The American Kennel Club’s Museum of the Dog has acquired a major painting by Colorado Artist, Veryl Goodnight for their permanent collection. The Museum of the Dog, located in New York City, features one of the largest collections of dog-related art in the world. It focuses on celebrating the role of dogs in society and educates the public about the human canine bond.
In keeping with its commitment to be involved with our community, The Durango Kennel Club donated $1,000 toward the purchase of “Perseverance.” Goodnight says “Perseverance” can now continue to highlight one of mankind’s most valuable partnerships in one of the world’s most unique museums.”
“Perseverance” – a 24” high x 30” wide oil painting depicts a team of huskies pulling a musher through a blizzard. “Perseverance” was one of ten major paintings by Goodnight that portray sled dogs throughout the development of North America. These paintings were exhibited for nine months at Western Spirit Museum in Scottsdale, AZ. (A Smithsonian Subsidiary) to share the largely unknown stories of the remarkable contributions of these dogs and their drivers.
The collection came to the attention of Barbara Schwartz, retired AKC Vice President of Show Operations, current Vice President of the Durango Kennel Club, and neighbor of artist, Veryl Goodnight. She introduced the work to Alan Fausel, Director and Curator of the Museum of the Dog. Mr. Fausel immediately focused on the action portrayed in “Perseverance.”
To create “Perseverance” and the other sled dog paintings, Goodnight had her own small “recreational team” of four dogs. She also traveled extensively and researched many large dog teams working today in Alaska and Minnesota. The severe Colorado winter of 2023 gave her the opportunity to study blizzard conditions.
Goodnight says, “Huskies have been bred for 1000’s of years to thrive in winter. These amazing dogs launch into the face of a blizzard and plunge through deep snowdrifts, forging ahead in unimaginable conditions. The sensation is primal. The co-dependency between dog and man is humbling.”
Durango Kennel Club welcomes opportunities to serve our community with both financial aid and services as demonstrated with the following:
- By partnering with AKC’s ReUnite, an affiliate of the American Kennel Club, the Durango Kennel Club’s other contributions have included assisting the La Plata Country Sheriff’s Office with the purchase of two Police Dogs, Fenix and Sully.
- They also coordinated with other Kennel Clubs to purchase an AKC ReUnite “Emergency Disaster Trailer” for the four corners region. Relief trailers deliver essential, nonperishable necessities for sheltering pets when and where needed to local emergency management. The trailers provide animal care services during the first critical hours following a disaster, before FEMA support and services can be deployed.
- Durango Kennel Club secured a $1500 grant for the Trinity K9 Search and Rescue to purchase much needed equipment.
- The kennel club also holds annual Rattlesnake Avoidance Clinics which train dogs to avoid Rattlesnakes while alerting their owners to the presence of a snake. Over the past 2 years our clinics have trained over 500 dogs.
- And now, representation from the 4 corners at the AKC Museum of the Dog through the artistry of Veryl Goodnight.
