Garden Cat

I love this cat's attitude... "This is my backyard, and I prefer stretching out right here in the sun among the plants and flowers."

I was flipping through photos on my aunt's phone looking at lots of cute pictures of her great grand babies, but when I came to a random picture of this cat on the wall among the flowers... I knew immediately that I wanted to paint it.  

I found out that the cat's name is Toonces Spraybuttsky, and he belongs to my cousin.  Honestly, you have to think maybe our cats are cousins too! Pounce also loves to hang out with the plants on our back deck and beside the plants in the garden... not to mention the family resemblance! 

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 16" Wrapped Canvas

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Harper, a Black & White Kitty

My blog friend, Sandra, asked me to paint Harper (named for the author of To Kill a Mockingbird) as a birthday present for her daughter.  Actually I'd painted Harper before. Look very closely at the painting "Harmony"... at the base of the third tree... Surprise!  There she is!! 
Not only do I like to tell the story behind my paintings, I want to know their stories while I'm painting them!
Sandra told me this:

"Harper and Dayna bonded immediately in a playroom in the Windsor Humane Society. Dayna needed a feline friend: she’d recently lost her previous rescue to feline leukaemia, and she was in college far away from her family. This fluffy, gentle, black and white ‘skunk’ brought a calm presence to Dayna’s home. Harper is her heart, her daemon."

Knowing this kitty's story makes me love her even more.  
Well, that and the fact that I think she may be a long lost relative of my Pounce!

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
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Holstein, the Dairy Queen

Do I look fat in these spots?

I think that is what this cow is saying.

I grew up on a beef cattle farm, so I really didn't "know" any Holsteins.  But, when I was working on the funny little tuft of hair on this gal's head, it triggered a memory of a trip my family made through Wisconsin when I was a kid.  There was a town there having a Harvest Milk Days festival.  They put those three words together to name their giant black and white cow that was in the center of the town.  Her name was Har-mil-da!  Oh, what a perfect name  I may have to paint another Holstein just to get to use that name!

I met this particular cow at a dairy beside an antique store near Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  I didn't buy any antiques, but I did take lots of pictures of the cows!  I particularly loved this one because it looks like she's talking.

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