Art exhibit honoring canine companions opens Sept. 16 at PBSC
A new exhibit that promises to warm the hearts of dog lovers opens Sept. 16 at the Art Gallery at Eissey Campus at Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens.
“Bark,” an all-dog exhibit, features the photographs, sculptures and paintings of Palm Beach County artists Durga Garcia, Victoria R. Martin and Nancy Spielman. The exhibition opens Sept. 16 with a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and continues through Oct. 17. Both the reception and exhibition are free and open to the public.
“This body of work is to celebrate the comfort, joy, happiness and fun that dogs bring to our lives,’’ Spielman said. “My very first dog – Charlie – has affected my life in a way I never dreamed would happen. A yellow lab—I call him Handsome Man— is my inspiration to paint these lovable friends.”
Spielman takes photos of canines and uses them as a reference for her paintings. “I strive to heighten and improve the photographic model through the use of oil paint, elements of design and especially color.”
Garcia, a conceptual photographer of fine art and commissioned portraits, will exhibit a portrait collection of working dogs. “Each conveys not only their handsome beauty and personality, but also their intelligence and alertness necessary for their various jobs,’’ she said.
For years, Garcia raised and worked Jack Russell Terriers in England; now she handles the first year of training for guide dogs. A young guide dog is often seen with her during photo-shoots, events or lectures.
Martin, a PBSC art professor, builds her sculptural forms by hand using low-fire clay. She says that is why no two figures will ever be exactly the same. The surfaces are decorated with stamped words and a variety of finishes, including oxides, underglaze and glaze.
The art, ranging from $200 to $600, will be available for sale. Each artist will donate 20 percent of any sales to Furry Friends, a no-kill, nonprofit animal shelter or Canine Assisted Therapy (C.A.T.), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing pet therapy to children and adults who have developmental and physical challenges as well as those who desire comfort and companionship of a loving pet.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. The Art Gallery at Eissey Campus is located on the first floor of the BB building, 3160 PGA Blvd. For more information call the gallery at 561-207-5015 or visit the website at: www.palmbeachstate.edu/artgallerypbg.
