the Painting Activist

4″ x 6″ watercolor in an 8″ x 10″ frame, $150
SOLD
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Once again I have missed another enchanting evening of educating my wine-taste buds with a glamorous crowd of hundreds at the most recent Louisville Uncorked event. Small teams of guests bring 3 bottles of the same wine, 2 to be opened for tasting (masked in a bag) and 1 to be added to the collection given to the team with the best liked wine.

The quarterly tastings benefit a different charity each time. Last week’s party of fermented fruit benefited the Louisville Zoo. The event is usually held at a non related venue, but this time the party brought guests to the selected nonprofit by setting up camp at the Zoo. You can see pictures here.

You can visit www.louisvilleuncorked.com to sign up for their email alert if you don’t want to miss out on the next tasting, which is TBA.
Oh, and by the way, the wining wine of last week was a Pine Ridge 2005 Chardonnay.

I’m a sucker for happy endings, and that is precisely what all party-goers got Saturday night at this year’s Kentucky Humane Society Tux & Tails fundraiser.  This horrifically abused boxer puppy, Dexter (previously adorning my blog in this painting), courageously shared the spotlight with his new owner for hundreds of guests to ogle at.

I’m also a sucker for costume parties, which made KHS staff dressed as KISS rock stars for the “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” theme especially entertaining.  Volunteers, with the best job ever, strolled around Millionaire’s Row of Churchill Downs with lap-size puppies dressed in poodle skirts for everyone to babble baby talk to (alcohol only making it more incoherent).

The silent auction spread was very impressive with bids during the live auction to match.  Someone took home a boxing glove autographed by Muhammad Ali.  Another high bidder will hang 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense’s halter on their wall.

7″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the Kentucky Humane Society)

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Another sad story in search of a happy ending…

In early June, “Bippity,” “Boppity,” and “Boo,” three six-week-old Siamese kittens in poor health, were abandoned at the KHS main campus. Upon evaluation, it was discovered that all three kittens suffered from malnourishment, upper respiratory infections, eye infections and worms. Bippity, Boppity and Boo were all placed in foster care where they could receive daily medication for their infections, as well as proper nutrition and care.

Visit kyhumane.org or call (502) 366-3355 to inquire about these and other adoptable pets.

7″ x 9″ watercolor in an 11″ x 14″ frame, SOLD
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Here’s a real heart-breaker of a rescue story from the Ky Humane Society:

“In late May, a five-month old American bulldog (I think he looks like a boxer) named “Dexter” was surrendered to the Kentucky Humane Society with a broken jaw. Drooling and unable to close his mouth, Dexter’s lower jaw was hanging at an unnatural angle. The KHS veterinary team immediately performed a medical evaluation and obtained X-rays to determine the severity of Dexter’s injury. Upon review, it was apparent that the young canine suffered from a bilateral compound mandibular fracture, most likely caused by blunt trauma. With this type of injury, where both sides of his lower jaw were broken, the veterinarians predicted that Dexter’s injury may have resulted from abuse, such as a swift kick or strike by a baseball bat. After placing Dexter on antibiotics to avoid the spread of infection, the KHS veterinary team decided to perform surgery using interfragmentary wires to correct the fracture. Fragments of both fractures were wired together, which should hopefully allow proper healing.”

Lets hope Dexter makes a full recovery and finds a home where a broken jaw isn’t used as a means of discipline.

Click here for a direct link to watch this painting being painted.

38″ x 60″ oil on canvas
SOLD
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Thanks to my monthly collaboration with the Kentucky Humane Society, I recently picked up a commission to paint a very large family of dogs (nearly all of which are Pomeranians). The canvas itself matches in size the enormity of this commission, which wouldn’t even fit in my car. 37 dogs take up a lot of space!

I promise you, there is a nonprofit out there for just about anything, even Pomeranian dogs! Although this painting was for a private client, it still serves as an ideal illustration to highlight the work of one such niche animal welfare organization, Ponderosa Pomeranian Rescue Inc.

Since starting this “art-meets-activism” website, I’ve been pleasantly surprised  by several of my readers who have sent me links to animal rescue organizations that focus on a particular breed (James, the basset hound organization is still on my radar). Dallas based Ponderosa Pomeranian Rescue Inc. takes in, and cares for these mini dogs, and eventually finds adoptive homes for them. Their website is full of useful info about the breed, the adoption process, and success stories.

So, for all of the Dallas people I connected with while touring nonprofits in Texas earlier this year, this one’s for you.

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 ($50 donated to the Elephant Sanctuary)
SOLD
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Last week’s post about elephant poaching in Zambia elicited some positive chatter and a request for a related painting. I’m always glad to get feedback and suggestions. I’m even more inclined to put your ideas on a canvas when info about a corresponding nonprofit is included. I got just such a lead from one reader informing me about the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

Who would have ever guessed that 2,700 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee are home to 23 “old, sick, and needy” elephants? The nonprofit’s website is fully outfitted with a artwork by Tarra the elephant (not bad I might add), regularly updated elephant diaries (no sorry, they may paint, but these are written by humans), and an elephant webcam!

Apparently, elephants are, literally, a huge problem when they’re no longer of use in a circus, or they cannot stay at their zoo. Finding a home for such an animal is not exactly like asking a neighbor to adopt your cat. The Elephant Sanctuary provides a geographically unusual home for the animals and raises awareness about their plight through public outreach and an educational curriculum for schools.

The elephant refuge is in a neighboring state, so I’ll definitely be visiting to get a glimpse from the sanctuary’s “people fence.”

18″ x 36″ oil on canvas, $600 ($20 donated to ReRun)
SOLD
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Unfortunately, it looks like today’s Kentucky Derby weather is not going to be as picturesque as in this painting. Good luck to all the infield troopers braving the elements unprotected. You’re sure to get wet, you won’t see much of the horses, you certainly won’t get a glimpse of our esteemed guest, the Queen of England, but drink enough mint juleps and I doubt it will matter.

We greatly appreciate the fast four-legged athletes for bringing us this day when bourbon is an appropriate ingredient in just about anything, and it’s okay to sport a hat requiring a 3 feet circumference area for clearance in a crowd. This glamorous phase in the life of racehorse is brief though. The average horse will live for 25-30 years and a racehorse will reach the peak of its career at year 2 or 3. Not all thoroughbreds get spend the rest of their days procreating the world with little derby-winner-wannabes. That leaves a lot of ex-racehorses in need of a permanent barn to call home.

ReRun is a New Jersey based nonprofit finding adoptive owners for many of these horses. It’s the perfect charitable organization to feature today. A $50 donation will be made to ReRun from the sale of this painting (although I’ll be sad to see it go as it’s one of my favorites).

Happy Derby to you!

I love problem solvers; people who approach a stale dilemma from a fresh perspective. Hammerskjoeld Simwinga, a 2007 Goldman Environmental Prize winner, is one such person. He has brought new opportunities to fellow Zambian residents once dependent on poaching elephants as a desperate source of income.

In the 1980’s, elephant numbers were dwindling as poachers relied on their meat and tucks for survival. With the help of the US funded, North Luangwa Conservation Project, Simwinga convinced many poachers that micro-lending, agricultural education, and health care training would provide them with legal and viable options for self-sustaining communities.

I watched a wonderful video this morning that illustrated how Simwinga has carried out his vision. Former poachers used simple machines to extract oil from harvested sunflower seeds used for cooking, as a cash crop, and feed for farm animals. An initial round of seeds were donated and the machines were purchased with micro-loans.

Now communities, once struggling in a black-market, are thriving legally. And lets not forget that the elephant population in the neighboring wildlife park are greatly improving. Simwinga accurately sums the reasoning behind his work by stating “Conservation of wildlife communities is not possible in the long term without simultaneously meeting the basic needs of the local human communities.” Hats off to an innovative thinker willing to grow ideas into reality!

6″ x 9″ watercolor
Painting donated to the Kentucky Humane Society
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“Dribbles” was my pick for this month’s Kentucky Humane Society pet. Apparently, he’s so wonderful he was adopted before I could post this. View other great animals still happy to go home with you here.

6″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the Ky Humane Society)
SOLD
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Another sad story of animal neglect (hopefully to soon be followed by a happy ending involving a new adoptive home):

In late February, “Tico,” a terrified ten-month-old Pomeranian, was surrendered to KHS with a badly injured rear limb that had been entangled in window blinds. A KHS veterinarian immediately administered medication since the young dog appeared to be in severe pain. After completing a medical evaluation, the staff veterinarian concluded that the injury was at least two weeks old and, due to limited blood circulation, there was irreversible immobility in that limb. Unable to save Tico’s leg, amputation was deemed necessary.

Visit the Kentucky Humane Society’s website, or call (502) 366-3355 to ask about Tico or other adoptable pets.

Update: You MUST read the comment below…

6″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the National Audubon Society)
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This painting doesn’t come with the usual glamorous story detailing a glittering black tie gala or triumphs of a struggling family. Inspiration for this piece fell in my lap from a rather unexpected place, the parking lot of my bank.

I’ve hardly been able to keep my head above water these past few weeks with keeping appointments to gather material for this blog, and the addition of several other ancillary projects. But in the midst of the mad rush that is my life, I recently stopped before heading inside my bank to take pictures of what looked like robins playing in a bucket of bright red paint dropped from a barren tree. The birds were making furious and quick dashes for red berries in between the interruptions of bank customers coming and going. It was one of those Zen moments when you forget that your phone is ringing, you’re late to your next appointment, and deadlines are getting closer so you can simply enjoy watching birds carefully pick the best berry.

Lets not forget though, this blog is to meant to raise awareness and action around social activism. So, the donation made from the sale of the above painting will go to the National Audubon Society. “Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity” (which helps to ensure photo ops like the one above continue to happen).

8″ x 12″ oil on canvas $350
SOLD
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Having bought a horse with babysitting money at 13, I’ve learned a few things about these astounding creatures (rule #1, learned the hard way: always, ALWAYS wear shoes around your horse). I found that there is often a stark contrast in the way a “pet horse” is treated verses a racehorse. I’ve always been a firm believer that if they could chose, a horse would much prefer to be a pet over a designed machine whose worth is wed to its ability to make money. Barbaro’s owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, proved that their money-making 2006 Derby winner was also loved and respected. In a show of their commitment, the Jacksons went to exhaustive lengths to give the champion colt every possible opportunity to heal after a devastating break of his right hind leg during last year’s Preakness race. But after 8 months of surgeries, steel pins, laminitis and more, Barbaro was put down yesterday morning. It was a sad day of loss for many of his fans in the bluegrass state and elsewhere. In this press conference statement, Gretchen Jackson reminded me these thoroughbreds are sometimes just as cherished as childhood quarter-horses: “Certainly, grief is the price we all pay for love.”

Lets not linger on the somber details of the end of Barbaro’s life and instead remember his amazing success as the undefeated, 132nd Kentucky Derby winner by a rare 6 1/2 lengths, not matched since 1946 (after, I might add, 5 weeks off).

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 ($50 donated to the Ky Humane Society)

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I have never been a fan of sappy pet names (although I ended up with a horse named Valentine and a dog named Teddy). But “Braveheart” couldn’t be a more fitting name for this pup who was shot after wandering onto property strictly enforced as “private, no trespassing!” Lucky to be alive, but not so lucky to have lost a front leg as result of the injury, the one-year-old Alaskan malamute mix is now adjusting to life on three limbs. I had a childhood friend whose neighbor’s dog was also missing a front leg. The playful and happy pet never seemed to let the handicap get in the way of jumping on guests, fetching anything you would throw, and insisting that she be the first one up the steps. Lets hope that Braveheart acclimates just as well.

And for those of you so annoyed with a stray animal on your property that you would consider shooting it, PLEASE, give your kids something to play with while you call your local Humane Society!

I’m not certain if Braveheart has been adopted yet, so before I stick my foot in my mouth, I will update this post once I get the scoop from the staff at the Ky Humane Society.

Update: Braveheart has been adopted, but you can call the Ky Humane Society at (502) 366-3355 to find out about many other pets who still need a home.

16″ x 20″ oil on canvas, $450
SOLD
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‘Tis the season to crowd your living room floor with sparkling gifts for your loved ones. For the animal lovers on your shopping list, don’t forget that your local Humane Society offers many four-legged companions that won’t stay put under your tree, but will certainly thrill the new owner. It’s a win-win gift-giving situation; the recipient is happy, as well as the gift!

Tonight I stopped into a Feeder Supply Store (which works in conjunction with the KY Humane Society) and got to play with several animals ready to go to a new home. I challenge you to cuddle one of these homeless critters and walk away!

If you’re not sure where your closest pet adoption center is located, go here to start your search.

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $200
SOLD
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I tend to volunteer for organizations that deal with people in crisis mode. In contrast, yesterday I snapped pictures of volunteers with possibly the most relaxing and fun job of all time; pet entertainer. The title is actually “dog walker”, but essentially it consists of walking (or being walked, depending on size), playing with, petting, and in general, giving some much needed love to a full house of “homeless” four-legged residents.

The Kentucky Humane Society runs a tight ship that far exceeds its means. I was incredibly impressed by learning the private non-profit finds homes for 5,000 animals each year, all of whom are spayed/neutered, tested for diseases and parasites, immunized, evaluated and approved by an animal behaviorist, and implanted with a microchip. Somehow, all of this is possible for an average adoption rate of $135.

As I was chasing rambunctious kittens with a camera, uselessly attempting to make them pose, I watched a couple pick out a new addition to their family. The cat seemed to bond with the woman as if she had just come to pick up the lifelong companion after vacation. Here’s another success story that tempts me to take one home myself (don’t worry boyfriend of mine, I can see the look of fear on your face already).

Think Christmas guys; nothing gets you more brownie points than a puppy or kitten under a tree!
Tecnorati tags: humane society, pets, pet adoption