Art’s Meow moves
Organizers pounce on new gallery opportunity for cat-themed art show
Cats wearing sweaters and cats watching TV are among the subjects captured in this year’s Art’s Meow, a (mostly) cat-themed art show and sale.
The Art’s Meow is the biggest fundraiser of the year for The Alice Fund, a local nonprofit supported solely through donations and fundraisers that helps cat owners provide and pay for medical care for their pets.
“People have cats. They love them, but they’re on a limited income and they cannot afford veterinary care for them,” says Mary Lockhart, spokeswoman and
board member for The Alice Fund.
The sixth annual Art’s Meow opens with a reception Friday in the Exum Gallery at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The show will run through Sept. 2. In addition to paintings, it includes a variety of mediums, ranging from charred wood and colored pencil renditions to photography, scarves and tote bags.
“You will see some interesting art pieces, not all cat-related,” says Lockhart. “We tried to expand our vision this year.”
This marks the first year the event will be held in the Exum Gallery. For the past five years, organizers hosted the Art’s Meow in Coolidge Park on the Sunday of or before Oct. 16, National Feral Cat Day.
But this year, the organizers seized an opportunity to give the show a longer run, rather than having a single day to display works at the park.
Curt Hodge, who curates shows for the gallery, says he was happy to help. The nonprofit’s board president, Kathy Allison, is a friend and member of St. Paul’s. Plus, Hodge has four cats at his home and one at the floral shop he co-owns, Flowers by Gil & Curt.
“This is an important part of their yearly budget,” he says. “I’d love for everybody to come and help the cats and raise a lot of money.”
About 30 artists are participating in the art show. All of them agreed to donate at least 50 percent of sales to The Alice Fund. Some artists donate all proceeds.
Lockhart says she hopes to at least match last year’s total, $6,000, if not double it with the extended viewing time.
She says two or three people a day request assistance from The Alice
Fund.
The fund assisted 104 cats last year. So far this year, the count is at 89. Some issues are as simple as a need for the cat to be spayed or neutered. Other situations are more complicated, such as Rufus’ extreme bowel issues, Thomas’ toxic reaction to medication and foundling Sophie’s paralyzed back legs.
Local veterinarians also work with the fund to offer medical care to cats at a reduced cost.
The Alice Fund was established in 2008 and is named for a feral cat.
Lockhart explains that when local veterinarian Dr. Marcia Toumayan bought property on Frazier Avenue to open Cat Clinic of Chattanooga, “one of the requirements was that she take care of a feral cat who had been living on the property. The cat’s name was Alice. So Dr. Toumayan started this fund to take care of that cat.
“It started with a jar sitting on the counter. People could donate pennies and their coins, and it just kind of grew from there,” says Lockhart.