The Arts: Artists and animals unite for a good cause

By Elizabeth Brannon

Sometimes it’s hard to determine what’s more winsome – an animal or a piece of art depicting an animal. Through the centuries, animals have been a source of inspiration for countless artists. This April, families will have a rare opportunity to see and enjoy that special bond between animals and artists.

Studio ART House in north Flower Mound (6100 Long Prairie Road, #800) will host a charity event and special exhibition to benefit Animal Allies of Texas, an animal rescue group. The Animal Allies exhibition runs from April 8 (show opening) through June 10 (end of show), with April 8 being a special day of activities and fun.

On Saturday, April 8, from 2–4 p.m., families and individuals, adults and children, can spend the day doing an art project, participating in a colored art pencil contest, meeting the artists, having face painting done, purchasing an art project kit, participating in a silent auction and/or making a donation to this animal rescue group. Everyone who enters the coloring contest will receive a prize and winners will be announced on Facebook. All the proceeds from special artwork or the activities will go to Animal Allies of Texas.

To make the day even more special, rescue kittens (all under 6 months) will be on site and available for adoption. When it comes to kittens, don’t shop, Adopt! Artists are currently creating animal-themed artwork that will be entered into a juried artist competition, with the winners and select exhibitors showing and selling their works at ART House. The theme is animals, from tiny insects, to massive blue whales, to fictional, mythological or imagined creatures, portrayed realistically or abstractly by the participating artists.

This exhibit and competition will also offer the public an opportunity to select their art favorites by voting for the People’s Choice Award, which begins at the afternoon event and continues through May 5, 2023.

Kelly Rizzo, from Animal Allies of Texas, discussed the goal that Studio ART House is supporting. “We are raising money for an incubator. We get lots of newborn abandoned kittens that need to be bottle fed. Kitten season starts in the spring and summer months when we start using our air conditioners. We’ve found our homes are pretty cool, far too cold for what a newborn kitten can tolerate. Newborn kittens need to be kept around 90 degrees and this has always presented a problem for our neonatal fosters. In addition, kittens and their formula must be warm to be digested, if either the kitten or the formula is cold it can make the kittens sick. We have researched incubators and the ones we need are $1100. We would eventually like two incubators, but we are starting with one and we can’t thank ART House and the participating artists enough for helping us get to this goal.” (animalalliesoftexas.rescuegroups.org)

You can’t lose! You can purchase a piece of animal art, adopt a kitten or do both on this day when artists and animals come together, with the public, the artists and the animals all coming away as winners. ART House will have you at Meow.

Elizabeth Brannon serves on the Flower Mound Cultural Arts Commission.