Art Fur Animals :  Friends of the Cleveland Kennel Benefit Auction
                   Saturday     May 30, 2015     7 -10 pm       Red Space     2400 Superior Ave.    Cleveland
                                If you wish to help http://friendsofclevelandkennel.com/donate/

Final post:  The auction is over, the dust has settled, and I understand we raised $66,000 to help homeless animals.  That's a $20K increase over last year's benefit.  I love you Cleveland!

Thank you Amanda Millar Love for purchasing my dog for the second year in a row (wow). This 2015 Spot and the 2014 Gourmutt are going to look great together! I'm delighted to finally meet you, Amanda; negotiating that huge crowd and finding you was a stroke of happy luck.  :) 

             "SPOT the CLOWN"

There are two things that move me to donate work: kids and critters.

Kudos to Sandy Smith and the other angels behind the scenes like Charlene Karlowicz who work so tirelessly as advocates for animals in need.

Last year I did a French chef dog.  This year's dog looks to me like a chihuahua, so I'm leaning toward Mexican.

Days later:
   Well, guess who changed her mind? This dog is definately going to be a clown!

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Compared with the smoothed surface of the original sculpture (above left) the entire surface of the poured model (above 1)-2)) was too rough to finish without serious intervention. 

I labored to smooth the surface.  (3)  Instead of grinding, I skim coated the whole dog with porcelain/cellulose clay.  (4) Then padded and rounded the flat muzzle, added a ruffle and a round clown nose.  Oh, and the pointed hat.  Pencilled in a few lines to get a feel for the design.  5) -13) The paint job can be seen in the slideshow above.

I'm pleased with the clown look and hope to see you at the auction party!

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 As best as I can tell the verse I used was written by   R.L. Sharp
"Isn't it strange how princes and kings,
and clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
and common people, like you and me,
are builders for eternity?