“Through creating with my own emotions for my dogs, my hope is these whimsical beasts can inspire others to create with their hands, hearts, and minds.”
Victor E. Bell
Victor E. Bell (b. 1997) is a New Jersey-based sculptor, a 2026 Jersey City Individual Artist Fellow, and the creator of the Dogoyle. By blending the forms of dogs, dragons, and gargoyles, Bell captures the otherworldly sense of safety provided by a loyal companion.
As the 2025 Anne Reeves Artist-in-Residence, Victor brought his sculptures out of the studio and into the public heart of Princeton, with site-specific installations at 12 local community fixtures including, Small World Coffee and the Princeton Public Library.
Since moving to Jersey City in May 2025, Bell has proudly worked at Project Studios a Hudson County based artist collective which provides a community of highly-skilled artists and creators affordable, well equipped studio space.
As a 2026 Jersey City Individual Artist Fellow, Bell is currently focused on expanding the Dogoyle project into the neighborhoods of Jersey City. This new phase of the project involves developing site-specific installations that celebrate the city’s architecture. By placing Dogoyles in high-traffic civic spaces, he continues to explore how public art can serve as a functional guardian for the community, fostering a sense of shared belonging and protection in the modern environment.
Featured Press
Victor Bell: Sharing Joy
“He thought of the places where we go to seek out our pack – the coffee shops, the small markets, the cinemas and clubs where we meet our friends – and he envisioned placing these works there to remind people about the unconditional love to which dogs inspire us.”
“Dogoyles” Around Town
“I think the important thing that I’m trying to capture is the joy of creating, and the joy that a dog can inspire in you. When you see a dog, it inspires a feeling of love ”
Victor Bell brings the dog days to the Arts Council of Princeton
“This natural connection between dogs and people is what he hopes to reflect in his sculptures. More than just playful figures, his Dogoyles embody the way dogs try to communicate with us, forming a bond that is both instinctual and deeply emotional.”
Artist Victor E. Bell Celebrates Rescue Dogs
“Bell loves dogs — especially rescue dogs — and the unconditional love we receive from them. He also loves his Princeton community, and so the idea for “dogoyles” — a magical mix of dog, dragon, and gargoyle — was born.”
