Dog Days of Summer: The Ulti-Mutt Art Exhibit Celebrates Launch “Pawty”

On July 10, Winter Garden’s City Hall opened the “Dog Days of Summer: The Ulti-Mutt Art Exhibit.” The exhibition includes 30 pieces of original canine art done by local artists and chosen by a jury.

To celebrate the opening, City Hall hosted a launch paw-ty showcasing this new community art initiative. There were just as many dogs as there were people. The venue featured a gallery of dog-themed pieces, which everyone was free to stroll by with a furry friend by their side. They also offered a doggie splash pad outside, a meet and greet with the artists and the dogs who inspired them, a “pooch photo station,” and free food, including ice cream for humans and dogs. 

Dog days of Summer aren’t just exclusive to Winter Garden. According to The Old Farmers Almanac, it pertains to the Northern Hemisphere and “comes from ancient skywatchers who noticed that the brightest star, Sirius, rose with the Sun” during July 3 to August 11 every year. Since the “dog days” are so ancient, Winter Garden seemed to find a different approach from the ancient astronomers to celebrate. With colorful brush strokes to black and white ink paintings, and everything in between, they announced the “dog days” have arrived. 

One of the artists, Amelia Wolf, shared an ink painting of her rescued black Labrador named Tucker. The painting is titled “Big Breakfast” featuring a large dog in the kitchen.

Wolf shared that the painting only took her three or four days to make, but it is something she feels immense joy towards.

“It means a lot to me. It’s something personal,” said Wolf. 

She shared how she wants the audience to notice how alert and sweet Tucker seems in the artwork, representative of him in real life. 

“It’s kind of a portrait, so when you look at a portrait, you kind of want to see a little bit about the subject, so hopefully people look at it, and they say ‘oh what a sweet energetic dog,” said Wolf.

The party had a healthy turnout with not only smiles but tail wags that confirmed the pleasantness of the event. The exhibit will be open until August 31 at Winter Garden’s City Hall at 300 W. Plant Street.

sabrinahansen

Sabrina Hansen in an Editorial Intern at Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine. She is a student at the University of Central Florida and pursuing her bachelor's degree in journalism and theatre studies. She is set to graduate in the spring of 2027. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, she moved to Orlando in 2023 for school. She has greatly being in this city and looks forward to further exploring all it has to offer. She has always enjoyed talking to people and believes everyone has a story that's worth sharing. When not writing you can find her hanging out with her friends, shopping, or watching reality TV.

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