b'Painting to ValidateThe Lives Lostby Anna CookeIm assigning a face, a soul, so its not justme posting the number of shelter dogs that diedacross the country today for lack of space, saidVretas. Youre looking at one dog as a dignifiedsubject alongside his story, to make people awareof the bigger picture. Each of the canvases servesas a memoir. Marys goal is to show everyone who seesher collection that shelter dogs are not damagedgoods. Every shelter dog matters.At first, Mary tracked only the dogs namesary Vretas studied Art History at andtheireuthanasiadates.AsherprojectFloridaStateUniversity.She evolved, she began including a bit more infor-M began painting pet portraits in mation about the dogs, like notes from volun-2012afterlearningthather teers.Shesharestheportraitsandeachdogschildhooddog,Pablo, was story on her social media pages.dying of cancer. I painted him Dogs have been a part of Marys life sinceferventlyonvariouscanvasesbecauseInever childhood.Bloodhoundswerehermotherswanted to forget what he looked like, favorite, so there was always at least one in thesaid Mary. family as she was growing up. Of all the familyIn 2016 Mary became involved in animal dogs, Porsche, an English Bulldog, was the mostrescueandbeganfollowingvariousUrgent memorable. She was essentially a temperamen-Dog Facebook groups that featured deadline taltoddler,saidMary.Shesatinherowndogs across Florida. One dogs photo and story chair, in her own bib, at the kitchen table withstruck a chord with Mary, and she decided to the family at meal time. She chased basketballspaint his portrait to honor him after he had been and chewed them until they lost air. She lovedeuthanized for space. His name was Ross. usall,butmostfiercelylovedmydad.WeEvery cover of Thefineartistfoundherpurposeand recently said goodbye to her.The New Barker began painting euthanized dogs in Florida shel- Nighttime is when Mary paints. By day, shehas featured an ters to raise awareness of an alarming practice. is the Program Coordinator at MEOW Now, aoriginal work ofart by a different Shelters are destroying healthy, adoptable dogs Friends of Strays program that works to TNVRartist since 2006. for lack of space and staff shortages.cats. Its always been her dream job to Continued on the following page gwww.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER 63'