SEQUIM — A convergence of art, animal lovers, music and lush summer foliage is about to happen at Paws in the Garden, a fundraiser at Vision Landscape Nursery, 131 Kitchen-Dick Road just west of Sequim.
Admission is free to the event, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
A group of local artists — visual and culinary — and a pair of “animal communicators,” aka animal psychics, will be part of the festivities.
“How it works,” said Vision co-owner Claire Bernards, “is the artists donate; they pay a space fee to be here for the weekend,” and those funds are given to local animal welfare groups, including the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, Center Valley Animal Rescue, Olympic Peninsula Equine Rescue, Olympic Animal Sanctuary and the Welfare for Animals Guild, or WAG.
Animal communicators
The animal communicators, Tracey Lanning from Poulsbo and Kristi Li Fight of Sequim, will meet with people whose companion animals suffer from behavioral or physical health issues.
They ask for a donation of $30 for each 20-minute consultation and will donate 100 percent of those proceeds to Paws in the Garden charities.
Live music is slated both days: Saturday, the Celtic music duo RowanTree, with Mary Tulin and Mike Saunders, will play from noon until 3 p.m., and Sunday during that same time slot, the guitar-flute duo Robin and Chuck Wayne will appear.
Variety of artists
The artist lineup includes Jeff Becker of Charitable Art in Sequim, jewelry maker Heidi Buessow, cookie baker Jeff Yerkes, Natalie Brown of Steel Coyote and Kathryn Kitts of Sweet Beginnings Cafe.
“The food is by donation,” said Bernards. “Kathryn doesn’t put a price on it for our event.”
This is Vision’s 11th annual fundraiser for animal charities. “Claire [Bernards] works really hard on this every year,” said Fight, who’s been part of Paws in the Garden since 2011.
Animal’s feelings
As an animal communicator, she tunes in to what a creature is feeling, then discusses it with the pet owner in hopes of improving their understanding of each other.
Fight has worked with birds, dogs, cats, rabbits and horses, and “it’s quite fun,” she said.
“It feels good to help” the animals and their humans.
When asked what she might say to a skeptic, Fight replied that she’s not concerned with convincing people that what she does is worthwhile.
“I know it’s real; the animals know it’s real,” she said, adding that she’s been communicating with animals since she was 6 years old.
“They book up, so please come early,” Bernards said of Fight and Lanning.
She added that people may bring their pets, provided they are leashed and friendly, or photographs of them.
For more information about Paws in the Garden or to make an appointment with one of the animal communicators, phone Vision Landscape Nursery at 360-683-2855.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
