Dog portraits: A remembrance session

Artists for Animals is a project very close to my heart. I co-founded Artists for Animals in 2011 with Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Principal Oboe, Erin Hannigan and it was a labor of love from the very start. We started with an annual multimedia concert combining classical music performance with pet photography which was projected on a big screen behind the musicians as they performed.  The event was a success and we began planning annual concerts and drawing in more artists from all corners of the Dallas arts community with the vision to give more artists a voice and to raise money to save more homeless pets. Students from the Booker T. Washington School for the Visual and Performing Arts began drawing and painting adoptable dogs each week as someone from Artists for Animals brought them to the classroom. These amazing artists learned that their work had the power to move people -- and save animal's lives, as their work was auctioned off at the annual concerts. 

In 2015, Artists for Animals became a 501(c)3 and began to expand. With a Board of Directors in place, we began soliciting for sponsors and involving more students and professional artists and musicians with even bigger success. 

The video here was created (and selfishly, the star is my father) to demonstrate just how important pets are to the elderly. Shortly after this video was created, my father's wife died and he was left alone for the first time in his life -- except for his little dog, Frankie.  They were truly family. After hearing from shelters that many dogs were surrendered because their owners were unable to afford their care, we wanted to take action. Now Artists for Animals supports several different initiatives that are being developed to help seniors on limited incomes with vet bills and transportation to veterinary appointments. We want seniors to be able to keep their dogs and cats as long as possible. It extends their lives and keeps these animals from ending up scared and confused in the local shelter.

I hope you enjoy "Milo and Frankie" and please visits the Artists for Animals website to learn more about the important work these artists are doing! www.artistsforanimalstx.org