LONELY HEARTS | HSGS PARTNERSHIP + PET PORTRAITS
In 2018, local artist Stephanie Forbes began collaborating with the Humane Society by painting adoptable dogs at the shelter, free of charge, for people who adopted dogs to keep the portraits. It was Forbes’ way of offering support to the conversation and intention of getting dogs at HSGS adopted! Since opening RO3 Gallery, Forbes now seeks to bring in the Lonely Heart candidates into different kinds of gallery spaces/ community environments for an opportunity to dive back into the project that was started a few years ago in a more engaging way.
Lonely Hearts is an annual community art exhibition benefiting the Humane Society for Greater Savannah. Through contemporary portraits and personal stories, the annual exhibitions shine a light on shelter dogs who are often overlooked, encouraging adoption while raising awareness and support for local animal welfare. The event creates a welcoming space where people can meet the dogs outside of the shelter environment, allowing genuine connections to form in a relaxed, community-centered setting. When a featured dog is adopted, their new family receives the original portrait as a keepsake celebrating the beginning of their life together.
By bringing together art, rescue organizations, local businesses, and the community, Lonely Hearts transforms creativity into compassion; creating meaningful connections, inspiring second chances, and demonstrating the power of art to create lasting impact beyond shelter and gallery walls.
LONELY HEARTS, 2025, Service Brewing
Theme: Japanese Motifs featuring Lucky Dogs:
LONELY HEARTS, 2023, RO3 Gallery
Theme: Plants!
LONELY HEARTS, 2022 RO3 Gallery
Theme: 70s Wallpaper
LONELY HEARTS, PRESS
PET PORTRAITS
LONELY HEARTS BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED!
LUNA
“Luna”
oil on wooden canvas
This is Luna! Luna is a 4 year old terrier mix. She is seriously one of the most beautiful dogs I’ve ever seen with piercing eyes and the cutest ears. She is super adventurous so if you’re the outdoor kind, this girl is your type. She’s also great with kids and a snuggle bug. Remember, if youre interested, all shelter dogs take time, patience, energy and love to adjust into a new household.
available for adoption at the Humane Society of Charlotte, https://humanesocietyofcharlotte.org/adoption/adopt-a-dog/ Luna was recently transferred there from the Humane Society of Greater Savannah. https://www.humanesocietysav.org/adoption/dogs/
DANCER
“Dancer”
oil on wooden canvas
Meet Dancer! Omg, y’all I don’t know what Alex is gonna do when we buy our own house and I end up filling it with all these sweet dogs.. Dancer is a female, two year old Australian Cattle dog mix. She’s gorgeous and so SWEET. Last Saturday the HSGS held an event at Cedar House Gallery to support and feature some of the available cats and dogs at the shelter and Dancer was one of four dogs at the event. She was super social and so calm and cute with all the kids running around. All she wanted to do was play and get all the belly rubs. She is good with other dogs (wouldn’t stop kissing Chewy, one of the other dogs on site.) Y’all go check this baby out and as previously mentioned, if you adopt Dancer, you get to HAVE this painting, for free, as part of this ongoing project I have started with the Humane Society of Greater Savannah. XOXO
available for adoption at the Humane Society of Greater Savannah. https://www.humanesocietysav.org/adoption/dogs/
CASH
“Cash”
oil on wooden canvas
Meet Cash! Cash is a 3 year old mixed breed weighing only 40ish pounds. Cash seemed perfect for the typical introvert, at one of the HSGS events he did nothing but sit in a volunteers lap and try to hide from my camera. But he was the sweetest most docile of all the dogs I had met thus far. He reminded me so much of my dog, Lolah, from his lap dog, forever a baby, personality to his Dobby ears. I so wish I could have adopted him, for many reasons, but one in particular would be to rename him Dobby.
***ADOPTED*** available for adoption at the Humane Society of Greater Savannah. https://www.humanesocietysav.org/adoption/dogs/
LOLAH
“Lolah”
oil on wooden canvas
Lolah is my sweet girl that my husband and I adopted about 5 years ago! She is our first fur baby, we now have 3! She is the most spunky little nugget ever. She trembles when people argue which is an empathetic trait I think she learned from me. She loves to sing and play in water (part husky, part lab mix.) She loves to play with toys and play chase. She is a special queen and my life without this diva would be so boring. She has totally saved my life.
