Cat collars

One of the non-painting things that interested people at my Open Studio for  DoorsOpen was the fact that Isabella and Digby wear collars that are like clown ruffs. I had to explain that I was not trying to dress them up but that their collars had a purpose. They are from Birdsbesafe and are designed to prevent them from catching birds. Isabella was never much of a birder, but Digby, in spite of being without a regular tail, proved to be good at catching birds. Since I like birds and am happy to see them in the garden, I didn't want their lives cut short.  Originally, a search for "cat collars" was made on the web because Isabella actually liked the plastic cone "Elizabethan" collar she wore from the vets after she had an injury. She was not happy when it was taken off! I found the "Birdsbesafe" site and decided that with Isabella's obvious wish for a collar, and Digby's discovery of birds, this was an perfect answer. The collars are cotton with a reflective border - good especially on a black cat if it gets out at night- and, worn over a regular collar with a release catch, are perfectly safe. Songbirds can see bright colours, especially red, yellow and orange and they are alerted to the cat's presence. Tests have shown that wearing these collars reduces bird-kill by 87%. If you tie a bandana on a cat, the cat could get caught on something and choke to death. These collars release--- and are easy to find in the garden if this happens. They are soft and washable. I even think they add a bit of charm to the cats. After all the comments- and giving out cards with the information about Birdsbesafe website  (www.birdsbesafe.com), I was inspired to do a little cartoon for my sketchbook of Isabella doing the cat laundry. We have quite a few collars  since cats often like to roll on the driveway or find other ways to get the collar dirty. Also, a change is nice as the collars come in interesting bright patterns - and why not a new collar for a cat's birthday? Digby usually wears red and Isabella has a selection of more yellow ones. They have their photos on the Birdsbesafe website.

Animal artists

Lately, in the news, I've read of Mini the kitten who is paw-painting up a storm in New Zealand. Her paintings are going for $1000. The proceeds go to animal welfare but it still is food for thought when an animal commands prices like that. There is even a series of pictures on the web of the 12 top-selling animal artists. Prices go up to $25,000. The higher prices are commanded by animals now deceased. Just like people, apparently prices go up when you are dead... supply and demand... there won't be any more.... Here is Digby, posing with a Lucky Cat. You can tell by his expression that he has no intention of soiling his fur with paint. Maybe I could get him to use a brush - but do I want the competition?

More playing...

Here is  a very small one (I think it is about 7 by 9) that I was playing with a bit more- adding more flecks of colour to liven it up. I think it is richer looking now. I wasn't worried about actual colours - just trying to create a mood of a fairly warm summer day turning to evening. For those who know the area, this is along the dyke near Terra Nova - but definitely not a photograph.
I've found a new toy on the internet- it is Golden Paints virtual mixer - all the fun of creating colour mixes without actually opening your own tubes. I'd like to make even lighter tints than is possible, but you still get a very good idea. The "lighter" was because I was mostly playing with the idea of skin tones.  I like doing people and am sort of a frustrated portrait painter - no paying clients. Still, I enjoy our models. I've had one person, at least, say why would they want a painting of  someone they don't know? Interestingly enough, it doesn't seem to bother us that we don't have a personal connection to a  portrait subject if the artist is well-known. Well, I'm not Rembrandt or Lucien Freud, but some of the paintings have turned out reasonably well. I've actually given a few away to the models - better to have them out there in the world being enjoyed by somebody. My current "model" - not always willing- is Digby - Isabella's brother cat. So my fun of creating colourful black cats continues. ...another way of playing...

A real Hallowe'en cat

Here is Digby getting into the Hallowe'en set-up.  I'm not sure how the witch felt about sharing the spotlight.