Best in Show is an ongoing series of exhibitions celebrating the bond between people and their companion animals, with proceeds from each show supporting an animal welfare cause in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The first Best in Show (2023) on Waiheke Island featured oil on canvas portraits of companion animals commissioned from the local community, with public voting across award categories — Best Puss, Best Pup, Best Pet, Best in Show, and Worst Pest — carrying a genuine conservation message through the medium of portraiture and reminding us that animal ownership comes with responsibilities. The exhibition raised $1,250 for the Waiheke Island Society for the Care of Animals (WISCA).

Two further iterations have followed: an artist residency at Wellington SPCA Centre (2024), which raised $1,900 for SPCA, and a show at Auckland's ArtHaus Contemporary (2025), which introduced branded merchandise and raised $1,900 for Pet Refuge.

Portraits below are a selection drawn from all three exhibitions.
All works oil on canvas, 40 × 40 cm to 60 × 60 cm.

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