Here Kitty Kitty

People always ask me, "So are you a cat person or a dog person?" I never really believed I was one or the other. But then when D (my beloved kitty for 16 years) passed over the rainbow bridge I was faced with a decision: dog or cat? And then I realized I am a cat person (who really likes dogs!). But yes, a cat person. I love having them on my chest as I sleep. The consistant purring and their playfulness makes up for all the litter box messes I've ever had to clean up.

Conner

watercolor & colored pencil

5x7 inches

So some of you know that I belong to the Canine Art Guild. The purpose of the CAG is to bring dog artists together to share ideas, experiences and view each others art. We have shows open to members that are posted on line about once every three months. We have had a few shows open to other species as well as one that exhibited cats only. But for the most part, it's all about the dogs. Some of the members are also a part of the Equestrian Art Guild, celebrating horses in art. So then I was thinking.... is there a Feline Art Guild? and if so, How do I become a member?

3 Kittens, 4 Bowls

watercolor & colored pencil

5x10 inches

Well, there is and it's the Society of Feline Artists http://www.felineartists.org/index.shtml and I'm sure it's a great group of artists. But as I looked further into it I found that it's based out of Great Britain. No big deal! I thought since CAG has members from all over the globe. BUT! then I looked a little more into the site and see that they have very few shows. Nothing on line, but classic brick and mortar galleries. Nothing wrong with that either except you HAVE to drop your work of in person! What? Now, mind you, it would cost a small fortune to ship a painting overseas just to have it hanging in a gallery. And I don't know anyone in GB that I could even ship it to. THEN I find you have to be an "Associate Member" for at least a year. While the cost is less that a regular member, as an Associate Member you can enter the London art show, but no guarentee that it would be hung. hmmmmm. Well, let's say I did do it, and for a year. Now I'm a full member. And now (actual quote from the site) "Full Members are expected to support the Society by taking part of the Annual London Exhibition " ???

Sally's Silly Kitties

(from L to R) Barack O'Kitty, Misty & Popeye

Now, I'm not trying to make this a bashing post about SOFA. I'm sure there a great group of people that make wonderful art and love their cats as much as I love mine. But, Ladies, really? I think your guides are a little strict and if you have a reason to be that way I would like to know why. So I'm thinking, should I start my own Feline Art Guild? Would this bring more exposure to cats? to me? to my art? I don't know.

Orange Kitten III

watercolor & colored pencil

5x7 inches

So then a couple of weeks ago, I was reading one of Elin Pendleton's post on CAG (btw, she is one of the few CAGers that I would love to meet and have critique my work. Check out her site here: http://www.elinart.com/pages/dogcat.html ) Anyway, she was saying about how most of her animal art sells because there's a connection between the owner and the dog. "And the dog owner isn't just going to simply buy a painting of a golden retriever because she likes golden's but because what golden's mean to her. Whether it be the duck hunter's helper, the child's keeper or the house guard, it's you as the artist need to find that connection and build the art around that. So paint the golden, but paint him hunting, or laying down by the cradle or on the front stoop." (I am paraphrasing but you get the idea). So that being said.... what about cats?


Below are some famous artist's pieces featuring the beloved kitty...

Picasso

Gauguin

Renoir

Beardsley



DaVinci

gig

According to her website, Gig was a big influence on A.V Vibes Kitty in her Kitty & Robot webcomic http://www.evilkid.com/comics/KR/pages/rogers.html. She used to have this great illustration of a cat's butt with "Kitty doesn't like you" on it, but, alas, she doesn't have it anymore :(

Sleepy Toon

Luna Loves You!

"KC"

Commissioned piece

Watercolor & Colored Pencil

16 x 20 inches

Bowl of Kittens


So do you appreciate your cat? Would you buy cat art if it WASN'T your cat? What do you think of cats in art anyway?

I would love to hear from you!

>^..^<

New Art works

I wish I had more to show you. There's only so much time.

"Toupee Kitten"

5x7 inch

watercolor and Prismacolor pencils

"Orange Kitten II"

8x10 inch

watercolor and Prismacolor pencil

"Doggie Butt"

8x10 inch

watercolor and Prismacolor pencils

"Long Haired Daschund"

8x10 inch

watercolor and Prismacolor pencils

"4 Bowls, 3 Kittens"

5x10 inch

black watercolor and Prismacolor pencils

All works are for sale. Feel free to contact me for pricing or if you'd like to get your own pet's portrait done. Thanks for looking!

New Artwork! Getting ready for Fall!

Hey All! Just wanted to remind you all that the Charlestown Arts http://www.artistsgroupofcharlestown.com/docs/Art_Park%20web%202010.pdf in the Park is coming up... September 11th in the City Square Park (rain date 9/12). This will be my first show of the year, so I will have new artwork, more prints and plenty of your favorite images in a magnet for dare I say it..... Christmas gifts!! I've already started shopping myself and Jiminy Crickets it'll be here before you know it!

glass study in watercolor

So last Wednesday T, R and I did a Creative Wednesday and again, I wanted to touch on the subject of texture.... Especially glass. So we did a still life of all glass things. I put the plant in there so we have some color through the clear stuff. Of course I think the plant and the pot it's in are the best out of this piece, but I believe the blue glass is the most convincing. Incidentally, the yellow glass chicken I recently found in the barn attic at my parent's house. I believe it belonged to Gramma, but neither of my parents could confirm this. Could have been the previous owner to the house...( My folks moved in to the Boxford house in 1968). But whoever she belonged to, she's my glass chicken now and I love it.


And yes, Finally I was able to get some new work up. Although going back through my portfolio it's only 5 pieces! Wow, I've apparently been busy! Back in 2003 (granted, I was unemployed) I would crank out a piece like every 2 days and at the end of a season have about 20+ pieces! But, alas, this is not the case now. This piece below is I think my best of 2010. I really experimented with the medium. What I started was going to be a strict black and white....

but then my paint tray got a little crowded and the black poured in with a light blue color ( I don't know the name, don't have the tube in front of me). So I just went with it and did the background. Then I took some Prismacolor pencils and went over it making the orange and brown marks in the fur of the kitty. The purple on the blanket is all pencil and then went into the back ground again with a light blue pencil.

This will be on display along with other works at the Charlestown Art Fair. Come and visit me!! :)

Cat Crazy

I've been teasing myself lately looking at pictures of kitties at the local shelters. I keep telling myself to wait, but there's a cat void in my life right now.... The thing is that I feel like I'm looking for my next top model because you know there will be pictures taken and paintings made. I also was thinking that if I had to get a new cell phone for whatever reason that I'd have to get a new kitty to put his picture up on the welcome screen. Although, I'm wondering if they can take the old photos from my phone and stick it on the new one.... but then again, my phone's fine right now (knock on wood) and still has D's picture right on the screen. I'll get one soon enough....

I received an email from a woman who recently won one of my gift certificates in a fundraising auction and she's bumping up the order from a 5x7 to a 16x20 so there's some extra dough there! She sent the pics via email over the weekend and this is one senior beagle! I'm thinking that I'll take some pictures of the progress as it goes.