Ashland Councilman's Art Gallery Opens With Shoe Insult for Bush

ASHLAND -- An Ashland art gallery opened an exhibit with a fundraiser that featured a "shoe throw" at an image of President George Bush.

City Councilman Eric Navickas -- who opened the gallery with partner Amy Godard -- used a roller to slather a layer of red paint on the soles of sneakers, boots and Birkenstocks before people fired them at the 8-foot image of Bush.

Each shot cost $1, and the money collected will go toward future gallery exhibits.

Godard says the exhibit is a "statement of solidarity" for Muntadhar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who hurled two shoes at Bush last month.

One contributor was 91-year-old Marjorie Mather, who said she enjoyed the chance to toss a shoe and splatter a little paint as a political statement.