The vivid colors and diverse forms of animals populated a recent exhibition of paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, and other media.

The 20th International Exhibition on Animals in Art, which ran from March 24-April 22 at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, featured 72 pieces of art depicting animals. A total of 202 artists from 37 states submitted 504 entries.

The show's judge and juror was Natalie Mault, curatorial assistant for the LSU Museum of Art. Mault selected the works that appeared during the exhibition in the veterinary school's library, as well as the award winners.

The $1,000 Best in Show Award went to Louise Peterson of Guffey, Colo., for "Lonely at the Top," a bronze and steel sculpture of a dog sitting on a stool.

Dr. Janis H. Audin, AVMA editor-in-chief, attended the art show and chose "Chickadee" by Peterson to appear on the cover of this issue. The bronze portrays a dog with a bird on its back.

"At first, I was intrigued by the expression on the dog's face," Dr. Audin said. "But I soon realized what was keeping my attention was how the sculptress captured a split second in time between when the dog realized that something had landed on its back and the chickadee undoubtedly realized that maybe a dog's back was not an ideal perch.

"Viewers can sense the dog's progressive movements from each viewing angle. The sense of motion separates this sculpture from many others that depict static subjects."

The People's Choice Award went to Margaret Rice of Baton Rouge, La., for "Delta," an oil painting depicting a Dalmatian.

Eighteen pieces from the exhibition sold for a total of $7,390. A 15 percent commission from each sale went to the veterinary school.

The show is viewable by visiting www.vetmed.lsu.edu. Information also is available from Stephanie Lindsly, coordinator of alumni and public programs, at (225) 578-9826 or slindsly@vetmed.lsu.edu.