“Dog On It” is a unique art show featuring dog creations by artist, Susie Welsh to be held April 26-27.

The show’s opening reception is Friday, April 26 from 5-8 p.m. with wine and cheese and lots of fun. Kathleen’s Gallery, Main Street, Saluda, will host this event, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Foothills Humane Society.

What would motivate an artist to create a whole show of pottery dogs?

Susie’s, “Dog-On-It” sculptures began when she made a pottery dog sitting on a chair which sold at a local gallery during the opening reception. That led Welsh to collect many and sundry chairs to continue this project, urged on by wonderful friends. After making several more, she decided to expand from chairs to other found items (loving a good yard sale/thrift store/flea market excursion!).

“Dogs have always been an important part of my life, and I consider them my best friends. I presently have three rescues (the third pup, “the unplanned family member,” was too cute to resist), and each of them is so different in personality and style; they are great inspiration for my sculptures,” Welsh said. “I tend to give them human attributes (only the good ones!) and that has extended to doing things we all love-chatting with friends, reading, riding a bike, gardening, rocking a baby, and so on. Now I have dogs in cars, on boats, in beds, on airplanes, riding horses and on and on. I have always been fascinated by big machinery so I also have several friends driving Tonka bulldozers, tractors and Buddy L trucks. I make every effort to find handcrafted, antique and/or made in the USA pieces to work with.”

Kathleen Carson, owner of Kathleen’s Gallery in Saluda, enthusiastically offered to host a show for Welsh when she saw some of her creations. Welsh has been busy since last fall in her home studio creating happy active characters.