Mackenzie Thorpe and Dr. Seuss donated artwork to be auctioned at Stone Harbor, NJ gallery
Two world-renowned artists sharing a common love of animals will help raise funds for a regional animal shelter at the New Jersey Shore with their respective Ocean Galleries art exhibits. In support of the Cape May County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, Ocean Galleries will have two pieces of artwork from their upcoming June exhibits up for auction: a classic Mackenzie Thorpe print, “Sweetheart of Mine,” and a “cat” themed Dr. Seuss “surprise” print. Both of the prints will be custom framed by Ocean Galleries and auctioned to raise money for the Center’s Animal Shelter Trust Fund, with 100% of the proceeds going directly toward the care and comfort of animals.
The Animal Shelter fundraiser kicks off 7:00 PM on Friday, June 14, 2019 at “The Cat Behind the Hat! – The Art of Dr. Seuss” opening reception, taking place at Ocean Galleries (9618 Third Ave, Stone Harbor | 609-368-7777), where both the silent (Seuss) and live (Thorpe) auction artwork will be on display. The silent auction for the Dr. Seuss graphic will open on Friday, June 14 and continue to Sunday, June 23. “The Cat Behind the Hat!” exhibit, a new collection of print and bronze limited edition art, will remain at Ocean Galleries throughout Father’s Day weekend, with additional receptions taking place 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM Saturday, June 15 and 1:00 to 4:00 PM on Sunday, June 16.
The fundraiser continues through the following weekend, when Ocean Galleries welcomes the “Mackenzie Thorpe – 30 Years of Love” exhibit taking place Friday, June 21 through Sunday, June 23. One of today’s most collected and sought-after artists, iconic British artist Mackenzie Thorpe is making his first time appearance in New Jersey, bringing with him an outstanding collection of pastels, sculptures, and limited edition prints. There will be gallery receptions with the artist taking place 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM on Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22, and from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM on Sunday, June 23.
On Sunday, June 23, Thorpe will join Ocean Galleries in hosting a special Sunday brunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM where his art, “Sweetheart of Mine,” will be up for grabs in a live auction. Stone Harbor Mayor Judy Davies Dunhour, who also serves as Shelter Director at the Cape May County Animal Shelter, will be the guest auctioneer for the live auction which is slated to begin at 12:45 PM. The silent auction of the Dr. Seuss print will close at 12:45 PM as well, with Mayor Davies announcing the winner of the art.
“It seemed like a natural to tie in these two art exhibits to a fundraiser for the Animal Shelter,” explained gallery owner, Kim Miller. “Ted Geisel [a.k.a. Dr. Seuss] loved animals from a young age, when he would frequently visit the zoo with his father, and went on to create a variety of timeless art honoring animals, including the wacky and wonderful three-dimensional Unorthodox Taxidermy sculptures, and that famous feline that would become one of the most recognizable characters of our generation.”
Like Seuss, Thorpe has always been an animal lover, and many of his paintings have featured dogs, cats, and other animals. For his first time exhibit in Stone Harbor and in honor of the special Animal Shelter fundraiser, Thorpe painted a series of pastels featuring dogs.
“One of the consistent themes in my art is the special bond of love and friendship – so it was inevitable that many of my works include man’s best friend,” explains Thorpe. “Animals have a way of giving us hope and igniting the human spirit, which I often express in my works. It was an honor to be able to support the animals and the great work the Cape May County Animal Shelter does through this project.”
Throughout the two weekend exhibits, representatives from the Cape May County Animal Shelter will be on hand with information on the shelter and a few of their rescue dogs available for adoption. The artwork from both “The Cat Behind the Hat! – The Art of Dr. Seuss” and “Mackenzie Thorpe – 30 Years of Love” will be on display throughout both weekends as well.
In addition to an extraordinary collection of artwork and custom-framing, Ocean Galleries also offers a variety of hand-made crafts from local, regional, and national artists in America, such as glass, pottery, jewelry, and furniture. All summer exhibitions take place at the Stone Harbor location of Ocean Galleries (9618 Third Avenue). Ocean Galleries also has an Avalon, NJ location at 2199 Ocean Drive. For seasonal hours at both gallery locations, call 609-368-7777.
The Cape May County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, located at 110 Shelter Road in Cape May County House, seeks to ensure the humane treatment of all animals within the county and to foster a spirit of cooperation between the various animal advocacy organizations. The Animal Shelter Trust Fund is the nonprofit arm of the organization that assists the Shelter and Adoption Center with the care and comfort of all animals. For more information on the Cape May County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center or the Animal Shelter Trust Fund, call 609-465-8923.
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For more information, visit: Fundraiser Planned For Cape May County Animal Shelter & Adoption Center