Miniature Animal Art Gifts Help Charities

Melody Lea Lamb paints miniature animal art in a variety of forms including holiday ornaments, cards, pendants, jewelry boxes, coffee cups, magnets and unique-collectible art gifts. All creatures great or small, real or imaginary inspire her artistic brush.

Why Buy Melody’s Animal Art?

Melody has spent the last six years as leader then co-leader for the nonprofit group Art for Critters (A4C), which is made up of 25 artists who donate a portion of their proceeds to select animal charities. Together they’ve raised over $52,000 for animal charity. Melody donates 10% of her art sales to two charities, Old Dog Haven (ODH) and Field Haven Feline Rescue and Adoption (FH).

ODH is an organization that helps old dogs whose people have either passed away or have abandoned their loyal family pet. Melody said, “I imagine what it would be like for an old dog, who has only known one family, has given his or her best years to someone, and then suddenly finds themselves in a shelter or the pound. It makes my heart ache.”

FH offers sanctuary to rescued cats. Melody knows the co-leader Ann Ranlet, who has worked as a volunteer and visits the cats often.

“Knowing that a charity actually does what they claim to makes a huge difference,” said Melody. “And since half of my donations go to a dog shelter, it seems only fair that the other half helps cats.”

In addition to all the masterfully crafted gift items in a multitude of categories, Melody’s online art business includes ACEOs—a market of Art, Cards, Editions and Originals. She began selling this small art on eBay, not expecting much. Her versions of the ACEO format began to sell immediately, which inspired her to create more. Over the years Melody has painted and sold well over 500 ACEO originals.

“Finding sites to sell my art and nurture my business is a daily project,” said Melody. “Each time I sit down at my computer I ask myself, ‘what else can I do to grow my online art business?’ It’s like a giant wonderful garden that requires me to prune, water, tend and love daily in order to flourish. 

Melody's Animal Art: Inspired by Personal Experience

The models for Melody’s animal art have come from her own menagerie of pets including:

• 7 dogs: Entelechy, Bagel, Casey, Daisy May, Sugar, Yeller and one named Puppy who lived until he was 22!
• 12 cats with names like: Dog, Ivan, Little Momma and Sylvester
• 6 parakeets including: Parry and Keet
• 2 hamsters, Rapunzel and Fred
• 2 Guinea pigs, Bert and Ernie
• 2 horses, Little Bit and Gulliver

To buy Melody’s art visit her website.

Dorri Olds is a freelance writer and web designer and proud owner of a perfect Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Buddy James.