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THOSE DISTURBING DOGS THE
ODYSSEY OF THE DOGS NO ONE WANTS March 2003 - I completed the dog on a bright red background and titled it "Beware of Dog". |
May 2003 -"Beware of Dog" was accepted into the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibit in Gahlberg Gallery College of DuPage. It won Honorable Mention. "Beware of Dog" was richly painted and its gaping maw, teeth and bright red background gave it power and strength. However, when you stepped away a few feet the 12" X 12" canvas lost this power and looked small on the gallery wall. So, I thought of doing a series of six snarling dog paintings done in the same thick painting style. They would be grouped together in two rows of three. Thus, it would be a much larger work that would sustain power even if viewed from a distance. March 2004 -All six dogs were completed, now re-titled "Every Dog Has It's Day". These were first made public together in my one-person show "Faces" in the Wings Gallery of College of DuPage along with sixteen other portraits. |
April 2004 - Borders Books Cafe in Wheaton consented to show several paintings from my "Faces" show. I hung all six dogs on a Tuesday with other portraits. On Wednesday morning the manager called me to say that the art had to be removed..." The dogs are too disturbing for people to see who are reading and eating and little children would be afraid of them." The offending dogs were removed later that day and replaced with other paintings. June 2004 - An exhibition was announced concerning a show in Washington D.C. to support the Anticruelty Society. The theme of the show was all about dogs. I sent off an email requesting information on exhibiting my dogs in the show. Here is the reply:"David: I visited your website. Unfortunately, I have to say the dog paintings I saw are much too ferocious to fit into the concept of our summer dog show. Let me know if there is something else you would like to submit. Best, Kathleen E" |
July 2004 - Jennifer Hereth suggested
a two-person show designed around the six dogs. She would do four to six
pastel portraits of sweet kittens to contrast with the dogs. She pitched the show
to the owner of the Gourmand Cafe in downtown Chicago. When he looked
at the slides of the dogs he said they were too disturbing to hang in
his establishment. We did the show with other work.
After our show was over and removed, the next show by
another artist was installed. It was large portraits of people alternating
with large portraits of their dogs! August 2004 -The manager of a new downtown Chicago men's
bar "The Butcher's Dog" was approached about displaying the six dogs in his
establishment. When he saw a photo of "Those Disturbing Dogs"
he said, "Incredible, we just signed a contract yesterday to
display drawings and paintings produced by underprivileged children,
sorry".
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September 2004 - The well known ARC Gallery in Chicago invited submissions for the "ART TO FEAR II" month long show for October. I submitted slides of the six Dogs and the Eye Scream series. The Eye Scream series got in the dogs did not! I asked why the dogs didn't get in? "Oh, I think they were not accepted because of space considerations." January 2005 - The Dogs were entered in a National Show at the AFIF Gallery in Philadelphia PA. Two dogs got in! Red Dog and Orange Dog. July 2005 - A gallery curator picked two of the dogs for the "UP & COMING" exhibition she was putting together for the Hinsdale Center for the Arts in Hinsdale IL. At the show one person asked me "Were you scared by a dog when you were a child?" Another person walked quickly past the dogs and was heard to say "These are very disturbing paintings!" |
September 2005- The Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society's Fifth Annual "Animal Images
Art Exhibit was announced. The dogs were entered. Orange Dog got in
but it was hung so high on the wall near the ceiling that
no one could see it closely! See photo---
February 2006 - I was selected by the Aurora Public Arts Commission to display some of my work in the Aurora City Hall for five months. I was concerned about rejection so I inquired about hanging the dogs. The Director of the commission replied "...I love the dogs and the rejection saga on your website. I think that if we don't hang them all together they shouldn't be a problem. Also, we will keep them away from the front lobby where there are a lot of children." After the hanging she said "Your work looks great--we put all four dogs on the fifth floor above a coat rack..." To her credit, she bought Yellow Dog! - Thank You Rena. |
 "RED DOG" 12" X 12" oil on canvas 2003 |
 "BLUE DOG" 12" X 12" oil on canvas 2003 |
 "GREEN DOG" 12" X 12" oil on canvas 2004 |
 "YELLOW DOG" 12" X 12" oil on canvas 2003 |
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 "ORANGE DOG" 12" X 12" oil on canvas 2003 |
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