Signature Painting Unveiled

For Putting On The Dog VI

By Shannon Hicks

Canine Advocates of Newtown will host Putting On The Dog VI, its annual fundraiser for vet care for dogs at Newtown Animal Control, on Saturday, April 14. The event will run from 6 to 9 pm and will move this year to The Hawley Warner Room at Stone River Grille, 1 Glen Road.

Admission is a $35 donation, with all proceeds to benefit animal care. The event will include food by Stone River Grille, wine from A World of Wine & Spirits, and music provided by John Voket and 99Dollar DJ & Entertainment Service.

“We are so excited for this year’s event,” said Virginia Jess, president of the canine advocacy organization. “Gary [Seri] has donated not only the space in his restaurant, but is also taking care of all the food for us. It’s going to be much easier for us, and for our guests, to enjoy this evening. It’s really quite remarkable what he is doing for us.”

One of the largest aspects of this annual event has become the silent auction, which this year will offer more than 60 items.

Each Putting on The Dog has featured a signature painting, and this year’s is no different. Jen Dupree, a young artist from Brookfield, has created “OOK-9 At The Ball.” Pronounced “Double O Canine,” the first half of the watercolor’s name is a play on Ian Fleming’s world famous secret agent, James Bond, a/k/a 007.

The framed work shows a dog dressed in a three-piece suit at a formal event, raising a (martini, of course) glass in a toast. In place of a swizzle stick is a dog bone, and more dog bones are featured in a two-tiered serving stand on a table against which the dog is leaning.

A few bottles of wine have also been placed on the table, as have a few dishes of canine hors d’oeuvres.

“I began looking at previous brochures and posters of these events, and noticed that a lot of the dogs were in little ties or dresses,” Ms Dupree said April 1, when the just-finished work was delivered to the restaurant. “They reminded me of those old paintings of the dogs playing poker.

“I thought maybe if I made the dog in my painting even more anthropomorphic, people would relate even more to it,” she continued. “I know a lot of people really love dogs, some so much that, if allowed, they would probably bring their dog with them” to Putting on The Dog, she said with a laugh.

Ms Dupree participates in deviantART, an online collective of more than 20 million registered artists who “buy, sell, and trade art with each other,” she said. She is in the process of updating her website, but a sampling of her work can be seen at www.cartoon-lunchbox.com.

Stone River Grille owner Gary Seri has placed “OOK-9 At The Ball.” Hung within The Hawley Warner Room, where an exhibition of works by the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown is also currently on view, diners and visitors alike are invited to view the painting during the weeks leading up to the Canine Advocates fundraiser.

As mentioned earlier, a multitude items have been lined up for this year’s silent auction. While many are canine related — from a quarter-acre system from Invisible Fence of Newtown, a canine comprehensive exam from Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals, and an engraving by H. Quilley called “A Favorite Setter,” courtesy of Fairfield Auction, to dog grooming from Your Healthy Pet, dog grooming baskets from Tollgate Dog Grooming and Divine Dog, and even a full room of painting including ceiling and trim by Two Dogs Painting, among others — dozens of others will be appealing to myriad interests.

Items being auctioned next weekend also include a four-pack of field level tickets to a New York Mets game; Hasbro game baskets, with offerings for boys, girls, and preschool children; hand painted wine glasses; a home efficiency consultation courtesy of Barbara Donahue/3x Solutions, Inc; an 11- by 14-inch photo collage by Adria Henderson (matted, but not framed); more than a dozen pieces of jewelry; theme baskets centered on dining, salon services, gourmet treats; and much more.

Cat lovers will even be sated thanks to a Cat Lover’s Basket that includes a tray, frame, wine charm, and coasters.

“These are just a few of the wonderful items up for bid,” said Ms Jess. “Many area restaurants and businesses have donated gift cards.”

Tickets are available online at CanineAdvocates.org; at World of Wine & Spirits, 71 South Main Street (within Ricky’s Shopping Center); and at The Stone River Grille.

For additional information Ms Jess can be reached at 203-426-5327.