Our family has always been
nuts about all kinds of pets. Cats have always been an
integral part of our home. I currently have two cats: sisters
who were foster kittens in need of a home. One is a cuddly
love bug. The other is wild and crazy. It amazes me how
much their presence creates a "family" feeling--even if I'm alone
working in my studio.
My art skills were nurtured
at a tender age by my Grandma who, in hindsight, was a great art
teacher but not a diligent babysitter.
Learning to create good art was paramount, while meals, baths and
even bedtime were definitely of secondary
importance.
As a youngster, I didn't
know any better and simply did what Grandma said to do. Now,
I have to hide my amazement when I go to advanced art classes and
follow instructors teach using the same drills and sharing the
same wisdom that Grandma poured out on me and my
siblings when I was only four or five. What a
gift!
Thank you Grandma,
and I hope this website makes you smile, wherever you might
be.
101
Cat Portraits
The 101
Cat Portrait Challenge is a personal growth goal to
do 101 Cat Portraits within a calendar year. Last year I did a
similar challenge to do 101 Dog Portraits -- other pets could
also apply. It was a fantastic growth opportunity. Both my art
skills and business skills improved. And, as time has elapsed,
the list of items that I've created to showcase the artwork has
grown. Now I have the ability to put the artwork on magnets,
keychains and notebooks as well as greeting
cards.
GrowWashington is a
business incubator in Snohomish, WA that has been
supporting my fledgling business. They let me use
the store for the official launch of the 101 Cat
Portrait Challenge and have helped me get media coverage
including a write up in the Everett Herald. I'll be using
my blog to track the 101 Cat Portrait Challenge on my
blog (link below):
At the time of this
writing, I've already received several inquiries and cat
photos towards the 101 goal. Having written that, its
time to go back to my studio and paint. Hopefully when I
emerge, I'll have an email from you! Thanks.
