An Act of Dog

Artist Mark Barone believes he is a better man for having painted 5,500 portraits of healthy dogs that have been killed in shelters every year. Through photos shelter volunteers sent him, he produced 12"X12" oil paintings that reveal each dog's personality, and included the dog's name and the circumstances that led to its death. He and his partner, Marina Dervan, have also created a non-profit, An Act of Dog, to focus attention on this inhumane practice, and to promote no-kill shelters. They are searching for a city and philanthropist to build a museum to house these paintings and eleven 8'x8' theme paintings depicting dog fights, animal testing, and puppy mills. As part of their focus on art for social change, Barone and Dervan plants seeds of compassion by conducting art classes in schools throughout the United States. Students' work raises awareness and money for their school districts' art programs and animal welfare groups. His work will be featured in a soon-to-be released PBS documentary, An Act of Dog.

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