Tony Blair Gets Creative

ART & COMMERCE Tony Blair, Tony Blair (inset) Meet former British Prime Minister and Bush cuddle-buddy Tony Blair's artsy namesake, a pet rat who is gaining notoriety in the art world for his sculptures.

After getting his start re-imagining bits of recycled paper, Tony's work has grown to include pieces in foliage, fabric, and electrical cables. His portfolio includes a nibbled avocado sculpture, a gnawed four-leaf clover called Am I Still Lucky?, and a gnawed-on blanket. International acclaim came after his owner, Helen Seget, posted some of his work on the Saatchi gallery website, and it earned several hundred votes in an online competition. He followed quickly with his first show last November, and his work is currently on view at Seget's gallery in Newcastle, England. Craig Wilson, an art gallery manager in Nottingham, says, "Tony's work is superior to about 50 percent of the things I've seen."