Cache Humane Society Getting New Look Thanks to USU Honors Class

UPDATE: The mural in this story was completed on July 26.

LOGAN, Utah — The Cache Humane Society will soon be a lot more colorful thanks to Honors students in a Utah State University course. In collaboration with the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, students in a community-engaged art history course raised funds to commission Salt Lake City-based mural artist Chuck Landvatter to design and paint a mural on the Cache Humane Society building. The mural will be unveiled in August 2023.

In fall 2022, the USU Honors course “The Dog in Art” focused on how dogs are represented across time in a broad range of artistic media, and the course and introduced students to the changeable nature of representation. The class is designated as a Community-Engaged Learning course that partners with Cache Humane Society.

Professor Laura Gelfand from USU’s Department of Art + Design reached out to Cache Humane Society last summer to discuss a partnership, and Bri Smith, CHS operations manager, mentioned that they wanted to have a mural on their building. With the project now underway, Smith is excited about how the new mural “will improve the overall appearance of the building, increase its visibility, and make it more welcoming for community members looking to adopt a dog or cat.”

In addition to required assignments, students in the class could volunteer to help raise funds for the mural. The class asked NEHMA if they would collaborate on the fundraiser — a dog-themed Halloween event with a silent and live auction along with music and food. Students then organized donation items from generous community businesses and USU’s Department of Art + Design. Students also promoted and staffed the event. In return, the museum agreed to host the fundraiser for a good cause.

Gelfand knew artist Landvatter from his time as an MFA student at USU and his role as an adjunct professor there. Landvatter said that he is thrilled to create his “first mural in Logan, a place that he cares about, and on a building where they are doing such great work on behalf of dogs and cats.”

Later this month, Landvatter will begin painting the mural on the CHS building, prominently located on the Valley View Highway at 2370 W. 200 North. The public is invited to an unveiling from 6-7 p.m. on Aug. 4.

“In every way, including the students, the museum staff, and the University Honors Program, this has been a labor of love,” Gelfand said. “I am so grateful for all the support we have received and I cannot wait to see this amazing project completed.”

For more information about the unveiling, contact laura.gelfand@usu.edu.