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“A Star is Born”, ©2015 Dana Feagin, Oil, 16 x 20, Available

“A Star is Born” is a portrait of Orville, a former Sanctuary One goat. Orville was one of the first animals I photographed from Sanctuary One. When I came across the photo below, I was surprised I hadn’t already painted him – just look at that pose! Orville arrived at the sanctuary through the Humane Society of the United States. He and his brother Wilbur were unable to move to Hawaii with their human family. Since the photo was taken, Orville and Wilbur were adopted together, by a new loving family. Orville lived a full life but has passed on. Wilbur is still around, looking dapper in his hand-made coat when the weather turns chilly.

Reference Photo Below ©Dana Feagin

It’s that time of year again – the second annual Ashland Open Studio Tour! It is a free, self-guided tour through 23 private working studios in Ashland, Talent and Phoenix on Saturday and Sunday, October 10th and 11th from 11AM – 5PM. Pick up a map at any Ashland gallery, or use your phone and find the map here.

If you ever wondered what our private working spaces look like, now is the time to come by and take a peek.  I am stop I on the tour map – 188 Alida Street, Ashland (between East Main St and  Siskiyou Blvd), so stop in and say “hello”.  I will be starting two new cow paintings and the studio has been given a thorough cleaning so there will be less rabbit hair on the floor than usual!

August’s First Friday seems like a long time ago, now that “The Funny Farm” paintings have moved to a smaller space at Art & Soul Gallery, absent “Sugar Rush” and “I Smell Cupcakes”, paintings that went to new homes, and a couple paintings that are temporarily in my studio. However, the event drew in a nice animal art loving crowd, with wonderful music by Bread and Jam Jazz, and wine tasting courtesy of Platt Anderson Cellars. The Miyoko’s Kitchen vegan cashew cheeses were a huge hit, with all three flavors gone by 7:30, as were the vegan chocolate chip cookies.  I was secretly hoping there would be leftovers. Amelia Sorensen attended the first hour and a half of the opening reception as a roving photographer. Today, I made time to cull through them and pare them down to the collection below. Thank you Amelia!

Mark your calendar for First Friday, August 7th! My newest collection of animal paintings, “The Funny Farm”, is the featured work at Art & Soul Gallery. The opening reception runs from 5-8PM during Ashland’s Art Walk. In addition to 13-14 new whimsical animal paintings (which I am still working away on!), Platt Anderson Winery will be hosting a wine tasting, and animal friendly appetizers, including Miyoko’s Kitchen Cashew Cheeses will be available. If you can’t make the opening, the show opens on August 4th through August 30th. Ten percent of the sales will be donated to Sanctuary One, a care farm in Jacksonville, OR.

This Sunday, May 31 from 3-6PM is our first “Artists for Equamore” Event at Equamore Horse Sanctuary in Ashland! Twenty-two local artists, working in various mediums, will be at the sanctuary selling original works, prints, cards, and more, with 20% of the proceeds benefitting horses in our community. Join us and help support this wonderful non-profit. In addition to art, Band Du Pays Swing Band will be playing, local wine & finger food will be served, and you can mingle with the horses on a beautiful day in the country! The event is free, but we hope you will purchase something while you are there.

Two of my paintings (Sweet Cheeks and Blue Bunny) are part of the BUNNYMANIA fundraising art show curated by celebrated Los Angeles art critic, Peter Frank, and exhibit producer, Delia Cabral. The show opens tonight at 6PM at Chungking Studio, 975 Chung King Road, Los Angeles (China Town Area) and remains at that location over the weekend. On April 4th, the show opens again at Wilding Cran Gallery, 939 South Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles (Arts District), and remains at that location through April 18th.

This show raises awareness about our relationship to rabbits, both the animals, and what they’ve come to symbolize in our human experience. Inspiration for this show stems from the pure awesomeness of bunnies, but also from the curators’ shared penchant for rabbit-themed art, and their exchanges of all things ‘bun over many years. Proceeds from Bunnymania benefit the National Museum of Animals & Society.

This 501(c)(3) non-profit museum is the first of its kind dedicated to enriching the lives of animals & people by exploring our shared experience. The musem focuses on animal studies (where people and animals intersect in culture), the history of animal protection, and humane education in their collection, exhibitions, public programming, and educational efforts.

As we welcome in the new year, I want to express thanks to my supporters, collectors, family and friends for a wonderful 2014! Over $2,000 was donated to Equamore Horse Sanctuary http://www.equamore.org, Friends of the Animal Shelter http://www.fotas.org, and Sanctuary One http://www.sanctuaryone.org, based on art sales. An additional $3,300 in artwork was donated to non-profit groups across the country to assist with fundraising efforts. A complete list of those organizations will be added to my website in the coming weeks.

In 2015, my work will continue to be available at Art & Soul Gallery in Ashland, and through my online store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanaFeagin. In August, I am the featured artist at Art & Soul Gallery with a new show, “The Funny Farm”, which opens on First Friday, August 7th, and in October, I am once again participating in the Ashland Open Studio Tour. If you didn’t get a chance to visit my home studio last year, and you are in the area October 10th &11th, I’d love to see you!

Wishing you a happy and fun-filled 2015!