By Melanie Spencer
American Statesman Staff

Last week, Sue Rostvold and her husband, Allan LIttle, launched their Austin-based greeing card company, Verysupercool. You might have seen them scouting for “models” along Town Lake or Zilker Park - the four-legged canine kind, that is. Each of their cards is an homage to a beloved pet, and the business allows Rostvold to merge her talents of photography and printing.

Austin American-Statesman: How and when did Verysupercool come to be?
Sue Rostvold: When our dog Scooby passed away, we found ourselves searching for the proper way to memorialize him. Losing Scooby was hard, and through sharing with friends; (we) realized others also found it difficult to offer comfort over the loss of a pet. When several friends also lost pets, I begin to make greeting cards using photos of the beloved pets. Rather than merely saying “deepest sympathy,” I included meaningful quotes that had a more universal appeal. Soon, I began creating a variety of fun cards with quotes for all occasions.

What about card making as an art form appeals to you?

The real art form for us is capturing the essence of each dog, be they mutt or purebred, old or young, working dog or fancy dog - we love them all. We found that they eyes are the windows to the soul and when we can capture that gaze with a camera, it makes a really compelling card.

Can you walk us through your process?

Well, for the most part, we are interested in real dogs that belong to real people. We walk Town Lake, scouting for an unusual or particularly eye-catching dog that we think would make a great card. We’ve developed a little business card that we offer to dog owners that explains what we are doing. Most people get very excited and act as if their dog has been chosen for “Star Search.” If we get the right shot and a dog is chosen for a card, the owners receive complimentary cards.

What is the most challenging aspect of working together and what is the most rewarding?

We pretty much agree about the fundamentals - we love dogs and we care about the environment. We find beauty in al types of dogs, and it’s fun to scope out the potential models while enjoying the local parks or walking around Town Lake. We print our cards on 100 percent post consumer waste paper. Photographing dogs isn’t easy, and catching that moment when they are looking exactly at the camera is even harder. We don’t even want to talk about the silliness that goes on while inthe middle of a photo session. Let’s just say sqeaky toys, treats and high-pitched, embarrassing voices are usually involved.

How or where do you find your inspiration?

How can you not be inspired by dogs? They give unconditional love, and they are there when you need them most. Our sweet dog Wenge, who is nearing the end of her life, has given us so much joy and inspiration over the last 15 years. She needs 24-hour care now, and it is a pleasure to give back to an animal that has done nothing but love us and entertain us her whole life. As for other dogs, we just like to get a snapshot of their real personality to offer a smile to others. We really enjoy spending time with all the different dogs and getting to know the owners; dog people are usually pretty cool. And then there are the inpriational quotes that you will find inside each card: from Emerson and Einstein to Aristotle and Shakespeare.

mspencer@statesman.com

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Austin Company Launches Greeting Card Line

AUSTIN, TX – November 8, 2005 – Have you ever gazed deep into the eyes of your beloved canine and thought, “If only I could do this all day long…” It’s easy to see how many pet owners become emotionally attached to their loving companions. Millions of Americans, a staggering 68 million, consider their dogs to be a very important part of their family, so it’s no wonder that products for and about dogs is a steadily growing industry. However, few products on the market can really depict the soul of a canine with dignity and grace. That is, until now. Austin-based company, Verysupercool, has artfully captured the essence and soul of many dogs through photography. Today, Verysupercool announces the availability of their new line of greeting cards bearing these incredibly lovable images.

From Grief, the Genesis of a Great Idea
The greeting card line is the dream project of the husband and wife team Allan Little and Sue Rostvold, who, when their beloved dog Scooby passed away, found themselves searching for the proper way to memorialize him. Losing Scooby was hard for them, and through sharing with friends, they realized that others also found it difficult to offer comfort over the loss of a pet. When several friends also lost pets, Sue began to make her own greeting cards using photos of the beloved pets. Rather than saying “deepest sympathy,” Sue included meaningful quotes that she thought, had a more universal appeal. The cards brought smiles to many, and soon, Sue began creating a variety of fun cards with quotes for all occasions.

“Realizing the mortality of our own dogs made us really want to capture their soulful gazes for ourselves,” says Allan Little of Verysupercool. “Sue has always enjoyed making cards for friends and family, and we decided to turn that passion into a business.”

The cards brought together Sue’s many loves and talents, from her printing and photography experience to her love for dogs and poignant quotes. “I never imagined I could combine all the things I love into a new career,” offers Sue Rostvold.

Real Dogs that Belong to Real People
There are plenty of cards on the market that feature pets in funny costumes and silly situations. Verysupercool wanted their cards to be more natural, and to focus more on the uniqueness of each dog. Sue and Allan knew it was possible to capture the soulful expression of their own dogs, and by using patience and treats, they found they could capture the spirit of other dogs as well. They began approaching different dog owners around Austin, photographing their dogs and developing the product line.

“Every dog is unique and each one belongs to a family. I didn’t want the images to have a generic feel to them. And, while purebred dogs are gorgeous, I didn’t want to exclude dogs that are mixed breeds, or mutts,” adds Sue. “Each dog’s face is so different and so full of expression. Capturing that expression is the goal, not just featuring a specific breed.”

Keeping It Green
Sue and Allan wanted to offer a product that was both beautiful and earth-friendly. After finding out the industry standard for paper to be considered recycled is that it contain only 30 percent post consumer waste, they knew they could and should do better. Verysupercool uses New Leaf Everest, a superior, fine art quality and 100 percent consumer waste paper. New Leaf Paper was the first to manufacture an acid-free, white paper, processed chlorine free and made entirely from paper that has already been used and returned through a recycling program, thereby diverting it from a landfill or incinerator.

Available in Austin and other parts of the US
Verysupercool cards have been on the market since September. Currently, the cards are being sold at the following locations in Austin: Breed & Co., Wheatsville Co-Op, Moxie and the Compound, Eco-Wise, Casa de Luz and Sparks. In San Antonio: Barking Friends, and at stores in Santa Barbara, CA, Denver and Chicago.

About Verysupercool
Based in Austin, Texas, Verysupercool is a greeting card company that loves animals and cares about the environment. Begun by Sue Rostvold and Allan Little, the company is focused on taking fun, yet dignified dog portraits that capture the soulful gaze and personality of each dog. Each card is printed on 100% recycled fine art paper, contains an inspirational quote, and can be used for any occasion.

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