Local artists to showcase talents, help save animals

Sculptures and paintings of animals cover a local gallery that is showcasing the talent of local artists.

Paper Crane Gallery & Studio, a gallery for local and international artists, is currently showing “Bestiary: A compendium of animals, beasts and creatures.”

The exhibit focuses on highlighting various artists’ talents from surrounding areas
of Bloomington.

“We wanted to have a group show that would showcase the talents of people around town as opposed to having a gallery that focuses on one artist,” said gallery coordinator Nicole Wolfersberger.

The event exposes an array of media including print makers, original drawings, hand-drawn books, sculptures and paintings, all focusing on different types of animals.

Along with focusing on local artists’ talents, the event also benefits the Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary. Deep Roots is a non-profit organization devoted to helping animals. Twenty percent of all profits will go to the Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary.

“We knew we wanted to do an animal-themed show and that came first,” Wolfersberger said. “We eventually decided that we wanted something other than just pictures of animals, which is when we decided to collaborate with Deep Roots. We were helping them, and they were helping us; it was a win-win situation.”  

The Bestiary event is the first time Paper Crane Gallery & Studio has collaborated a benefit with a gallery exhibit.

Wolfersberger said the event can serve multiple purposes to its attendees.

“I hope that the event opens people’s eyes to the opportunities for collaboration in the community,” she said. “You can mix artwork and social events in a political cause to have it all work together for a common goal. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a frivolous thing.”

To get involved with the Paper Crane Gallery & Studio, one can volunteer, lead workshops or submit images of artwork to papercranegallery@gmail.com or visit their website at www.papercranegallery.org.

“There are lots of different ways to get involved with the gallery, whether an artist or not,” Wolfersberger said.