Pick up your canvas for third annual 'Art for the Paws' benefit

Helping Paws Animal Shelter is sponsoring its third annual "Art for the Paws," a fundraiser and community outreach project in McHenry County.

Artists of all abilities and skill levels are encouraged to participate by creating works of art that do not have to be animal related in a variety of mediums on 6- by 6-inch canvases.

Currently, only about one-third of the blank canvases are left. Contact one of the following locations about obtaining up to two blank canvases for a donation of $5 each: Helping Paws Animal Shelter, 2500 Harding Lane, Woodstock; Material Things, 103 E. Van Buren, Woodstock; The Studio Art School, 3316 Pearl St., McHenry; and Fabric, Fiber & Finds, 5150 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake.

Completed canvases are due no later than 4 p.m. Feb. 28. Each work of art will be photographed and displayed on the Art for the Paws Facebook page with the artist's statement, and on the online auction website.

A portion of the 300 canvases will be mounted together to form a mosaic that will be displayed at the Woodstock Public Library from March 20 through April 8. The 300 canvases will be displayed in one large mosaic at a public reception April 22 at Mixin Mingle, 124 Cass St., Woodstock.

All artwork will be available for purchase through an online auction with bids starting at a minimum of $25 for each piece of art with all proceeds to benefit Helping Paws.

Sponsors are needed to help offset costs associated with the fundraiser. For information or to sponsor the project, call Michelle Nowland at (815) 338-4400 or artforthepaws@gmail.com.

Helping Paws Animal Shelter is a nonprofit, no-kill animal shelter for stray and abandoned dogs and cats in McHenry County and surrounding areas. For information, call (815) 338-4400 or visit www.helpingpaws.net.