Art Show Promotes Spay Day!

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op announces their February art exhibit, “Unconditional Love: Cats and Dogs”. 48 artists will partake in celebrating February's Valentine’s Day and Spay Day with an art exhibit affectionately devoted to felines and canines as part of Spay/Neuter Awareness Month. The show will be one of hundreds of World Spay Day events that will be taking place across the country and around the world during the month of February. The Humane Society’s annual campaign promotes spaying and neutering as an effective means of saving animals’ lives, with the goal of putting an end to the suffering and euthanasia of homeless animals. 

On display at the exhibit will be drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture, mixed media, glasswork, and metalwork. Over 70 depictions of cats and dogs in varying artistic styles will grace the walls of the gallery. Artwork will be available for purchase as well as unique items such as handmade, organic dog biscuits. Some art pieces have been donated by the artists for bid through silent auction. A portion of silent auction funds and donations will be given to a local “no kill” animal shelter, to be announced.

“There are a lot of people who care about animals in this community”, says Shoe Factory director Beth Brown. “This show will express an outpouring of love and concern for cats and dogs by the artists participating and the patrons who attend. This compassionate message is the antithesis of others in the art world who abuse animals for the sake of art.” Brown’s face turns grim. “In particular, Tom Otterness”, she says. “The one who adopted a dog from a shelter and filmed himself shooting and killing it for his so called art film. The Memorial Art Gallery has commissioned him to create a permanent outdoor sculpture for the entrance of their future sculpture park.” Brown says with disgust, “People like this should not be rewarded. The park is right across the street from my gallery. I will be forced to look at this monstrosity every day and be reminded of the injustice of animal cruelty.”

Needless to say, Tom Otterness is not invited.

The show opens with an artists’ reception on First Friday, Feb. 3rd from 6-10pm and runs through February 25th. For more information about World Spay Day visit www.worldspayday.org.

Opening Artists’ Reception: First Friday, February 3rd from 6-10 
Show Closing: Saturday, February 25th from 12-4pm 
Gallery hours: First Fridays 6-10pm, and Second Saturdays 12-4pm, and Wednesdays 12-5pm 
Location: The Shoe Factory Art Co-op, 250 N. Goodman St., Studio 212, Rochester, NY 14607 
Show Admission: donations of cat food, dog food, or dollars


Website: www.shoefactoryarts.com 
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Twitter: @theshoefactory