AHA! Art Show Dedicated to Animals
Written by George Seffers
David Heatwole, editor of The Main ARTery, will curate an art show dedicated to animals, October 7 - November 30, at the Charles Town Visitors Center/Fire Hall Gallery, 108 N. George Street in Charles Town, West Virginia.
The show, entitled Spiritual Personifications and Creative Animalizations, is sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Alliance of Jefferson County (AHA!) and will include a public reception with free admission on October 27, 2-5 p.m. The exhibit will involve a full array of styles and media including paintings, photographs, rugs, rocks and digital art. Heatwole points out that the exhibit title has the same initials –
SPCA – as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"I have always been fascinated by the argument that humans are, or are not, animals. Regardless, man and beast, in my opinion, are the greatest examples of God’s creativity," Heatwole explains. "You cannot have an exhibit of art related to animals, without having humans being involved in the process of creating and appreciating. For a year and a half, since I started The Main ARTery publication, I have had the desire to have an issue related to animals and how people appreciate animals. I thought that it would also be good to have an art exhibit related to animals."
Besides Heatwole showing pieces from his personal art collection, artists involved in the exhibit include photographers Kirsten Lee (specializing in horse photography), and Rip Smith; painters Dave Curtis, Wesley Floyd, James Shumate, and Earl Tester; Dana Wright (painter and digital artist); Timothy E. Larson (digital artist), and Phyllis Alden (painter and rug maker).
Many of the pieces in the exhibit offer unique styles. Curtis' work, for example, might be considered bizarre, but also fascinating. His painting entitled Coma of a skull and snake, in which the bones of the skull are painted to look like the snake's scales, is strongly symbolic and includes many intriguing details.
Alden, on the other hand, offers a variety of styles, techniques and mediums. Many viewers will likely be drawn to her rug titled Mirandesa of Penasco which features a Bull above beautiful fields and landscape. (Read the next issue of The Main ARTery for a more in-depth article on Phyllis Alden.)
And Lee's love for horses comes across in her photography. She clearly has an eye for opportunities that make for a great composition and emotionally moving photos.
"Knowing that we, as humans, have this gift of creativity as well as an appreciation for God’s creativity (which is visible in the unique beauty of animals), we should make sure to share our gift with the animals and think of them in everything that we do. From the creation of communities to the manipulation of chemicals, as we strive to create perfect things, we must remember that our creativity is still far from perfect," Heatwole said. "This perfection that we strive for can be seen in every creature. They are a constant reminder that all we can do is try to mirror God’s creativity, even as we try to unravel the mysteries of life. Isn’t it ironic that we, as civilized humans, push the 'wildlife' into the corners of our societies as we try to create perfect things … and to try to create life? Yet the animals are still present to remind us that perfection does exist – regardless if we, knowingly or unknowingly, try to push them into the dark corners of the world."
