Central & Gus
Mon Treble Cuban Tree Frog Portrait Study
Mon Treble Cuban Tree Frog Portrait Study
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Like a current in deep water, almost imperceptibly stirring things up, the universe is conspiring toward change. A quiet, organic evolution.
As a pollywog, Mon Treble Cuban Tree Frog saw himself as just another fish. He looked the same as the guppies in the neighbourhood, and did the same things….but there was this feeling. And it was a feeling that wouldn’t pass. Though he’d never say out loud, Mon realized that his was not meant to be a life aquatic. For a wee pollywog, the possibility of anything different was simply unfathomable, though it took over his dreams. He could focus on nothing else. Each day that passed brought change. None of it was easy; some of it was downright painful, but his heart had already packed its bags and now his body was morphing to enable the move. While his buddies were in school, draughting with the current, ebbing and flowing with the waves, he was quickly becoming a fish out of water. He knew where he was meant to be; he knew it was time to go.
Trepidacious at the leaving and the newness of the present, yet excited about the future; the learning; the growing; he pressed on. He found others that had come before - other Cuban Tree Frogs. They welcomed him, introduced him to a new community, a new culture, and gave him a sense of belonging. Now, he bounds with the vim of an acrobat from branch to branch to branch. He sees just how many times he can wrap his tongue around a triple decker ice cream cone. And he sings in the full moonlight. It most certainly isn’t what he was expecting from his life, but oh, when he followed his heart, it was so much more.
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Portrait Study, 8x10”, 9x12”, or 11x14" in protective cello. Each Portrait Study is accompanied by a whimsical tale of the animal featured. Entirely collectible, the stories intertwine, creating a much-loved community of characters. We print on a luxurious 318 gsm, 100% cotton paper. Soft and durable, this paper showcases crisp detail and vibrant colour.
We donate a portion of gross sales to animal welfare.
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Beautiful art. You will love this product. I have ordered multiple time and have LOVED everything I've ordered.
love the sweet animals - just adore !! have ordered twice
Frequently Asked Questions
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They are — and that's one of the things that makes Central & Gus so unique. Every character lives in the same universe. They know each other, reference each other, cross paths at the switchboard, in the woods, at the patisserie, on the road. Collecting them is a little like reading a novel one chapter at a time — except each chapter fits on your wall or popped in the post for a stamp to someone you love.
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We spent a long time on this. Every Central & Gus illustration is hand-drawn in pencil — and so we are eternally inspired by the classic #2, enrobed in that particular shade of yellow. For that, we call it Ticonderoga Harvest. Studies on colour and emotion find that people associate this shade with joy — which felt exactly right. It also nods, quietly, to our farm roots, everything that grows out of the land, and also to a less tangible but just as important creative harvest. The envelope is not an afterthought. It is part of the story.
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They are extraordinary gifts — and we say that not as a boast but as something we hear constantly from our retail partners and customers. A Central & Gus card is not a card you send and forget. It is a card the recipient reads, re-reads, frames, or keeps in a drawer to return to. The story on the back transforms it from a greeting into a small, meaningful object. We have heard from one customer who had special date-day trips with his young daughter, each time choosing one special card for her coveted collection. The goldenrod envelope alone tends to stop people in their tracks. Another, a fiance purchased the entire set for his partner, a reminder of a day they spotted them in a shop and giggled while reading the stories aloud. These are not cards. They are moments, saved.
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Wholeheartedly yes — and the characters seem to know instinctively which age they are speaking to. Children are drawn to the illustrations, the names, the animals. Adults read the stories and find themselves unexpectedly moved. We regularly hear from customers who frame them in nurseries and living rooms alike, who give them to grandparents and grandchildren in the same gesture. The world of Central & Gus does not have an age. It has a sensibility — and that sensibility tends to recognise itself across generations.
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Yes — and we love that you asked. We offer curated collections and themed bundles. Our Open Water & Coastal set, our Woodland & Hedgerow set, our Wetland & Waterway, or our Start Your Collection bundle are all wonderful entry points. And for those that just wantall of themat once, The Whole Gang brings every character home together at a saving. Bundles make particularly wonderful gifts — there is something about receiving a community of characters at once that feels genuinely special.
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We do — and this is at the heart of everything we do. A portion of every gross sale goes directly to animal welfare. The characters you collect are not just whimsical illustrations — they are advocates. Every purchase is a small act of care for the natural world and the creatures in it. We are deeply grateful for every order that makes this possible.