Basset Hound Ear Art

One of my husband's clients gave us tickets to the Pawcasso fundraiser for Spay and Neuter Syracuse (SANS). SANS is a low cost spay and neuter clinic for low income families and pets without homes in Central New York, and has spayed or neutered more than 8200 animals since 2005. Pawcasso is their big annual fundraiser, and it's "a silent auction of art by, for, and about animals".

We're big supporters of any program that increases the likelihood people will spay or neuter their pets or strays. We're also big fans of art, silent auctions, and pets. The perfect combination!

I figured I had to do a piece to donate for the cause, so I spent Saturday doing a drawing of my favorite picture of Simon, which turned out quite cute:

But because we're crazy, we also thought the whole art by animals thing could be great fun, too. After all, Simon was once a shelter dog who was neutered by folks who care about animals who need homes, so we figured he would want to contribute to the cause, too.

Our idea? A Basset hound ear painting, of course.

It involved a canvas, a lot of non-toxic washable finger paints, some dog treats, and a whole lotta mess! See photos of the fun, below.

Pippin helping with the preparation:

The palette:

The artist at work:

Thank God he didn't shake with paint on his ears. There would have been paint on the ceiling.

And the finished piece:

Now I just need to buy a couple of frames and to donate the pieces by the deadline of January 31st. I hope they bring in a few dollars for a great cause, and I am very much looking forward to attending the event at the end of February!

5 comments:

Jacqueline Donnelly January 23, 2011 at 10:44 PM: Oh my, what talent! Both you and Simon. Hope your paintings bring big money to help the animals.
Bill and dogs January 24, 2011 at 3:13 AM: I love the drawing of Simon and am in awe of your talent. And the "art BY animals" idea is wonderful. You've captured it beautifully. What a great post to brighten my morning in this frigid weather. Thank you.
Ellen Rathbone January 24, 2011 at 10:04 PM: Well, heck - if I were there, I'd surely put in a bid! I have two pieces of cat artwork I acquired at a silent auction for the shelter in Westport a few years ago. Hm....I wonder which box they are packed in?
Louise January 26, 2011 at 5:28 PM: Beautiful, beautiful artwork, both yours and Simon's. You have a wonderful talent, both in your painted work, and in your photography. I'm going to enjoy this blog, which I found while checking out the blogs that Willow House Chronicles follows.

I'm kind of a neighbor, who lives near Rochester. I don't have anywhere near your talent with the camera, and no artistic talent at all. But, I think we share an interest in the plants and creatures around us.

I had to laugh, too, when I saw your header. I thought "someone who has as many Mallards visit as I do (and a couple of Wood Ducks, too!)" But, as I read, I figured out that it's the zoo in Syracuse that has those visitors.
Holly January 27, 2011 at 3:47 PM: Thanks, everybody! And Louise, welcome! So glad to have caught your interest. Indeed, those are zoo squatter ducks, not my own. Wish I had a pond that that many ducks would come visit! Some day...