Barks and Crafts

The French painter Louis Wain so loved cats that he devoted his entire artistic career to them, depicting felines at dinner parties, dancing jigs, and wearing bonnets and demonic grins. And although Denver's Dogmata collective draws its inspiration from the cats' mortal enemy — the dog — its members display a Wain-like devotion to their muse. In works that include portraiture, cartoons and pen-and-ink drawings, Dogmata artists lovingly immortalize man's best friend in high art. Tonight at City Bark LoDo, 3150 Brighton Boulevard, the group incorporates canine charity into their vision with a cultural fete that includes food, music by DJ Japadapta and fashions by Rare Bird and macymacy, two fabulous local boutiques that highlight the best in human and doggie couture. The paw-tay begins with Yappy Hour at 6:30 p.m.; admission is $10 for people, free for pups. Proceeds benefit the MaxFund Animal Adoption Center (www.maxfund.org), so let the wags begin!
Fri., May 19, 6-9 p.m.