Wayne County’s Mural Mania has brightened the Erie Canal landscape from Fairport to Syracuse with hand-painted public art showcasing local history. The final mural honors the pets of the Humane Society of Wayne County in Lyon.
What started with a dog turned into a pet rescue mural featuring 101 cats, dogs and even a rabbit.
Bev Owen is what you might call a feel-good artist.
“I love all animals. I’m into the eyes, so without the eyes the painting is worthless to me,” Owens said as he painted a dog on the mural.
She is one of half a dozen volunteer artists painting pet portraits to celebrate pet adoption.
“I guess I feel the heart,” Owen said. “I feel like it brings them back a bit and it makes a great memorial that people can come and see and have a connection to that’s why I’m doing this.”
Most of the pets in the mural are rescues adopted from animal shelters. Each of them is super special for someone. It’s that unconditional love. Pets are a lifeline and part of the family.
“It’s ‘Peanut’ right on the rock here. She was adopted here from the Humane Society of Wayne County. I went out and visited her one day at lunch and called home and I said it was something I wanted and came back the next day and adopted her,” said Christine Worth of Wayne County.
This vibrant mural of rescue pets on a cruise ship on the Erie Canal scene is part of Mural Mania that spans 85 miles from Monroe, Wayne and into Onondaga County.
Mark De Cracker is so proud of the public art project that engages, enhances and animates the community.
“It’s not the brush on the canvas but the emotion behind the brush,” said De Cracker. “It’s just these stories and now you have pets that have only been with us for at most about 13 years. This is a mural to commemorate these wonderful animals. I hear some love their pets company more than people.
Donations for the pet mural go to Mural Mania and the Humane Society of Wayne County which helps 1,200 dogs and cats a year.
Mural Mania includes over 40 outdoor public murals along the Erie Canal and Seaway Trail. The next mural is being painted at Sodus on North Maple Avenue. Special thanks to Lyons Community Center, Golden Artists Colors, Secor Lumber, Sean Dobbins and all pet sponsors.
