Maisie is mad...

...at me for working on another cat! She's avoiding eye contact with me this morning...but I have a feeling she'll get over it pretty quickly. Roasted turkey bribes work every time.

Anyway...I'm posting it without her knowing it. Here is Kahla...a mixed media drawing on watercolor paper.

Have a good weekend everyone!

"Kahla"
5" x 7" mixed media on paper

A Thank You from Dexter

Dexter and Dexter

I was thrilled when I received this photo from Diane...of her handsome Dexter next to his painting. I love it when people send these to me! She also wrote a very nice blog post about it...so thank you Diane. That made my day!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. Maisie and James enjoyed their turkey...and I stuffed my face with everything else. Just put some vegetarian stuffing and Uncle Fred's cranberry dish in front of me...and I'm a happy camper!

Hey, have you seen this adorable coaster set from Aunt Sadie's? I love 'em!

Have a good Monday and happy almost December!

Here Kitty Kitty...

"Dexter"
12" x 13" acrylic on canvas

Hi everyone...just finished this commission yesterday of Dexter the Cat. He's a handsome fellow with those big green eyes, isn't he? Dexter belongs to Diane Silveria of Diane's Mixed Art. Go check out her blog, her beautiful cats and birds and her wonderful art. Thanks for having me paint your sweet boy, Diane!

Back soon with another new painting. Have a good Thursday!

Crackers the Cat

Mom and Crackers

Hi everyone...thanks for all of your wishes for a good trip to see my Mom. We had a wonderful time together.

I have a very sweet story to tell you about her cat, Crackers. Over a month ago my Mom was driving Crackers to the Vet for a check-up...but when she stopped for gas he somehow got out of his box, jumped out the window of the car and ran away. My Mom was heartbroken. She posted "lost cat" signs all over town and hoped someone would call...but he was miles from home and after three weeks, she had lost hope of finding him again.

I returned from a walk one morning while I was there, came in the house...and my mom had an astonished look on her face. She asked me if I believed in miracles because there on the back porch...sat Crackers. Poor baby was tired and thin but he had found his way home. The sweetest part is that he came home on my Mom's birthday. What a wonderful gift he gave her that day!

So hope you're all doing well out there. I'm taking a little more time before I delve back into work...but I'll be back soon. Looking forward to catching up on your blogs and what you've been up to! xox

A New Cat in Town

"Brisbane"
5" x 7" pencil, crayon and collage on bfk paper

Maisie doesn't like me to draw cats very often...but this was an exception. A friend commissioned me to draw Brisbane...a wonderful girl who is no longer with us. Her mom, Patricia misses her very much so it was an honor for me to create this portrait for her. I love the color of her eyes! I used to do these mixed media drawings quite often and still really enjoy doing one now and then.

And hey...there's an Artist out there I just met this week that you should know about. Her drawings of animals are really exquisite. Her name is Leslie Moore from PenPets.com Leslie grew up in the Bay Area but has lived in New England for the past 25 years. Nice to know you, Leslie...you do beautiful work!

"Shingles"
by Leslie Moore

Have a good weekend. Sheesh...March is almost over already??!

A beautiful cat, a beautiful legacy

"Hopey"
10" x 11" acrylic and collage on canvas

This is my latest commission, Miss Hopey the cat. Hopey was a very special lady to Carol Hine, the director of SAINTS Animal Sanctuary in beautiful British Columbia. Carol has said that, "It is because of her that SAINTS is here today". So thank you Hopey, because SAINTS is one incredible place. It is an end of life sanctuary that takes in elderly animals in need that have nowhere else to go. As it says in their mission statement, SAINTS provides a special place for these animals to be loved, cherished, and to receive proper medical care for the rest of their days.

SAINTS is very dear to my heart...it makes me think of Abby Louise and how she needed such special love and care the last months of her life. It was an honor for us to provide that for her but it's heartbreaking to think of other animals that are in that situation without a loving family to take care of them. Thank you Carol...for starting a sanctuary that is so greatly needed. And thank you again, Hopey for your inspiration.