Charlie Girl is a calico cat with bright green eyes. She was living as a stray near Arnold Road last December when she was discovered and brought to the Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation shelter in Coupeville. She’s been living there ever since.
Linda Shafer is an oil painter who specializes in landscapes. She’s lived on Whidbey Island for 40 years and has spent the last 30 in Coupeville. This weekend she’ll devote her time and art in helping Charlie Girl and other shelter animals get a new facility.
WAIF and WhidbeyArtShows.com are hosting a juried fine art show and auction benefit at the Coupeville Recreation Hall Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27 and Aug. 28, to raise money for a new shelter.
Six local artists, including Shafer, will have some new or never-before-seen artwork on display. A silent auction will be held both days showcasing donated pieces from the artists and all of the proceeds will be given to WAIF. Additionally, 15 percent of all art sales will go to the organization.
This year, the participating artists will be textile artist Mary Burks, oil and acrylic painter Gerald Roberts, oil painter Mark Skullerud, watercolor painter Randy Emmons, acrylic painter Mark Lucero and Shafer.
“I respect and feel honored to be showing with this talented group for the upcoming show,” Shafer said. “WAIF deserves a new home and with this show I hope to be a tiny part of making that happen.”
The art will be displayed exhibition style. The show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
“You’ll want to take this opportunity to really experience fine art from six of Whidbey’s finest,” artist Gerald Roberts wrote in a media release. “Do something good for yourself and the community one more time by supporting these local artists as well as WAIF.”
WAIF shelter manager Shari Bibich said that all of the donations will be put into a fund and used for the general care of the animals and the new shelter. WAIF officials are working toward opening a modern, fully-equipped shelter that will be located just across Highway 20 from the current Coupeville location. The new building comes at an estimated cost of $3.5 million.
“WAIF has been very appreciative,” Bibich said. “It’s been a collaborative effort, and we’ve received a lot of support from the artists.”
