A Splash of Color

Away from the glitz and glamour of south beach nightlife and the ever-famous art deco district and far beyond the reach of downtown crowds that gather at the Arena and the Arsht Center sit several vibrant, painted, fiberglass dogs along the green and ordinary streets of Pinecrest.

The sudden appearance of one of these brightly colored dogs surprised me as I was driving from school one afternoon. The fiberglass terrier I stumbled upon is beautiful with an orange butterfly for a mask, elements of water and sky, several painted flowers and two eagles flying across its back. An image of the birds’ nest rests where the dog’s shaggy tail should be. The art is appealing and captivating, but, as more painted dogs of different breeds are being spotted all over the Village, its purpose is what captivates the spirit of Miamians .

The dog art is part of an effort to raise money for the Village of Pinecrest’s public schools so that they can afford “SMART Boards” in their classrooms. The appropriately named “SmARTy dogs” (provided by “Prince Media Development”, sponsored by local businesses and painted by local artists) are to be auctioned off to the public come March 2012.

It is refreshing, at least for me, to see a splash of color not intended for tourists and to recognize the community force behind it. The project shows how a Miami community can come together and solve a problem through cooperation. The “SmARTy dogs” are a humble example of what exists "beyond the spectacle": the artist, the businessman, the observer, the teacher, the student-- the true Miamian.

To find out more about the "SmARTy dogs" project check out the Village of Pinecrest website where there is a list of the local artists involved.