The Southampton History Museum will open for the 2022 season on May 4th with “Puppies, Ponies and Pussycats: Tails of Southampton,” a new exhibit that combines historic photographs of people with their pets from its historic collection along with digital images of caretakers and their animal companions.
Also, pet inspired artwork by three professional Southampton artists will be shown.
People living in Southampton began taking photographs of their animal companions in the 1870s and continue to do so today. Animal themed artwork and furnishings were either hand-made or manufactured for 150 years – objects in the exhibit are either donated or on loan to the Museum by local residents. A wide variety of pet themed toys, dishes, banks, pillows and doorstops from the Museum’s collection can be seen along with recent submissions of recently taken digital photographs.
Artists in the Exhibit include:
Kimberly McSparran is a Southampton-based designer who sees the unique beauty of nature as the inspiration for her art and design work. She can be commissioned for portraits and decorative work on wallpaper, textiles and ceramics.
Rachelle Oatman is an International pet portrait painter who lives and works in both Europe, New York City and Southampton. Her portraits of dogs continue a historic tradition found during the 18th century in England and France. Since 1995 she has painted numerous commissioned pet portraits for owners for their personal collection or as an extraordinary gift.
Dinah Maxwell Smith was born in NYC, graduated from R.I.S.D with a BFA in painting. She has lived in Southampton for decades and has exhibited extensively in New York, the Hamptons (including the Parrish Art Museum), Paris, and Germany.
The exhibit was designed by executive director Tom Edmonds with help from his staff.
“Puppies, Ponies and Pussycats: Tails of Southampton” will be on display through December 31st. The Southampton History Museum is located at 17 Meeting House Lane in Southampton. For more information visit their website.
Painting: Blanchette and Romano by Emile Bujon.
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