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Friendly felines from the Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) shelter have produced ‘purrfect’ paintings to be sold in a one-of-a-kind art event, writes Mai Camille.
A Cat Picassos Evening to be held on March 20 in the gardens of the British Embassy in Manama will feature the artistic works of nine talented kitties.
Joyce Hughes, BSPCA’s fundraising coordinator, said: “Each painting is a limited edition that is framed and sold, along with a biography and photo of the artist, for BD10. This will be used to raise funds for the shelter’s catch, neuter, and return programme (CNVR).
“This is an opportunity not for only animal lovers but also for art lovers to come along and make the evening a success so that we can continue to neuter and return the stray street dogs in various areas of the island.”
A Cat Enrichment Programme was introduced by Penny Erickson, BSPCA’s event coordinator, who noticed whilst capturing cats on camera for an adoption video that many of them were just snoozing quietly in their corners and hated to get up and play.
Having tried out a special application of ‘chase the mouse’ on an iPad on her own cat, she decided to start the virtual paintings project with other moggies.
This was brought to life in early February when Chinz Chagall, Cappy Warhol, Nusan Pollock, Ezra Picasso, Marco Angelo and Guppy Van Gogh were given free rein to paint.
Joyce said: “A mouse appears on the iPad screen and starts moving around, catching the interest of the cat. Whenever the cat stands on the screen or hits the screen, its paw print produces a paint mark creating a picture unique to each cat.
“Each cat favours a very different artistic style; amongst them is art deco, impressionism, post-modern, cubism, baroque and abstract.”
The feline festivities will start at 6.30pm with British Ambassador Iain Lindsay giving a speech while refreshments and canapés are served to guests. The BSPCA’s ‘cat-a-logue’ will be on hand as well as a video recording of a cat creating some artwork.
Students from the Victoria Dance School will entertain with two cat-oriented dance routines and throughout the evening there will be musical entertainment.
A number of renowned local artists including Marianne Passman, Meriel Cooper, Irina Averinos, Carrie Sauze and Jacqueline de Freitas have donated artwork to also raise funds for the charity.
There will be a raffle and lots of prizes including an iPad and a session run by Penny for the winner’s own cat. Another highlight of the evening will be the auctioning of a work created by the ambassador and his wife Bridget’s cat, a tubby ginger-tom called Fergus.
Tickets are priced at BD10 and only 200 are available from the BSPCA’s Thrift Shop, the Animal Welfare Centre at Askar, the British Club, the Dilmun Club and St Christopher’s School reception desk in Saar.
For further details, visit www.bspca.org
* See Bridget in Bahrain
