The First Church in Albany is the proud keeper of a Downtown Albany Nipper Dog.  Ours is named Cleeo (as she resides in our First Church pocket park, Clee Park).  The 2018 Nipper Dog outdoor art installation paid homage to the RCA Nipper Dog, the de facto mascot of the city of Albany.   The original "litter" of Nipper pups included our very own Cleeo.  Sadly, our original Cleeo was stolen from her perch in the park in the fall of 2019.   With the help and generous donation of another Nipper Dog from The Albany Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) we have a new Cleeo gracing the entrance of Clee Park.  Please stop by for  a visit and learn more about her surface design below.  

Fun Fact: Around 1913, changes to the interior of First Church was underway using plans developed by the famed Tiffany Studios. Green stained glass windows were added, along with green stenciling on the walls, new chancel woodwork and a wood-glass screen in the rear.

The gorgeous golds and greens of the church's stained glass windows set the tone for her sweet pale green undercoat.  Even with no adornment she shined with an ethereal glow. 

Armed with a battalion of brushes in all sizes and paints in all shades I was motivated to tackle the quote: "For ours shall be a house of prayer for all people," aiming to create a stained glass look within the letters themselves.  High gloss gold paint trimmed the quote with details that give a nod to the architecture in the sanctuary. 

Continuing with the goal to pay tribute to First Church's spectacular Tiffany and Company designed stained glass windows, her prosternum and front legs were painted to reflect their monochromatic greens and creams and effort was made to incorporate the window's arch inverted tear drop as a focal point under her neck.  Liberal use of bronze and gold were used as accent colors, as seen throughout the sanctuary.  

Cleeo's haunches are modeled after the plaster relief rosette seen behind the alter in the main sanctuary and right is a close up of the inverted tear drop atop the church's spectacular stained glass windows.  

Look for Cleeo in her home at the entrance to the First Church Clee pocket park.   ​​