Woof!

Arizona-based artist Shachi Kale designed and created these colorful panels for the city of Scottdale’s new Thompson Peak Dog Park, located near the corner of Thompson Peak Parkway and Hayden Road. Reflecting the playfulness of dogs, Woof aims to capture a range of expression, showing both a variety of dogs (big, small, fluffy, goofy) and various activities (playing, exploring, digging, and maybe spotting something to bark at!). The plant life and mountain backdrop are inspired by the dog park's location near the McDowell Mountains in north Scottsdale. The lines, shapes, and patterns are designed to work best in this medium and to convey joy, movement, and a touch of whimsy. The panels are composed of powder-coated aluminum, and the chosen colors reflect dogs’ primarily joyful nature.

This artwork was part of a larger Bond 2019 project with the city of Scottsdale to design and construct a new dog park at Thompson Peak Park. The new dog park has three separate cell areas and includes seating areas with shade structures and new restrooms.

Shachi Kale is a visual artist, designer, and illustrator. Born and brought up in Mumbai, India, Kale has made a home in the Arizona desert for more than twenty-four years. Her art explores themes of growth, connection, healing, and inner dialogue. She also explores the meaning of home and the beauty she encounters in her daily life in the desert. Colors, patterns, and motifs from the desert are a hallmark of her art. She works with watercolors, fiber arts, printmaking, and digital art and is always ready and curious to explore new mediums. Kale has had several solo and group shows around the Valley, and her public art work can be seen in Tempe, Chandler, and Mesa. She serves on the Arts Commission in Chandler and was an Artist-in-Residence at Tempe Center for the Arts in 2022. Her most recent work can be seen at Tempe Public Library, where she painted a mural at the entrance to the children’s book area.