Just a couple of crazy cats

Crazy Cat

Approx 4" by 4"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas paper
SOLD

Window Perch

Approx 5" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas paper

Just a couple a quick crazy cat painting done during class last week. Have a nice day everyone. Now go hug your cat.

Wild Things: I'm on a roll!

Purr...meow...roar!

This trio was just juried into a show called "Wild Things" at the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. The show will be at the Cotuit Center for the Arts in Cotuit MA from January 6-February 10. I thought this was and interesting twist:

Keeping younger patrons in mind, art work will be displayed at a lower height throughout the exhibit - right at children’s eye level. A series of child-friendly events are scheduled over the course of the month. School groups will be welcomed to the exhibit for free for the duration of the show, and will be given docent-led tours and art instruction customized to the age level of the children.

Fun stuff.

Are black cats bad luck?

The Witch's Familiar

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

I thought it would be a challenge to paint an all black cat and boy, it was. The subtle variations in his fur made it so tricky-is it more blue black? or green black? or what? How do I define the shadows and still give his fur dimension and his face some shape? And black cats have black noses too-did you know that?

I don't believe black cats are bad luck. Sure hope you don't either!

Feed the kitty

Curious

6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
$100 unframed

I do so love orange and white cats. Probably because I had one for 17 years, Skippy. Or should I say he owned me? Once, my neighbor's son said to his mother when he saw me "Is that who Skippy owns?" I just loved that.

My reference for this painting wasn't actually an orange and white cat, but I chose to make him so. Artistic license at work. I am a card carrying member!

Releasing your inner lion

Inner Lion

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

Another new kitty face to add my collection. This cat looks so regal and lionlike to me. And like he wants to be fed some meat!

As I was painting, I stopped to take this photo of the painting partially completed. I thought it had a striking look about it.

Meow.
Or should I say ROAR?!

Tumbles

Tumbles

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

Cindy asked me to paint this kitty portrait in memory of her family's dearly departed friend, Tumbles. He was a member of their family for many years and had a long and happy life. This was really fun to paint and Cindy said that I captured his personality. That is the greatest compliment of all-Tumbles approval!

Who is that masked kitty?

Catman

6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

I think that black and white cats often look like they are wearing a mask. Their bright eyes pearing out of the darkness. Just like Batman.

Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty
6" x 6"
Oil with a palette knife on panel
$100 unframed

I once wrote on Facebook that if I wasn't so allergic, I'm pretty sure I'd be one of those cat ladies. I've always loved cats and it's so not fair that they make me sneeze and wheeze so much. I think that painting all these cat faces has been a good substitute for me. And I don't need the inhaler.

Fur Person

Fur Person
6" x 6"
Oil with a palette knife on panel
SOLD

When I was a teenager and obsessed with cats, my mother gave me a book for my birthday called The Fur Person by May Sarton. I still have the book and this cat reminds me of the cat shown on the cover. It is a wonderful story told through the eyes of a cat about life with humans. I don't remember all the details about the book except that I LOVED it at the time. I should probably go back and read it again to see what my teenage brain was so obsessed with.

In Your Face

Cirque du Kitty
6" x 6"
Oil with a palette knife on board
NFS

The colors of this painting got a little crazy, like circus crazy. But I'm liking how it came out. This cat's eyes reminded me of the poster for the musical Cats-so striking! He has a very regal, wild, tigerlike face, don't you think? I am enjoying doing these really tight close ups of the animal faces. If you have a cat yourself, you have probably seen this in your face at about 5 am checking to see if you are awake. Isn't it time to eat?

How much is that kitty in the window?

Le chat dans la fenêtre

8" x 10"

Oil with a palette knife on board
SOLD

There was something about the reference photo I was using for this painting that looked French to me. For my blog readers that know French (Martine-Alison, Tony, Kim) you can tell me if google translated the title correctly from The Cat In The Window.

I started this painting a few months ago and was never happy with how the curtains came out. Very difficult to get that feel of sheer doile, laceyness with a palette knife. I ended up painting a light color on top of the dark color and then scraping some away to get the effect I wanted.

Meet Skippy

I realized after my last post that I don't believe I ever posted this palette knife painting I did a few years ago of my famous cat, Skippy. He was my best pal for 17 years, a graduation gift from my college roommate. He was quite the talker, very social, and made many friends in the neighborhood. I had to put him down about, gosh has it been 9 years ago now? I never replaced him and miss him a lot. It is incredible how these little creatures can become part of who you are.

So, go hug your pets today.

Happy Birthday Middle Sister

Today is my sister Lyn's birthday. As a surprise, I mailed her this painting I did of her from an old family photograph.
Lyn and I are both cat fanatics, and Lyn especially loves black and white kitties. I think maybe it started with this photo.

I also found this image from the Gallery 9 blog that was taken when I did live painting there last September. I like it because it shows this painting in an earlier stage of the process. It also shows you the cradled board that I like to use, my makeshift glass palette, and the photograph itself.
I hope you have a great day MS!