CHICAGO — A local artist can thank the Chicago hot dog for her recent rise to fame.
Chicagoan Julia Hagen never imagined people would be lining up to get their hands on her work, the same way they do at the place that started it all.
A classically trained painter, Hagen graduated in 2021 from the Art Institute of Chicago.
She had visions of creating great works of her own but that all changed last year over a Chicago dog.
“On a whim I decided to paint Red Hot Ranch,” she said. “I just thought what would look more Chicago than a hot dog stand with the El running over it, so I painted it and posted it on reddit and people loved it.”
In fact, they loved it so much, Hagen sold out of every print she made within a week.
Hundreds of requests poured in for more hot dog fine art
So Hagen went to work titling her series, “The Last Stand’ and painted Gene and Jude’s, Superdawg, Skyway Doghouse, The Weiner Circle, Flub a Dub Chubs and Jimmy’s Original.
Each one sold out of the original and 50 prints within days, proving the city of Big Shoulders believes their dog stands are good enough to be framed.
More about Julie and her work here.
“I couldn’t be happier,” she said. I” think I have gone a path that is much more joyful and fun and I just feel like each painting I do gives joy to people and I definitely receive it tenfold.”
Hagen has a list of fifty weiner stands she plans to paint over the next year.
