The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Meet the Mutts
Charity event of decorative dogs, fun puns
HARWINTON — Humor and art make good companions, particularly when artists custom design their work with a pun or two in mind. There were plenty of chuckles as guests viewed the artwork at the “Meet the Mutts” kick-off party for the regionwide project called “The Tails of NWCT” Monday night at Edison Grill.
A crowd favorite was the clever design of a dog called “News Hound” by local artist Laura Marek. She plans to decorate a fiberglass form of a dog with a collage of newsprint. Another fun pun came from artist Susan Lerner. Her “Watch Dog” design will be designed “with hundreds of watches cut from vintage, photographed and contemporary sources,” she wrote in her submission statement. Marek said the person or company that fosters her dog design can select a newspaper of their choice to be used to decorate the artwork.
“I want to appeal to businesses,” she said.
More than 100 artists submitted designs for the project, said Amy Wynn, the executive director of Northwest Connecticut Arts Council. The designs can be viewed on the project’s website, where supporters can choose to foster or sponsor a dog. Once selected, the design will then be created by the artist whose work was chosen by the donor. Prices range from $750 for one of two styles of “Playful Pup” to $1,000 for one of two larger Labrador forms.
Donors will receive a number of benefits, according to the website, which include a public display of the custom-designed dog, a variety of advertising opportunities and tickets to the Oct. 20 auction party.
At the gala event, the remaining dogs which haven’t been purchased will be up for bid.
“Puns are half the fun,” Wynn said. One of her favorite dog names is “WOOFgang Amadeus Mozart.”
The project will raise funds for three nonprofit organizations based in Torrington; the arts council, The Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation and Prime Time House.
“This will help make the region healthy and thriving,” said Wynn.
The “tails” project is similar to the 2007 Bear Affair design program, which was very successful, she said.
“The education foundation supports college student scholarships,” said Lauren Zordan, the chamber’s vice president of programs and events. “We love to partner with the art council.”
Zordan thinks the public art display of the dog designs will “bring people to different business and learn what they offer.” The chamber has 600 members from 21 towns in the region.
The Prime Time House supports 300 people in Litchfield County who are struggling with mental illness, said Executive Director Christina Emery.
“We rely on the community to help us do what we do,” she said.
Beginning in August, the dogs will be on public display in towns throughout the region. The project brochure invites “Art and dog lovers alike, as well as tourists, (to) pick up a map leading them through the rolling hills of Northwest Connecticut.”