Unleashed! A Benefit for the ARL of NH

McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of “Unleashed!" featuring the work of Janet Duncan, Bruce Campbell, Jane O’Hara, Elizabeth Mayor, Holly Meade and Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The show will run from June 22- July 30, with an artist’s reception on June 25 from 5 to 7 PM. This show is a benefit for the Animal Rescue League of NH and is free and open to the public.

“Unleashed!” is the dream of McGowan director, Sarah Chaffee, who is singularly devoted to her rescue dog Henry. “I have always had a strong connection to animals and I support rescue operations,” says Chaffee. “It was hard to pick just one organization when my audience comes from the tri-state area, but I think that helping any rescue organization is a win-win for animals.” The show itself will feature the works of 6 artists from around New England. The works range in medium from woodblock print to wire sculpture.

Both Adelaide Murphy Tyrol and Jane O’Hara do more classic portrait-style interpretations of companion animals. Jane’s series of dogs from her neighborhood convey her love for them and their myriad personalities without taking away their dignity. In “Best Friend-Trusty” a Boston Terrier strikes a macho pose but melts the viewer with a large grin and an even larger tongue. Adelaide’s “Peace and Love” likewise portrays an appealing white dog holding an olive branch. The dog’s tag is a red heart which adds a colorful accent to his white fur.

Holly Meade uses wood and linoleum blocks to create her engaging images. In “Red Horse” she neatly fills the page with the image of a jumping horse- neck arched, tail in the air and hooves pointed. It is elegant and wild at the same time. Janet Duncan also employs a graphic style with her watercolors. In “Pablo & Savvy” her broad swatches of color create an array of color- and also a moment of sharing for a young girl paddling a kayak with her shaggy dog. In “Everywhere That Mary Went” a young girl leads her lamb around a lawn. The bright green of the grass challenges a red jacket and snowy, white lamb to create a vibrant composition.

The unique work of Bruce Campbell provides three dimensional relief to Unleashed! Bruce is a catalogue designer for the Metropolitan Museum and uses his commute time on the train to create simple wire sculptures of animals. With a minimum of tools and fuss he bends the wire to create gestural figures of moose, dogs, reindeer and butterflies. These are occasionally given some sparkle by the inclusion of sea glass. The lines of his work relate to the woodblocks of Elizabeth Mayor. Her deceptively simple lines and shapes are spiced up with the addition of pigment and colored White-out. In “Mmmm..Kitty” a thin white line defines the arching back of the cat. Elizabeth then uses White-out to fill in the surrounding negative space. It is a playful use of materials to match her playful imagery.

All in all this is a show that is sure to delight animal enthusiasts and art lovers. There will be works by other artists available- Judy Lampe, Barbara Carr, Louise Chouinard, Hannah Phelps and more