.
“He just likes hanging out with me. He loves to be with me and vice versa,” she said.
Sampson does showcase his independent nature at times.
“If he gets outside, he loves to run around in the woods,” Jernigan joked, but when he’s done exploring, it’s back to his part-time work playing her shadow.
Though he is hopelessly photogenic, it may take a few games of chase and hide-and-seek under the dining room table before he decides he is ready for his close-up.
Now Sampson has the opportunity to experience art from the other side of the process. He will be helping artist Arthur Price create a painting as part of the Picasso Pets fundraiser for Hand in Paw. Jernigan said she’s excited to hang the piece among the fine art that adorns the walls of her Mediterranean-style home.
Location, Location, Location
Jernigan confessed that the house, in the Shook Hill neighborhood, has not always been a favorite of hers.
When she bought the house about 71⁄2 years ago, the main draw was that it was moments away from her old house.
Jernigan typically leans more toward the style of an English or French country house, so she said she brought some of those elements into her home while taking advantage of the many windows, archways and natural light her Mediterranean offers.
The signature tile roof and stucco finish of the exterior gives way to an open foyer, which showcases a grand winding staircase on the right, an open dining room on the left and, in front, an arched hallway.
“The thing about this house is, it would be beautiful even if I didn’t put anything in it,” Jernigan said.
Her tastes run toward somewhat spiritual furnishings, things that look as if they were pulled through time from a 17th-century cathedral.
The center of the foyer is furnished with a large stone planter that resembles a baptismal font. She’ll decorate the piece with candles, flowers or other foliage, depending on the occasion.
“For Christmas, I put a small tree in it and it just looks beautiful,” she said. “I’m big on Christmas, it’s my favorite.”
Arched windows stretch from the floor nearly to the ceiling on one side of a hallway, and the other side opens to a great room, allowing natural light to spill over the detailed architecture. She brought in touches of her own style, placing a chest of drawers at the end of the hallway with a mirror above it, and decorated the surface with candles in varying heights, remi- niscent of votive candle racks found in many cathedrals.
Once in the library, there is almost a complete change in atmosphere. The neutral beige walls are dropped to a much darker hue, making a seamless transition to a wall of leather-bound books.
“This room is probably the most different from the other rooms in the house,” Donna said.
She noted that it feels most like a classic English library.
In front of the fireplace is a large, deep red screen that she accented with a piece that looks particularly medieval.
“I found this in a little antique shop in Tuscaloosa,” she said. “It’s really somewhat of a Christmas decoration, but it works year-round. I just really liked the older feel of it.”
Throughout her home, Jernigan’s favorite pieces aren’t the antiques or furnishings, but the artwork on her walls.
“My grandmother was a photographer,” she said. “So, I grew up with an appreciation for art.”
Her love of art is displayed throughout the home, which features a multitude of rich oil paintings of landscapes and still life fashioned with detailed golden frames. Her two favorite pieces are a reflection of family, a portrait of her son and one of her daughter.
“One of the most important things for me is family,” she said. “I just love looking at those portraits of my children and all of the family pictures around the house.”
It’s Not Finished ‘Til the Dog Barks
Though Sampson hasn’t had his likeness portrayed in oil, he’ll be making his mark on the home at the end of the summer through Jernigan’s newest art purchase.
Though she has long-since declared her home’s interior “finished,” there is one thing she has always wanted: a painting by Price.
An acclaimed local artist, his ethereal scenes of nature will fit right in with her collection, most of which are landscapes.
“I have always wanted one of his pieces but couldn’t justify the purchase,” she said. “It’s different knowing that the money is going to Hand in Paw.”
The group offers animal-assisted therapy sessions in the community. Jernigan said she had a chance to see a therapy session and enjoyed seeing the result of the therapy dogs’ and volunteers’ training and programming, which provided a sense of calm for children and adults alike.
Though this marks the first year Jernigan has been involved in Picasso Pets, she has had a close relationship with the organization over the years. While serving on the board of visitors for UAB’s School of Nursing, she developed a friendship with Hand in Paw founder Beth Franklin, who worked at UAB at the time.
“I always stayed in touch with her over the years,” Jernigan said. “We have a common love of art and our animals.”
Jernigan’s son, Jonathan, often volunteered throughout the years, giving her a glimpse of the importance of therapy dogs and what they provide the community.
Earlier this summer, Sampson met with Price for a painting session. In an effort to make the opportunity a family affair, Jernigan had her children’s dogs participate: her son’s beagle, Milo; and her daughter’s Pomeranian, Baxter, and rescue dog, Argo.
“They seemed to like it,” Jernigan said. “Argo didn’t as much. He was a little bit afraid.”
Other than having her family pups help paint, Jernigan has only a small idea of what her painting will include. She requested some shades of blue be incorporated and discussed her love of nature and European countryside landscapes, but beyond that she is ready to be surprised.
“I’m really not sure where I’m going to put it,” she said. “I’ll have to see where it fits. I don’t even know if I want to have it framed or just leave it as it is.”
The biggest contender is currently her great room. The wall along the left side of the space is patterned with several arched patio doors that provide plenty of natural light and open to a terrace that overlooks wooded areas of her yard.
Regardless of where it ends up, Jernigan’s latest purchase will serve as a testament to all of her favorite things: art, animals and her family of kids and canines. ❖
Hand in Paw’s Picasso Pets
Throughout the summer local artists have teamed up with the pets of public figures and Hand in Paw supporters to create unique works of art for the organization’s annual fundraiser Picasso Pets.
Mountain Brook residents Donna Jernigan, left with Sampson, and Deanna Piztiz, above with Kingston, are two of the pet owners who have commissioned paintings their dogs have helped paint. In this issue, we take you inside their elegant homes to see where Kingston and Sampson must surely draw artistic inspiration from. See stories beginning on page 21.
In addition to funds from their purchases supporting the organization’s training and animal therapy programs, the participants gain a unique work of art to add to the walls of their home.
The participants will end the summer by celebrating at Hand in Paw’s 17th annual Picasso Pets event, beginning at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Harbert Center.
For more information, visit handinpaw.org.
