Kitty in the City

So exciting to see a book I illustrated released!! Bennie Bear's Dream is now available to buy on Amazon. The illustrations were done in watercolor and inks and everyone seems to love the book!

Bennie Bear has a simple dream…all he wants is a child to love him. Even though other bears think it may never happen, Bennie never gives up. This lovable bear is full of happiness and positive energy, and readers will instantly bond with him, cheer him on and understand the importance of perseverance and love. 

Well as you know I have a cat called Mouse. Who is my muse and even has her own Instagram. Look no fashionable kitty these days is without her own personal instagram. Mouse is an influencer, a mover and a shaker. She is also quite unique. Even though she is quite curious, she has never caught an animal. Yes I have seen her chasing bunnies in the yard. I have seen her chasing squirrels in the yard. I even saw a squirrel chase her up the electrical pole. But she is hopelessly slow in catching anything, maybe her mom never taught her. In any case, all the critters in our yard know they can breathe a huge sigh of relief!

So sooner or later it had to happen. I wrote a children's book about Mouse. It is called Kitty in the City - the cat who just wanted to sing. This is partly because Mouse 'sings' an awful lot. The story is about a theatrical cat who can't stop singing in her garden, and eventually breaks free, wandering the streets of Manhattan before sneaking into a Broadway show and becoming a star!! 

Cat tested, artist approved

Happy Creating peeps

Linking up to Paint Party Friday and Feline Friday

Cat Lady in Training

Hi Guys!!

It's been a whirlwind summer!! I got a new cat called Mouse who I adore and I want to get more only hubby says no (for the moment)! But I really want to be a cat lady. My little baby is a little older than a kitten but still whines in the morning for attention just like an infant. And she is also the best of frenemies with Marshmallow so piggy and cat are usually separated. Mouse is a rascal and into everything and always climbing up the curtains but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The best of frenemies

I have already painted Mouse's portrait here:

And here's one of her brother who I did not adopt although he was too cute:

She did not seem like she liked the early snowfall yesterday from this picture.

But later I could not find her and it turns out she had escaped into the winter wonderland. Oh well at least we found her before nightfall! Have you already had snow where you are? It is rather beautiful but maybe a tad too early for the white stuff.

Hurrah I am also in the Wraptious design competition so if you could vote for me that would be amazing. Just click the title beneath each image and it will take you to the Wraptious site. There you must click on the blue button to register your vote. They are also available to buy as super soft vegan cushions.

Is anyone else taking part? Let me know.

Green Peacock

Snow Leopard

Rainbow Rabbit

Deer in the Snow

Rainbow Elephant

Which one is your favorite?

To round out my post here are my Friendly Fill-Ins:

1. I can't wait to have crescent rolls at Thanksgiving

2. I am thankful for my little cat Mouse.

3. When it comes to pie, pumpkin pie smothered in whipped cream wins hands down!

4. A feast is not a feast without a giant spiral cut ham.

Happy Creating peeps

Linking up to Paint Party Friday, Friendly Fill-Ins and Feline Friday.

Kitty Siesta

It seems like the run up to the election has been going on for years. I can't tell you how sick I am of it! Get on with it already.

Someone near here 'vandalized' a Trump poster with some Bush/Quayle stickers. Made me laugh! Does anyone remember Dan Quayle, he was a charming simpleton who always put his foot in his mouth?

Here are a few Quaylisms:

"I have made good judgements in the Past. I have made good judgements in the Future."

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."

"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child."

"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is."

I do remember him fondly....

We have had a hectic Halloween week and although I did not get into costume my daughter and her friend went as Day of the Dead twins with very impressive makeup.

In an ideal world I would love to sleep through the election...maybe that's why I painted a rather blissed out kitty this week...... I swear if there is reincarnation I need to come back as a fat, spoilt ginger cat. That is my spirit animal! Kitty Siesta buy cards, mugs, prints here.

Kitty Siesta, Watercolor

A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dan_quayle.html

A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dan_quayle.h

Linking up to Paint Party Friday and Brilliant Blog Posts.

Guinea Pig Around the World

Guinea Pig in London

I have started a series of artworks called Guinea Pig around the World in which an unbearably cute guinea pig finds himself travelling the globe and ending up having some fun adventures like tea with the Queen, and wandering the moonlit streets of Paris to buy a freshly baked baguette.

Guinea Pig in Paris

Guinea Pig in Venice

He has also been to Venice, steering a gondola down the canals

I think he will definitely be wearing a kilt in Scotland, and I fancy he will take a ride in a kangaroos pouch in Australia. And I know he is going to be riding the Orient Express at some point and a camel in Egypt is definitely on the cards.

Do let me know where you think guinea pig should go next ..... Also please vote for my little guinea pig HERE on Bored Panda.

Woo hoo! Excited to be part of the Animalism exhibition at the Escape Gallery here in Baltimore. If you are in Baltimore do go check it out. The exhibition runs until 10 April. Profits to the Maryland SPCA.

Art by Emma Kaufmann at the Animalism Exhibtion

Giraffe Baby by Emma Kaufmann

Prints of these Guinea Pig images can be bought here as Greeting Cards, Tshirts, prints etc.

Linking up with Paint Party Friday and Brilliant Blog Posts :

Siamese Cat and Butterfly

Happy Friday!

I've had a busy week finishing up this pet portrait commission of a border collie. It was one of those cute dogs with one blue and one brown eye. It turned out rather dramatic.

I also pained a Siamese Cat and butterfly. I was trying to do something a little different, a little askew with the composition. Prints are available here.

Siamese cat and butterfly (acrylic inks)

Hope you've had a fabulous week. We had lovely balmy spring weather but today it started snowing again. Oh well, it does look rather beautiful......

I also decided to post my creative workspace on instagram as part of the #meetthemaker tag - warts and all. I do TRY and keep it tidy but it always explodes into life! I do work better in chaos....I don't know why but I feel so much more creative in chaos.

Well that's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it.

Yes of course I can't find anything. And yes of course I frequently put my brush into my cup of tea.

Maybe I should buy these mugs as a reminder of what goes where:

Anyway it doesn't really matter. I can't kill myself as I don't use oil paints......


I share my studio with my guinea pig Marshmallow. I work to a background of squeaks and scrabbles.

What is your workspace like? Do you keep it tidy or not? Do you need chaos to function?


Linking up with Brilliant Blog Posts and Paint Party Friday
 

Just the Right Size

Hi Guys!!

That's one of the pet portrait commissions of a Great Dane I did this week.

I recently found this poem and it really resonated with me. If you create out of joy that is the main point of creating something. That is why I try not to criticize other's work.....even if I don't personally like it you have to remember it meant a lot to them. And also the way you paint is unique to YOU and I don't think you should try to paint another way just because that way is popular or commercial. Do you know what I mean?

How to Paint a Donkey 

by Naomi Shihab Nye

She said the head was too large,
the hooves too small.
I could clean my paintbrush
but I couldn’t get rid of that voice.
While they watched,
I crumpled him,
let his blue body stain my hand,
I cried when he hit the can.
She smiled. I could try again.
Maybe this is what I unfold in the dark,
deciding for the rest of my life,
that donkey was just the right size.

UPDATE: BAM is excited about his new pawtraits!

 Linking up to Caturday Art Blog Hop, Sunday Sketches and  Paint Party Friday

Hooray! It's Caturday!

I just found a fun facebook and twitter group called the Colour Collective. Every week they pick a different colour and we all create an artwork or illustration incorporating that colour. This week it was tea rose. I started thinking about whether a cat and a canary can ever be friends and decided to create this little illustration called 'Cat and Canary'?

Do you have a cat and bird who live together who are friends?

Linking up with Caturday Art Blog Hop and Sunday Sketches.

Cat and Canary Print available from Redbubble.

Black Cats and Japanese Watercolors

I was a bit stumped when I thought of creating this portrait of my friend Claire's adorable cats Pumpkin and Pieface. It is difficult to make black fur look as lustrous and lovely as it is in real life.

But then inspiration hit! The time was right to take a virgin flight with my Sumi-E Japanese watercolors. I am always looking for bright, vivid watercolors and I was so excited to find these! What is Sumi-E? I found out that "Sumi" means "black ink" and "e" means both "path" and "painting."

I also used a Japanese watercolor paper that is specifically for Sumi–e painting. This very absorbent paper is ideal for "freestyle" brush painting, a simple yet highly aesthetic drawing made of powerful, mostly chasing and rapidly executed lines.


One day I may well try Japanese painting although you need special brushes. In the meantime I just used a regular brush and put a bright background where the highlights of the cats' fur was and then when it was dry overlaid it with opaque black. My friend was delighted with it!


Have you ever tried Japanese watercolors and how did you like them? I was very pleased with their intense colors.

Linking up with Pet Parade and Paint Party Friday

Stay warm and do check out my new Fine Art America store!!