The Gallery-By-The-Sea next to St. James-By-the Sea Episcopal Church is presenting Pet Projects, an exhibition featuring the whimsical animal-themed cartoons of Lisa Rothstein, in a show from Sept. 29 through Oct. 8. The show is part of St. James’ Oct. 4 celebration of the Feast of St. Francis with its Blessing of the Animals.

Originally from New York City, Rothstein, whose work appears in The New Yorker magazine, is notable for her clever and emotive depictions of animals.
“Lisa Rothstein’s exhibition Pet Projects is a way for Saint James by-the-Sea to extend an invitation to the wider community to join in our celebrations of St. Francis Day,” said spokesperson Jane Beck for the church at 743 Prospect St. “St Francis had a special relationship with animals, and this selection of cartoons is a delightful way of celebrating his legacy.”

St. Francis of Assisi was born in the 12th century, lived in Italy, and founded men’s and women’s orders in the Catholic Church, where he is the patron saint of animals and the environment. He is remembered for his generosity to the poor, his willingness to minister to lepers, and his love for animals and nature. Many people bring their pets to the church to be blessed on St. Francis’ feast day because of his love for animals as expressed in his Canticle of Creatures.

Rothstein’s art show opens on Friday, Sept. 29 at the St. James Gallery, with an evening reception open to all art enthusiasts and animal lovers. Featured in the show will be cartoons depicting not only dogs and cats, but also pandas, a rhino, a snake, and a bear or two, among other finned, feathered, and furry characters. This event coincides with the upcoming Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a day that honors the patron saint of animals and includes the traditional Blessing of the Animals.
Concerning cartooning, Rothstein was enraptured early on by newspaper comic strips and characters like Snoopy in Peanuts by Charles Schulz. “I just love that stuff,” she noted pointing out “Animals have always been popular subjects for cartoons. They can convey humor and human emotions even better than people.”

Rothstein noted her family, while supportive of her drawing and cartooning, warned her of the difficulty of making it an occupation. “Most people cartooning today don’t make a living at it like the old days with syndicated newspaper comic strips, though there are Webcomics,” Rothstein said, noting she and other cartoonists typically work on the side, submitting their work to magazines and other publications like The New Yorker, which is famous for its cartoons.

“I ended up in the advertising industry in the creative department and I loved my time in the industry,” Rothstein said of her full-time calling. She pointed out cartooning is similar to writing in that it is “not just drawing but tells a story.”

Regarding her connection to St. James, Rothstein sings in the church’s choir. That is how she became known for her art and was invited to participate in the church’s upcoming art show. “They (St. James) came to me and said, ‘We want to give you a show with your cartoons of animals, which ties in with the Blessing of the Animals,’” noted Rothstein.

An exciting highlight of Rothstein’s exhibition will be her art class in the gallery courtyard on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 11:30 a.m., where attendees of all ages can learn to draw cartoons of their cherished pets and other animals. At that time, those who have brought their pets to church (or just have a photo on their phone) can come to the gallery courtyard to have their animals drawn by Rothstein who noted she opted to add pet portraits to the mix to “make the art show more fun and educational. Everybody loves, and likes to draw their own animals.”

Doing pet portraits, Rothstein noted, “When I draw people’s dogs, for example, I like to draw them with things like their favorite toy, incorporate that into the picture.”

Inside the gallery, visitors to Rothstein’s show will find framed cartoons, prints, and notecards available for purchase, all reflecting her unique wit and charm. Additionally, the exhibition will feature dog cartoon portraits from this year’s Westminster Dog Show in New York City.
The Gallery-By-The-Sea welcomes art enthusiasts and animal lovers to enjoy this delightful exhibition, which runs back-to-back weekends. For more information about the exhibition, art class, or available artwork, visit sjbts.org/currentcoming-exhibits.html.