Pets are our best friends and now the Humane Society of Johnson County wants to give back in a way heretofore untested in our area. Art Unleashed committee members Karen Buckler, Carol Weir, and Tracie Brown have acquired art from across the country that is representative of numerous media styles. The Humane Society is selling the art at Art Unleashed using a combination of live and silent auctions. The event is September 28, 6-10 pm, at the Johnson County National Guard Armory. Attire is black tie optional because, really, who doesn’t love an excuse to dress up?
Artists participating in the Art Unleashed program come from as far away as Florida and Massachusetts, to closer-to-home locales Carmel and Brown County. This diverse range of art includes watercolors, pottery, stained glass, photography, and more. Matt Tames, an East Coast artist, is donating art with a personal touch – the winning bidder for his art will receive a canvas painting of his or her own pet! Indiana First Lady Karen Pence will be donating a print for the live auction portion of the evening. The emcee for the live auction will be local news celebrity Patty Spitler, who is also the host of Pet Pals TV.
An old barn in Franklin is the current home of the Humane Society of Johnson County. Although these facilities have been upgraded to accommodate office space, the actual housing of animals is done using foster families – people who take the animals into their homes until a forever family can be found. The Humane Society offers pet microchipping on location, and partners with Pets Alive of Bloomington to provide low-cost spay and neuter to the Johnson County area. Another wonderful offering is the Dudley program, which helps lower-income households obtain emergency care and needed surgeries for their furry friends.
The proceeds from Art Unlimited will go towards modernizing the current location to create space for pets to be kept onsite. This will be very helpful to those who spontaneously visit the Humane Society to find a pet to join their family. Proceeds will also help offset the cost of intake for the many animals dropped off daily. They will be able to get the proper exams and medications that they need. The IU Jacobs School of Music will provide entertainment during the event, and Buck Creek Winery will offer wine samples and bottles of wine for sale.
