About Drawn Home
True rescue stories, handmade portraits, and the joy of finding home.
Drawn Home is a mixed-media portrait and storytelling project by Laura Perrone, supported by the KDA Individual Artists Fellowship in California’s Central Valley.
Rooted in Stanislaus County, the project shares true rescue stories told by the people who lived them: adopters, fosters, volunteers, shelter teams, rescue advocates, veterinary care providers, and community members. Each selected story becomes a handmade animal portrait paired with a written narrative, capturing not only who that animal is today, but the people, moments, and acts of care that helped bring them home.
At its heart, Drawn Home is about belonging, and the many hands it can take to get there.
Project PurposeHow it worksAnimal rescue is often witnessed in moments: a post, a photo, a plea for help, an adoption listing, or a happy face finally home. Those moments matter, but they rarely tell the full story of how an animal got there.
Drawn Home tells the story between them.
Through mixed-media portraiture and first-hand storytelling, the project will share true stories of rescue, care, trust, and belonging. Each portrait will focus on what home looks like for that animal while honoring the people and small acts of care that helped bring them there.
Participation in Drawn Home is free, supported by the KDA Individual Artists Fellowship. Selected rescue stories will become handmade portraits paired with written narratives at no cost to participants.
To be considered, share a true rescue story connected to Stanislaus County and a few photos of the animal. Stories may come from adopters, fosters, volunteers, shelter teams, rescue advocates, transporters, veterinary care providers, family members, or others connected to the journey.
You do not need the most dramatic rescue story. We are interested in the details only you would know: the people who helped, the small breakthroughs, and the moment you realized they finally felt at home.
A small selection of stories will be chosen based on first-hand perspective, emotional detail, visual potential, local connection, and how they help reveal the broader rescue community in our county. Selected participants may be contacted for a short follow-up conversation.
The completed portraits and stories will be shared publicly before August 2027, with a digital gallery on lauraperronedesign.com. While not every story can become a portrait, every submission helps tell a fuller story of how rescue animals find home in Stanislaus County.