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Jill Dodd and Roscoe with a pet collage in canvas at Everything Art in Mill Creek.

His name is Roscoe, a darling Yorkie, and he will greet you at the door at one of the newest things in town. It's called, "Everything Art!" and animal portraits will be a specialty offering.

In keeping with the art tradition in Fincastle and Buchanan, the new art gallery will be more than art and photography. Everything Art is easy to access and is located between I-81 Exits 156 and 162 along Route 11on the corner of Blue Ridge Turnpike in the Mill Creek Community at the old Mill Creek Garage. Everything Art has more-- like artsy gifts and gift bags, art classes along the way and certainly children's birthday parties in the near future.

Everything Art is the brain child of Jill Dodd. She moved here from Atlanta to be with her fiance Michael Pauley. She is an Alabama native and a real animal lover. Her father is a retired artist. She paints animal portraits and does animal collages on canvas. Her rate for an animal portrait of a dog or cat is $40 using a photo of the animal for the pose or a collage using a photo as pictured above.

Dodd is planning a grand opening on June 6. Roscoe the Yorkie is the official greeter and indeed a friendly little fellow who kept the Botetourt View company while we visited. One of the things that Dodd wants to accomplish is to make the gallery the old Mill Creek Garage into a bright friendly place where guests can stop by and purchase a gift instead of driving to Roanoke or Daleville.

The art party idea is two fold. First she plans to organize children's art parties for birthdays where 10-12 children come and have fun doing an art project. Later perhaps on Saturdays this summer, she plans to have art parties similar to the Art Strokes that she has been conducting at Gallery by the James that will be for adults.

Local artists will be the gallery focus. Right now she has Kurt Carter a photographer on exhibit, painter Jim Williams and Debbie Moore a Roanoke artist and her own paintings. Some of the gift items include wine glasses, personalized birth announcements, chalk boards, organic dog treats and wooden towel racks. For additional information contact Dodd at 239-7151.