Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Cat and the Moon

Watercolor, 12 x 18"

As Halloween  approaches I start to feel all the sprites and goblins in the woods nearby getting ready to wreak havoc. And feeling that tantalizingly creepy feeling down my spine I painted this spooky cat. Well she's an adorable fluffball, sure, but you should see what she gets up to after dark. I will call her Minnaloushe as she perfectly sums up Yeats poem. Have a scary, shivery Halloween from Minnaloushe and me ....


The Cat and the Moon
The cat went here and there
and the moon spun round like a top,
and the nearest kin of the moon,
the creeping cat, looked up.
Black Minnaloushe stared at the moon,
for, wander and wail as he would,
the pure cold light in the sky
troubled his animal blood.

Minnaloushe runs in the grass
lifting his delicate feet.
Do you dance, Minnaloushe, do you dance?
When two close kindred meet,
what better than call a dance?
Maybe the moon may learn,
tired of that courtly fashion,
a new dance turn.

Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
from moonlit place to place,
the sacred moon overhead
has taken a new phase.
Does Minnaloushe know that his pupils
will pass from change to change,
and that from round to crescent,
from crescent to round they range?

Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
alone, important and wise,
and lifts to the changing moon
his changing eyes.


William Butler Yeats
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Sunday, October 20, 2013

Petworking for Beginners

Those who know me know I am mad about my pets - called Peanut and Marshmallow. They are guinea pigs and I am crazy about them. Here they are wearing raspberry berets (the kind you buy in a second hand store).

Picture 215
Peanut

Picture 214
Marshmallow

Well you know how it is. Maybe you have a blog where you post pics of your pets and sometimes you feel like some of your friends are getting a bit sick of hearing what your pet is doing every second of the day. Well have no fear there is a now a place where you can socialize with other pet fantatics - It's called Pet Pav and it's a wonderful place where you and your pet can hang out. Pets can get profiles and naturally Marshmallow has one if you feel like poking her! It's also a great place to find out about the latest pet products. Marshmallow also has a part time job when she isn't chewing sticks or squeaking every time the fridge opens as a mascot for my pet portrait business.

So this week has been filled with painting critters again. Don't you love this adorable watercolor of a Pug?


Have a wonderful artistic week. Happy Petworking!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Futuristic Cats




I woke up this morning feeling like I wanted to paint a watercolor. But I was not in the mood for soft washes or dreamy pale colors. Today I felt like layering stark creamy pigments onto my paper. Somehow my brush craved to be dipped in orangey, firey red. So often painting with watercolor the pigment does not stay strong enough for my liking. Or when it dries the hotness of the red fades the way a leaf's color fades when you press it between the pages of a book.

I was inspired by the cats in the photo above who are called Taffy and Sully. The photo has an otherworldy, unearthly quality - maybe a green filter was used or maybe the sunlight hit these cats in such a way as to create this lovely ethereal effect.

I have always loved the German Expressionists and Der Blaue Reiter. So maybe I got some inspiration from them ...

Three Cats by Franz Marc, 1913


In the end my cats turned out pretty interesting. I didn't want to overwork it so I left them in their futuristic world. Maybe they are peering out from beneath a glass dome on Mars ......

Taffy and Sully, 22 x 30", Watercolor


Friday, October 4, 2013

Portrait of Dog Reclining on a Beanbag




I have been painting cute pets all week via my Portrait Store. Here's the latest dog I've finished. He lives in England and I have titled the piece Portrait of Dog Reclining on a Beanbag. Although I have never met the dog her owner says that I captured his spirit "Yes you have certainly caught his inner Dobby The House Elf." Indeed!! There is something rather elflike about him don't you think?

Come join the fun and link up to Paint Party Friday: