Three years ago when Kim Pratt, co-cordinator of the Read to Rover program at Chimacum Creek Primary School, decided that she wanted to honor the dogs by painting their portraits, she could not have imagined how her project would serve to bring the community together during the isolation of COVID. Back then, Kim also didn’t know how to paint, so she decided to learn how by taking a pet painting class from Julie Read, through the Port Townsend School of the Arts.
Kim Pratt and Julie Read at the Elevated Ice Cream Show
This January and February, her paintings were shown at Elevated Ice Cream and the Read to Rover volunteers flocked to see them (and each other) at the artists’ receptions.
Then King 5 TV’s Evening Show got wind of the show and filmed a segment about it. Many of the teams came to be a part of that.
Paintings hanging in the Chimacum Creek School Library
Since the show ended, the paintings have been in the school library for the kids to enjoy. The library will be a permanent home for prints of these paintings once the original paintings are given to the volunteers who own the dogs.
Kim’s dream became much more than a set of wonderful portraits. Thank you, Kim, for your gift to our R2R community.