Morris & Essex Kennel Club Art Show Winners Announced-$1000 “Best in Show” Prize to be Awarded

SOMERSET, N.J. - Sept. 6, 2015 - PRLog -- Group winners of the Morris and Essex Kennel Club Art Show have been selected by Juror William Secord in anticipation of awarding the first-ever $1,000 “Best in Show” prize at the prestigious Judges’ Dinner preceding the M&E Kennel Club Dog Show on October 1, M&E Kennel Club President Wayne Ferguson announced today.

“Congratulations go out to the extremely talented dog artists who have won the Group competition.  We are delighted to have had nearly 200 images of outstanding dog art submitted from around the world,” Mr. Ferguson said.  “Our International Art Show adds so much to this very special dog show and we are excited to be featuring, and selling, works by the world’s talented dog artists both on the show grounds and through our online gallery.  It’s also exciting that several of the artists are entering and showing dogs as well. It’s an outstanding lineup.” A percentage of all artwork sales will go to the Morris & Essex Kennel Club’s charitable donations to canine non-profit organizations. All of the winning artwork may be viewed and purchased at this link http://morris-essex.myshopify.com/collections/all

The Morris & Essex Kennel Club Group winning artists are:

·         Sporting Group – Christine Dabbs of Holly Springs, North Carolina, “Luna”, Graphite Pencil on Watercolor Paper, $450

·         Herding Group – Betsy Johnston of Oakley, California, “Focused” , Acrylics, $675

·         Hound Group – Rhonda Cassidy of Topeka, Kansas, “Insightful” , Photography, $1,200

·         Non-Sporting Group – Christine Dabbs of Holly Springs, North Carolina, “Frenchie”, Graphite Pencil on Watercolor Paper, $450

·         Toy Group – D. Gerard Walshe of Summerville, South Carolina, “Curiosity”, Oils on Canvas, $1,950

·         Working Group – Carole Doerr Allen of Flemington, New Jersey, “Aged to Perfection”, Oils on Board, “$3,000

·         Terrier Group – Michele Amatrula of New York City, NY,  “Three Amigos”, Oils on Canvas, $18,000

For only the second time in its history, the 2015 M&E Kennel Club Dog Show is featuring e a Juried Fine Art Show celebrating the purebred dog and the spirit of the Morris and Essex Kennel Club Dog Show, judged by William Secord of the William Secord Gallery, NYC.  Mr. Secord is recognized as the world authority on nineteenth century dog painting as well as the founding director of The Dog Museum of America.

Each Group Winner is invited to the elegant Judges’ Dinner preceding the Dog Show on the evening of September 30 and will receive a commemorative M&E rosette. “Best in Show” will be selected by Mr. Secord and presented by both Mr. Secord and M&E Art Show Chair Debra Lampert-Rudman with a $1,000 check and more elaborate rosette during the Judges’ Dinner proceedings.

All winning artworks will be displayed and available for sale at both the Judges’ Dinner and in a tented place of honor on the outdoor show grounds at Colonial Park, Somerset, NJ on October 1, 2015. In addition, all Art Show entries, as well as the Group winning and Best in Show artwork, will be displayed and available for sale in a virtual gallery on the Morris and Essex Kennel Club website www.morrisandessexkennelclub.org following the October 1 show and through December 1, 2015.  To enter the Morris & Essex Kennel Club Dog Show http://infodog.com/show/club_page.htm?ev=2015519401


For additional details on the Art Show, contact M&E Art Show Chair Debra Lampert-Rudman at morrisessexartshow@gmail.com or 908-337-9189.

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