Millie's House honors beloved NOLA dog with art supplies | Entertainment/Life | nola.com

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Julie Ward roamed her Uptown neighborhood decorating sidewalks in an effort to brighten the mood of cooped-up neighbors. Her beloved Boston terrier, Millie Dog, tagged along.

People began looking for the drawings as a way to stay connected in a time when that seemed nearly impossible.

Puppy Paw prints outlined then colored by neighborhood children. Millie’s House New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Strout) Paw Prints for the neighbors to color.

"Millie and I started doing chalk art at the beginning of the pandemic,” Ward said. “I was having a rough day, and I needed something uplifting, so we went out with some colored chalk and drew a rainbow."

“People would say, ‘I look forward to everything you do. It brings such joy,' " Ward said.

Ward moved to New Orleans in 2015, bringing the terrier she'd adopted after it was returned to foster care four times from unsuccessful "forever home" placements. She discovered Millie online and felt an instant kinship.

Andrew and Mac Dennis color the sidewalk outside Julie Ward’s house using supplies from Neighborhood children get creative with supplies Millie’s House, Julie Ward’s offer to encourage creativity. Millie’s House New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Strout)

“We even have the same birthday, March 28,” said Ward, 38, an artist and independent marketing consultant.

“I picked Millie up in Birmingham, where I was living at the time," said Ward. “She rolled over for a belly rub and the rest is history.”

In January, Millie Dog died of soft tissue sarcoma at age 13.

Now, the terrier's memory has been honored with a project that's intended to bring joy and foster creativity. Millie’s House, a little free library filled with art supplies, is located outside of Ward's home just off Laurel and Valmont streets Uptown.

Art supplies inside Millie’s house. Millie’s House New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Strout)

Through neighborhood donations and an Amazon wish list, the bright little library is kept stocked with colored chalk, pencils, pens, watercolor and acrylic paint sets, crayons, miniature canvases, notebooks, brushes and other creative wares. There are even stickers and buttons featuring the likeness of Millie.

Ward also creates seasonal coloring sheets and other projects that she prints out and stocks in the little house.

It's all free for the taking. The only request is that the materials be used to bring joy.

The pain of losing Millie still takes Ward’s breath away. The tears come hard and fast, without warning, in an explosion of emotion too powerful to stave off.

“I loved Millie before I even met her,” Ward said. “I adopted her before I even met her. I just knew.

“Everyone loved Millie. She had a way about her, a little goofy, but oh, so sweet. My family really loved her. I grew up with her. She gave me so much confidence and purpose.”

After Millie’s death, Ward’s friends and neighbors surprised her with a second line parade during which they presented her with the little free library for Millie’s House.

Julie Ward and Archie Noland look at Millie’s House as Archie's sister, Ivy Noland, reaches for art supplies. Millie’s House is Julie Ward’s effort to encourage creativity, in honor of her late Boston terrier, Millie Dog.

“They had collected donations for me so I could launch Millie’s House. They said ‘You can fill the house with art supplies and bring joy, like you did with Millie and your art.'

“I always took the day off on our birthday and spent the day with Millie, so I opened Millie’s House this year on our birthday. We had a tiny ribbon cutting ceremony. I wrote a letter to Millie. It is in the back of the house. I painted over it so it will always be just between us, but it imbued the structure with love and meaning.”

Julie Ward and muralist Bruna Pétalla in front of Ward's house in New Orleans. (Photo by Jeff Strout)

Muralist Bruna Pétalla assisted with the paint design on the minuscule house.

“Millie was my beautiful, funny little angel. People can still walk by, see her face on the house, and it will bring a smile to their faces," Ward said.

“The point of all of this is to speak creatively and try new things. Art and creativity are so healing. ... People may not agree politically but the same piece of art can make both sides smile. This is a way to build connections between people."

“If there were Millie’s Houses everywhere that would be so sweet. Just a sweet way to organize and build community at a time when we so desperately need it.”