Muse black cat fish floral pattern painting

Muse  Oil on wood  11" x 14"  SOLD

Sometimes other people's art sneaks into your brain cells and shows up later in your own work.  Call me "chagrined."   It happened to me with this painting.  See this by wonderfully talented Sarah Stringhetta.  I pinned the image ages ago then promptly forgot about it until I sat down to write this blog post.  I think I put enough of my own spin on it to make it my own, but clearly, Sarah's art was the inspiration.

Beth the Tuxedo Cat original painting

Beth  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

This painting is better in life, I will re-photograph it once the paint dries!

TJ Roses & 3 Tips on How to Paint Roses

TJ Roses  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

This post was originally titled:  "Why Roses are So Dang Difficult." But we're trying to stay positive, lol.  Thus notes to self, my top tips on how to paint roses:

• Unlike most flowers, each rose usually has a full range of values from dark to light.  Identify accordingly.
• Roses (especially white ones) contain a dizzying array of neutrals and more saturated hues.  Include both or you risk painting something dull and lifeless.
• Regarding edges that spiral, overlap and curl:  Too many graphic edges can be over-kill.  ...and all soft is a snooze-fest.  Use sharp edges for focal points and areas that beg definition.  

Abigail painting of orange tabby

Abigail  Oil on wood  12" x 12"  SOLD

Very happy with this one!  Abigail's human (who is also an artist) let the final painting be a surprise--  and told me to paint the background as I saw fit.  An old Art Nouveau pattern was used, though I modified the colors to compliment Abigail's fur.  

Lewis II painting of gray cat on pattern

Lewis II  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

So many great cats (and kittens!) at the Cleveland Animal Protective League, I have to resist the urge to take them all home myself.  I was happy to see Lewis (aka Yoshi) again during a recent photo shoot there--until I started to feel regretful that he hadn't been adopted.  Anyway, I got a better likeness of him this time around.

Patch portrait of black cat on pattern

Patch  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

The Meeting young black cat meets sparrows

The Meeting  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

Freesia Fran going national The Artist's Magazine

"Freesia Fran"  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD  Prints available here.

Yes, you've seen "Freesia Fran" before.  And now (be still my heart) you may see her again after this--as this painting won a contest at "The Artist's Magazine!"  Yes!  I've been a subscriber in the past and I've picked it up at the bookstore more times than I could count...  It seems too good to be true and I, myself won't believe it 'til I have it in my hands... Look for this painting in the September issue!   More on this exciting development when it happens.  :) 

Hilda long hair gray, yellow, orange cat painting

Hilda  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD 

Couldn't resist painting "Hilda."  Her coloration is magical: neutral grays with just the right dose of eye popping color.  She is not unlike one of my own (all time) favorite floral still lifes:   "Perfect Storm" from 2009.

Window Seat oil painting black cat

Window Seat  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD  

A bit of glare on the photo of this painting...  Very happy with this one.

Lewis the gray cat that isn't Coco

Lewis  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

Lewis looks nothing like my Coco-kitteh.  He's quite striking in his own way and I'll just volunteer the following:  as a portrait of Lewis,  this painting is not so good.  However, as a painting of a cat that looks strangely unlike the cat intended and more like the artist's own cat, I think it's pass-able.  LOL. Lewis is another beauty from the Cleveland APL.  I'll have to give him another try sometime...  

Saint Sienna painting of orange cat

Saint Sienna  Oil on wood  8" x 8"  SOLD

This tangerine furball waits for adoption at the Cleveland Animal Protective League.  The APL has four "meet and greet" rooms, each packed with furry felines waiting to meet their special human.

Argyle Summer I & II set decorative floral paintings

Argyle Summer I & II  Acrylic on wood  NFS

"Argyle Summer I & II" were a special project that I really enjoyed.   Working with acrylics is very different from oil painting!  Especially challenging, how the paint dries a bit darker...  But I do love how fast they dry, can see much potential for layering and a more graphic style of brushwork.   This week, look for some new cat paintings!