Charlotte Varcoe
A PASSION for dogs has resulted in public art displays at Hastings Cunningham Reserve dog park, sparking conversations and more interaction with the space.
Mount Gambier/Berrin multidisciplinary artist and educator Meghan Amoroso has installed a number of corflutes with art prints on it depicting Limestone Coast pups.
Ms Amoroso was successful with a $8000 Creative Arts Funding grant from Mount Gambier City Council, kickstarting the project.
Ms Amoroso said the exhibition at the dog park would remain in place until “the weather decides otherwise”.
“I had seen the Creative Arts Fund being advertised and I had previously worked on one with Justin Clarke in the main street, so I was aware it was something I was aware the council had on offer,” Ms Amoroso said.
“I thought it was something I liked doing and it was something that could serve a lot of people and connect with a lot of people.
“Dogs have been my favourite animals since I have grown up, so I decided to combine my love for animals with my love for art and create something for the dog park.”
She said once her project was decided upon, she believed the easiest and most obvious idea was having dogs and the ones who used the parks.
“It was a topic I thought people could connect with quite easily, especially with art because often people avoid it because they don’t necessarily understand it, but most people are animal people and have pets so it was quite an easy thing that people could get on board with,” she said.
“We then put a callout to the Limestone Coast where people could submit pictures of their pets, both living and those over the rainbow bridge, because we wanted to capture dogs that were actually local to this area and people who could recognise them.”
Since being placed up at the dog park, Ms Amoroso said she had received a lot of positive feedback.
“I was nervous in doing this because it is the largest exhibition I have put on that is public, but at the dog park we have found many people that use the space have really enjoyed having these artworks going up and there was quite a lot of interest in the lead up to it as well,” she said.
Regular dog park user Sharon Braithwaite said she thought the exhibition was wonderful for the area.
“It is lovely to enhance the park with some pictures around here and we are very lucky to have them on display,” Ms Braithwaite said.
“Everyone who uses the park is walking around and having a look at them and it is just something different.”
Ms Amoroso also has a large exhibition on display at Confession Café, which will remain on auction for eight weeks and will raise funds for the South East Animal Welfare League.
“The South East Animal Welfare League is a charity that ties in nicely with the dog park, but I have also adopted dogs from the league and really appreciate the work they do and I wanted to give back to them and also give the public another opportunity to support them as well and highlight the work they are doing,” Ms Amoroso said.
