Beginning on Saturday, November 7, The Arts Council of Princeton, New Jersey will host a gallery show celebrating the art of renowned cartoonist and Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell. The exhibit will feature hand-colored, one-of-a-kind prints from McDonnell’s recent nationally best-selling book Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story and his paintings from 2023’s The Super Hero’s Journey. The Arts Council of Princeton will host an opening reception on Saturday, November 16, from 3-5 PM ET and an artist talk and book signing with Patrick McDonnell on Saturday, November 30 at 3 PM ET at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts.
Over the years, the Mutts comic strip character known as “Guard Dog” has played an important role in raising awareness about the cruelty of tethering, and has inspired countless readers to become involved in animal welfare. Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story begins when Guard Dog is abandoned by his owner, left alone and suffering. But he’s soon discovered by his animal friends Mooch and Earl, and Doozy, a kindly neighborhood girl, who work together to rescue their friend. This exhibit celebrates the release of both Guard Dog and the new book published by Abrams ComicArts. Each one-of-a-kind print on display is hand-colored by the artist and includes an original remarque.
Imbued with the creativity, artwork, and heart of Patrick McDonnell, The Super Hero’s Journey is a graphic novel love letter to the classic Marvel super heroes including the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Black Panther, and Spider-Man. Using the Marvel Universe as avatars, McDonnell muses on how comics changed his life and inspired him to become a cartoonist, instilling a moral sensibility that he carries through his work and his life. McDonnell uses acrylic latex, oil stick, ink, and collage to create these striking paintings and create a continuation of the story of self-discovery told in his graphic novel.
The Arts Council of Princeton’s Paul Robeson Center for the Arts is located at 102 Witherspoon Street in Princeton, New Jersey. The gallery is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Mondays-Thursdays, 9 AM to 4 PM Fridays and Saturdays, and from 9 AM to 1 PM on Sundays.
The Super Hero’s Journey and Breaking the Chain Exhibits will be open to the public from Saturday, November 9, to Saturday, December 7. A portion of the proceeds from the Breaking the Chain prints will be donated to the local animal shelter, SAVE, to support homeless animals and real-life guard dogs in need.
