It took about an hour for Pigcasso, the world’s first painting pig, to become R25,000 richer after completing an artwork commissioned by Hollywood actor Ed Westwick.
Westwick, best known for his role as Chuck Bass in the hit television series Gossip Girl, was visiting Cape Town and Johannesburg with SA-born model girlfriend Tamara Francesconi recently when they made a pit stop at the animal sanctuary in Franschhoek, where the porcine artist lives and paints.
Pigcasso’s owner, Joanne Lefson, said Francesconi is “a bit of a Pigcasso fan and instructed Ed to meet the divine swine”. Lefson saved Pigcasso from becoming sandwich filling when the pig was six months old. Since then, Pigcasso — who displayed talent from the outset when she chose a paintbrush instead of a ball as a toy — has sold works to collectors locally and abroad and was commissioned by Swatch to produce artwork for one of its watches.
“[Ed] picked the colours that he wanted and as Pigcasso danced through her painting, he added another colour,” said Lefson.
“I could see that he really enjoyed it. It cost R25,000. She signed it with her snout and he got a certificate of authenticity.“
The funds go to Farm Sanctuary SA. We are a registered nonprofit organisation to inspire compassion for farm animals. We do rescue operations and have a number of rescue animals. It covers the feed and vet care.” Lefson said Westwick packed up the painting and took it with him. “I believe he is going to hang it in his entrance hall.
“We hear that George Clooney is going to be getting a painting soon. “Ed’s parting shot was that he would never eat bacon again.”
Lefson said Pigcasso earned another R25,000 on the same day, when a Los Angeles film producer, Anthony Capone, also commissioned a Pigcasso original.
“Pigcasso was on a roll, she rose to the occasion and painted two exceptional artworks in a timeframe of about two hours.
“Pigcasso still doesn’t know who Ed Westwick is, but she’s glad the sanctuary can afford to give her watermelons, pawpaw and spinach to keep on going and having an amazing life,” said Lefson.
The porker, now four years old, has earned more than R1m.
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