Not All Who Wander Are Lost

The staff of Stray Rescue finds animals in deplorable conditions year round. Malnourished, riddled with parasites, suffering from gunshots, exposure or physical abuse -- these are the dogs and cats Stray Rescue takes in. And once they have the animal in a safe place, amazing transformations take root. Terrified dogs become friendly, broken cats learn to trust, and animals that some would classify as beyond hope emerge not just alive, but capable of bringing joy to a new home. And a few of those animals even become artists. Urban Wanderers, a fundraising art show that benefits Stray Rescue, features paintings created by dogs and cats with their paws, noses and/or tails. The show also has work by human artists, with their subjects being a specific animal that was saved by Stray Rescue. These portraits take many forms -- painting, photography, sculpture -- but they each depict a life that was saved because Stray Rescue won't quit. All paintings are auctioned online, but you can see them in person (and some of those animal artists as well) at an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art (3633 Lindell Boulevard; 314-977-2666 or sluma.slu.edu). Urban Wanderers remains on display through Sunday, July 27, and the gallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Starts: June 7. Continues through July 27, 2014