Art Exhibition: ‘Dogs, Dogs, Dogs’ by Roberta Raymond

Dogs PaintingA wine and cheese reception will take place to celebrate the opening of a new art installation titled, “Dogs, Dogs, Dogs,” a collection of monoprints by Roberta Raymond from 2 – 4 p.m. Sunday, October 29, in the Narrow Gallery at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The reception is free and open to the public.

An exhibit of 25 dog monoprints by the artist began with a standard French poodle, then a dachshund, greyhound, Chihuahua, Papillion, corgi and other breeds. Originally planning to do only 20 dogs, Raymond said it was difficult to stop. She found that each dog had a unique personality.

After photographing them, she did a series of sketches, then painted them in watercolor on Mylar sheets, and finally printed them on damp watercolor paper. In this process, there is only one print produced, therefore the term “monoprint.”

“I love doing this, and it was hard to quit after 25 dogs,” Raymond said. “Never having owned a dog, I analyzed every part of their appearance – their unique noses, eyes, ears, their fur and all their amazing colors. I suppose many dog owners take their dogs’ unique looks and expressions for granted, but for me, each dog was a model waiting for me to capture its personality on paper.”

The exhibit can be viewed daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through Thursday, October 30.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

Again, the reception and the exhibit are free and open to the public. For more information call 708-386-4040.