20 Giant Dogs and Your Doggies Celebrate at the Mennello

The “Red Dog” sculpture by Dale Rogers lives in the Sculpture Garden at the Mennello Museum of American Art, but it has just been joined by a fresh pack of 20 companions with the installation of The Big Dog Show, which continues through March 17. The 8-foot-high, 10-foot-long giant steel canines dot the landscape of the Mennello grounds, which are always free and open to the public.

On Saturday, December 1, from 4-6 p.m., the Mennello Museum hosts The Big Dog Show Happy Hour with special guest Dale Rogers. Bring along your four-legged friends for the meet-and-greet with the artist from Haverhill, Mass. Read more about Rogers and his work at his website, www.dalerogersstudio.com. Interviews with the artist also are available.

At the Happy Hour, refreshments will be for sale for dogs and their owners from The Spork Cafe and Puppylove Cafe (plus we’ll have complimentary litter bags). We'll also be accepting donations of unopened dog and cat food for the SPCA of Central Florida's Pet Food Xpress program, which delivers food to the pets of seniors on fixed incomes in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Bags weighing 10 pounds and under are requested.

The Big Dog Show | November 16 - March 17, 2013

• Outdoor installation of twenty 8-foot-tall, 10-foot-long steel canines by sculptor Dale Rogers.

With a Little Help From Our Friends | December 1 – January 13, 2013

• An exhibition showcasing acquisitions for our collection purchased through the generosity of The Friends of the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Also to raise funds for two local animal charities, the Mennello Museum is adopting out the 20 sculptures for $100 each. Adoptive owners will customize a complimentary nametag to honor a former friend or raise awareness for an organization. All proceeds will be donated to the local chapter of Canine Companions for Independence and A New Beginning Pet Rescue.
Inside the museum, the original exhibition With a Little Help From Our Friends opens December 1 and showcases acquisitions for the collection that were purchased through the generosity of the museum’s support organization, The Friends of the Mennello Museum of American Art. Included in the show are works by Dale Chihuly, Alexander Calder, Leroy Person, Ralph Fasanella, Bessie Harvey, Tim Lewis, Jean Wagner Troemel, Ladis W. Sabo, Nancy Jay, Tim Lewis, Duncan McClellan, John Wolfe, Albert Paley and others. Please note: The exhibition With a Little Help From Our Friends replaces the previously announced Treasures From the Attic exhibit.