Please join us for the opening of "Natural Selection: Lost Cat, Found Ox, & Other Inspiring Bonds, paintings by Eleanor Hubbard.  Dr. James Serpell will join the artist for a talk on the human-animal bond.  The exhibit will be shown in the Steven W. Atwood Library, Hill Pavilion, 380 S. University Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.  215-898-8895

Light refreshments will be served.

The Steven W. Atwood Library & Information Commons is accessible Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 

A photo ID must be displayed at the entrance for admittance.

The animal portraits featured in Natural Selection are portraits of serendipity. From José the rescued calf who loved playing ball and bathing, to Ulla, a shelter cat who ruled the artists’ studio, to Lucky, the runaway canary who became a salon’s mascot, all are creatures who, through chance, luck and expert veterinary care, forged deep bonds with equally favored humans. Hubbard depicts them through watercolors created at the American Academy in Rome and in limited edition paintings using the Brushes app on an iPhone. Geoffrey White (M.Arch '71) designed the exhibit installation.

Eleanor Hubbard received a BA in English ('67) and an MFA in Fine Art ('71) from the University of  Pennsylvania. Twice selected as Artist-in-Residence for the United States Department of State, her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, including at Penn’s Institute of Contemporary Art.

Dr. James Serpell's research focuses on the behavior and welfare of dogs and cats, the development of human attitudes to animals, and the history and impact of human-animal relationships. In addition to publishing more than 170 articles and book chapters on these and related topics, he is the author, editor or co-editor of several books including Animals & Human Society: Changing Perspectives (1994), The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behavior & Interactions with People (1995 & 2017), In the Company of Animals (1996), and Companion Animals & Us (2000). To facilitate his research, Dr Serpell and associates developed the C-BARQ, a survey instrument designed to provide dog owners and professionals with standardized evaluations of canine temperament and behavior.