Experience a moving tribute to courage, loyalty and the bond between warrior and companion when Ohio artist James Mellick brings his acclaimed sculptural exhibition “Dogs of War and Peace” to Lakeside, May 18-June 12.
The exhibit is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., and 30 minutes before performances and worship services in Hoover Auditorium.
Mellick, of Milford Center, is the creator of the award-winning “Wounded Warrior Dogs” Project, a life-size traveling exhibition of carved-wood K9 memorials honoring military working dogs and the veterans they served alongside.
His work has been featured at the National Museums of the United States Air Force, Marine Corps and Army and won the Grand Prize by popular vote at ArtPrize Eight in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2016.
Mellick’s sculptures are hand-carved from wood – including cedar, walnut, sycamore, cherry, poplar and maple – then laminated and painted to create striking, lifelike representations of real K9 heroes. Each piece captures the strength and sacrifice of dogs whose real-life counterparts served from World War II through recent conflicts.
“Dogs of War and Peace” celebrates the deep bond between dogs and their handlers. Many sculptures take 160-250 hours to complete, a testament to Mellick’s research into breeds, service histories and the emotional stories of the canine teams he portrays.
On Friday, June 5 at 10:30 a.m., Mellick will present a lecture during the Chautauqua Lecture Series in Orchestra Hall. He will also present two Gallery Talks on Wednesday, June 3, and Thursday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m., in Hoover Auditorium, about the project, the sculpting process and the heroes he has met along the way.
Mellick will be joined by representatives from Veteran Companion Animal Services, a nonprofit that rescues shelter dogs and trains them as companions for veterans with PTSD. Supporting these K9 partnerships is central to his mission, including his goal of pairing one veteran with one service dog each year.
Copies of his book Honoring K9 Warriors in Wood will be available following his Gallery Talks, lecture and at Millie Magoo’s & The Fine Print.
Mellick earned his Master of Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and has taught sculpture at colleges in New Hampshire, New York, Michigan and Ohio.
