March 30, Two Shiny Cats!

And a bit of a mystery for the last day of the 30 Cats in 30 Days Project for this March!  It was a great month, it was a long month, it always includes my Spring Break and I inevitably go somewhere, and haul all my painting gear along, and get a little stressed about actually accomplishing everything I set myself to do.  That is the catch, though-  that I set the deadlines myself, though it DOES help me beyond belief to know that other people (YOU, dear reader!) are following along.  Nothing like that invisible audience to make you want to check your fly~
My friend Maryanna just informed me that these two kitties are Cinder and Chester, and they belong to Jean~
Cinder is a Bombay. She likes to watch their pet frog, Charlie. Chester likes to use the bathroom sink for his personal spa.

  And I'll be working this week to get all the cats ready to hang-  I have a few do-overs and a few I want to go back in and touch up.  Then I'll hang them up at Diamonds Coffee Shoppe this coming week, and YOU should come along and see them all with me, next Friday April 10, from 6 to 8!

8x10 Acrylic on Hardboard, $200 available HERE~

March 29, BEETLE!!!! at the Meow Parlor!

Yay!
I am at the JFK airport in an Irish Pub, waiting for our flight back to Mpls and have now been able to sit to post this-  not the greatest photo but what a fun place!  The Meow Parlor is new in New York, in a funky area of Chinatown and there were a ton of people who stopped by just while I was in there for an hour painting.  The concept is based on other cat cafes from around the world, this one being the first and only in New York and I believe there is another in California.  The actual coffee shop is around the corner but the incredibly friendly and helpful staff will text your order over to the coffee shop and then run and fetch it for you.  While I was there, most of the cats were sleeping or lounging, and the rules dictate that you do not interact with them unless they interact with you first.  So I met Beetle and Franklin, and ended up doing a painting of Beetle as he was walking past the glass doors at the entryway.  I started one on Franklin as well, because he is such a sweetheart, but will have to finish it at home.
The cats at the Meow Parlor are all available through their partner, Kitty Kind, who brings in new kitties as the old ones are adopted.
I honestly had a great, calm, painting focussed time here!  And overhearing many conversations of other patrons, it has a definite home in New York!

Beetle, 8x8 acrylic on hardboard, $160 available HERE!

Franklin IN PROGRESS

Interior of Meow Parlor

Exterior of Meow Parlor!

March 28, Doyle

And here is today's kitty!  NOT a grey tabby, as the trend this year appears to be, but a Siamese~  one of my favorite cats as a kid, mostly because of "That Darn Cat", the book and Disney Film.  Do you remember it?  Then that makes me remember "The Cat From Outer Space"  which was one of the first movies I remember getting the poster and book for through Scholastics at school-  fifth grade maybe?
Here's what Doyle's loving owner has to say~

"Doyle is part Siamese, which is obvious when he wants something because he's quite loud and persistant, especially if there's a closed door anywhere near him.  As long as he's fed and doors are opened at least a crack, he's very laid back.  He'll sit in my lap and let me grade papers on him though he'll stick a paw out every now and then if he thinks he can catch my pen when I'm not paying attention."

8x8 acrylic on hardboard, painted in Brooklyn!

$160, click HERE to purchase!

And tomorrow I'll be at the Meow Parlor at 3:30 to paint one of their cats!  If you are in town, come on by and watch through the window!

And remember too, that a percentage of all profits from this project will be going to the Wild Cat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Mn, for all those big cats who now have a forever home~

March 27, Tigger!

Any cat with the name Tigger has got to be a character!  I loved this photo with those HUGE green eyes!  Tigger is in a box in the pic, and I imagine she's just popped up to surprise her owner!
I've included a photo of my painting area in our Brooklyn rented apartment-  it's always a bit tricky figuring out the light and space in a new place~
Now, Tigger is an adopted sister to Simon, painted on March 8th (the adorable cross-eyed Siamese!) and her sister, Belle, will also be painted soon!

Tigger is Belle’s sister, but very different.  She is my cuddly cat.  At 16 pounds, she wants to be my lap cat all the time.  She loves to cuddle and sleeps next to me every night.  She runs up and down the stairs chasing me and loves to be in the same room.  She gets along with my dog Oscar great and the two of them often lay together.  When I am working at home (like today) she puts her arms up on my legs and expects to be picked up like a toddler under the arms.  She wants to be anywhere I am and purrs even at the thought of someone petting her.  She really is the sweetest cat and is laying in my arms as we speak.  We call her Queen La Tigga as she used to be 20 pounds and a large lady.  J

LOVE those eyes!

8x8 acrylic on hardboard~  SOLD

The window is behind me for some good  morning light! Now we are off to see the Brooklyn Bridge, and I'll be painting at the Meow Cafe on Sunday at 3:30!  Come see me if you are in town!

March 26, Riley~

And this one was painted from one of a variety of photos-  I chose this one because Riley doesn't look too mad in this one, though it is clear you should NOT attempt to take that tennis ball...

And here's a snippet of what Riley is like... I forgot to ask where the name is from...

 Riley is about 13-very feisty alpha male in the house with a chocolate lab and loves his coconut oil every morning-cries when he doesn't get it! He also is a great mouse catcher he's gotten five already this year! Yuck. 

8x8 acrylic on hardboard, claimed already so you'll have to ask for your own!

March 25, Raspberry!

This is the amazing and fluffy RASPBERRY!  She is a lovely sweetheart who is my neighbor Lily's Birthday present from last year!  What a great job she did in picking her out~

8x8 acrylic on panel, not for sale!

And the FUN thing is, I finally made a video of myself painting a cat!  See it here!

March 24, Milo~

Today's post is of Milo, Dennis' brother kitty, and also a Feline Leukemia kitten.

Milo is an orange tabby - Milo is a tough little guy. Being born with Feline Leukemia (FeLV), he is not able to fight off infections/diseases as well as other healthy kitties. He contracted a blood parasite that was eating his red blood cells making him extremely anemic, thus needing a blood transfusion. Fortunately for Milo, a very kind cat came to the rescue and donated blood through the blood bank. Who knew that there are donor cats that are willing to do something as incredible as this? Thank you to this anonymous cat for saving Milo's life! 

Milo unfortunately didn't make it as far as his loving owners hoped~

I just wanted to let you know that Milo passed away on Feb.  17th. He took a turn for the worse and cancer was diagnosed along with the severe anemia. We had him put to sleep at our house on his blanket in his favorite spot in front of the fireplace. Such a short life of only 9 months but I know he knew he was very much loved. Your painting will be extremely special to us.  Thank you. 

8x8 acrylic on hardboard panel

March 23, Dennis!

And today's kitty is another tabby!  It seems that each 30 Cats project has its own flavor of cat, and I think I had a lot of Siamese and long hairs last year, and this year is a lot of tabbies, with that great grey-stripey fur!

Dennis (The Menace) is a gray tabby - Dennis quickly earned his name through his many kitty shenanigans and mishaps which, lucky for him, makes him that more loveable! Like his brother, Milo (who is being painted tomorrow!) he also was born with FeLV, however that has not stopped him from being a VERY playful, mischievous, curious and goofy little kitty. Dennis has also been trained to SIT, go to his special "spot" and COME, and laughs in the face of anyone who says, "He is a cat. You can't train a cat." 

Understandably, FeLV positive cats are difficult to get adopted, but need loving homes as much and even more so then healthy cats. Testing positive for FeLV does not have to be an automatic death sentence if people open their hearts and homes to these special cats. All kitties deserve the chance to be loved and taken care of for however long they are here on earth.   http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/feline-leukemia-virus

8x8 acrylic on wood, SOLD

March 22, my Dad's 75th Birthday!

And I just painted two cats at Wet Paint for my daily painting for the 30 Cats in 30 Days Project!  Cleo actually came in person with Beth, the owner of Wet Paint and so I painted her first, and then I painted Amelia who I had scheduled for today, and now I am scampering off to celebrate the rest of dad's Birthday!

Cleo, 8x8 acrylic on hardboard, click HERE to purchase!

Amelia, 8x8 acrylic on hardboard, click HERE to purchase!

Cleo looking a bit crabby at the end of the process~

Me and the two paintings!

March 21, Gato!

This is a Hemmingway Cat!  And I was a bit worried that the painting would be a bit goofy with how big her feet are in this pose, but I think it turned out to be just fine, compositionally~
I've had my own polydactyl kitty, named Jeebo, who would sound like a human when she walked up or down the stairs because of the size of her feet!

Gato's owner Ann has this to add~

This is my cat Gato. Gato. Ga-to... Got. Toe. Get it?  She's a Hemingway Cat so she posed today showing off her six toes on each paw. She is a total lover kitty and follows me around the house, greats me at the door when I come home from work and dances in circles for her evening morsel. 

8x8 acrylic on wood, available for PURRRRRRchase HERE!

And here is the first version I was about to post when I realized I'd FORGOTTEN her WHISKERS!!!!  Do you see the difference?

March 20, the Cat named MOUSE!

Love this name!  And this one was fun to paint too!  I don't think I've often painting cats from below...

Mouse has had quite a life in his almost 5 years on this planet.  Luckily his vet and staff find him charming, because he has had one adventure after another.  

He likes to eat felt decorations (no longer permitted), roll around with the catnip tin on his head, talk like a Peanuts character and most of all be outside as much as possible.  In fact, we just returned from a road trip from Minneapolis to Jacksonville, Florida together.  As long as the treats are plentiful and I'm around, he makes an excellent travel buddy and entertains the other cars that pass by.

At home he walks around our neighborhood on a leash and scrambles up the sides of trees, waiting for me to help him down.  He isn't the surest jumper, but he makes up for it in scrappiness and personality.  Like most pets, he has an endless list of nicknames, but seems to prefer "King of the Softies."  Mouse has beautiful soft sparkly fur which my brother-in-law describes as feeling like a really soft polyester stuffed animal.  But he is all real, and I'm lucky to have him as my pal. 

8x8 acrylic on wood, SOLD!

March 19, Ally O'Malley in Her Pearl Necklace

Any cat who is cool enough to own and wear a pearl necklace is the tops in my book!  This is green-eyed, poised, straight on at you Ally, with her daily best wear.

And here is what her adoring fans have to say about Miss Ally O'Malley:

Our kitty is generally a real princess who knows how to get her own way.  She wears a grey & white pearl necklace and adores being cosseted.   Laps must have blankets draped before she will sit herself down.  All doors must remain open for her freedom of movement.  Dinner and catnip treats are expected at certain times, or there will be an unattractive sound coming from Ally.

Perhaps she is just a little spoiled?

8x8 acrylic on wood panel, SOLD

March 18, Smokey Bones!

Gotta admit, another cat name that I just LOVE!  and another WHAT A FACE!

And here's his story~

“Smokey Bones came into our lives as an adult cat bearing the physical and emotional scars of abuse from his early days with unkind humans. Over the years in the safety of our loving home, he has managed to grow beyond most of the neuroses he developed in his kittenhood into an affectionate cat. Talkative, social and fiercely demanding when it comes to the prospect of a lap, Bones had become an assertive yet integral  part of our household. We are thankful for the vibrant attitude he brings to almost any situation and know that he has taught us as much about healing and growth as we have given him in love and safety.” ~ Emily and Kyle

I love that lofty look, and that noble head, and that FLUFF!

8x8 acrylic on wood, click HERE to purchase at $160

March 17, Ady!

Yes, I was going to paint Mabel today, but when I was looking back through the photos Emily sent me, I preferred this wonderfully mischievous face for such an impish and Irish day as today!
So this is Ady!
And here is an except from Emily's blogpost about finding her~

Ady was found under the hood of a truck in a neighboring village by the friend of a friend last September (2010). I happened to visit my friend, and Ady, at the time a nameless (to our knowledge anyway) tuxedo kitten with the squiggliest eyebrows and paws with white mittens, was hopping about on my friend's kitchen table, trespassing so to say, as even my friend's grown male cat cannot under any circumstances walk on said table.  I took Ady with me for the weekend, and of course, she is still here.

I'm kinda seeing the Irish side of this kitten-  sure, she must've been a stow-away at one point in her nine lives, from the Emerald Isles!

8x8 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $160!

And remember, a portion of all purchases goes to the Wild Cat Sanctuary in Sandstone, MN!

March 16, "Between the Curtains: Maud's Favorite Place"

Another beautiful black cat, this one named Maud!  I LOVE those tones and highlights and glints that shine through-  and those EYES!

And here is what Becky has to say about her~

Maud is a hunter.  She loves to hide in the smallest places, can jump onto high narrow ledges, and moves fast enough to have caught a bird on my 2nd floor deck on two different occasions.  Both times she kindly brought the bird inside and let it go.  They weren't dead...  Despite her instincts, Maud also loves when anyone pets her, even when my young niece used her ear as a comfort object one night.  Her purring can be heard the second she thinks someone is going to pay her some attention.

Looks like she's about to pounce from behind the shower curtains...

8x8 acrylic on wood, SOLD

AND I forgot to mention again that a percentage of all profits from this project will be donated to the Wild Cat Sanctuary in Sandstone, MN!

AND that I forgot to do my Drawing last night from all subscribers to this blog!  SO if you have NOT subscribed yet, please do so!  This one is a pack of 6 cards from the last few year's cats, a $30 value!

March 15, Sophie~

Wow, this was a bit of a tricky one!  I was interrupted while working on it and sometimes that makes the feeling derail...  I'll look at it again tomorrow and see what I think...

And here is what Sophie's owner thinks!

What can anyone say about Sophie that her own big face doesn’t already say?
Shy, gentle, loving, and clumsy; those are the words that sum up our Maine Coon kitty. Trilling her greeting whenever we encounter her, and trumpeting her tuna demands like a tiny elephant on her way through the kitchen, Sophie cares for but a few things: affection, dinner and a luxurious spot to nap the day away.
She is a giant puff of cuteness and kisses, a wall of fur who started life as the runt of the litter. Oh Sophie, we couldn’t love you more.





8x8 acrylic on wood, SOLD

March 14, Peter~

I've always liked the name Peter.  Seems a sensible, calm, no-nonsense kind of name.  Perfect for an elderly black farm cat in a basket, right?

This is what Peter's owner, Tina, has to relate about him!

* Peter was the first animal on my farm and came as a very tiny kitten. He will be 16 years old in April. So far he has out lasted all the sheep, chickens and two of the dogs. He may be the last animal on my farm as I am down sizing.

* Peter went quickly through his nine lives in his youth. This must of smartened him up or he has more than nine lives.

* Peter is a great mouser even though he is a male cat. Fortunately he has not shown an interest in birds.

* This past winter, for some strange reason, Peter has decided I should get up at 3:15 AM. He will bang on the shut bedroom door and meows insistently until either I get up or I loudly tell him to go away. At this point, he goes back to his bed and goes to sleep. Why I ask oh why.

8x8 acrylic on wood, available for purchase here for $160~

March 13, Jasmine!

And here is today's cat for Friday the 13th!  And also a little link to a list my sister sent to me from Australia, where it is NOW the 14th so they've made it through their day just fine!  I liked reading this list and realizing how much of my great luck in my life has been because of the animals I've chosen as pets!  We currently live with a tortoise, a black goldfish, and a gold dog, to name just a few of the lucky animals!

Jasmine seems a vey lovely and lucky cat indeed!

Jasmine is a 7 year old Maine Coon.  She is a chimera, as you can see.  One side of her face is orange tabby and the other side is brown tabby dividedright down the center of her nose.  Her front legs match the opposite sides of her face and her rear legs match the sides of her face.  So, if the right side of her face is orange, then the left front leg is orange and the right rear leg is orange.  She often lays in a twist on the floor so that the sides of her face and her legs match up.  Jasmine is a little bit nutty and almost like having two cats because she seems to have two different personalities.  One personality just craves love and the other one doesn’t want to be bothered.  She is a funny little girl and chirps like a bird which is the hallmark meow of a Maine Coon.

8x8 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $160~

March 12, Molly

This was another of those ones where it was hard to decide which photo to select to paint from, as they were all intriguing!

Our cat for today is Molly, and following is an excerpt from her owner's statement on Feb 23, the day after Molly's death.

I’m heartsick today.   Our little cat Molly did well with her initial pacemaker surgery, but the complications proved to be too difficult.  The Veterinary Clinic at the UofM was great throughout.  However, Molly developed a condition post-surgery called chylothorax, which caused fluid to gather in her chest cavity from a major lymph node.  This would build up and press on her lungs from the outside, causing Molly to gasp for breath when the pressure got too heavy.

Yesterday, Molly’s breathing rate started to climb as the day progressed.  By 5:00 she was again starting to gasp – the fluid came back that fast.  I called the UofM and they asked that we bring her in right away.  I was actually going through the grieving process earlier in the day when I noticed her breathing was again moving up the scale. 

 When we arrived at the UofM, we again discussed options and the ultimate decision was arrived at by weighing the odds, and we decided to do the most merciful thing for Molly.  We had to say goodbye.  

8x8 acrylic on panel, SOLD

March 11, Glow!

Okay, this cat was submitted by my friend, Kat, and I know she had a hard time getting a good photo of Glow, you'll understand why when you read her story, and I have to admit I had a difficult time because the photo was so pixilated, but I am happy with the colors and tones, especially the greeny greys of the floor!
This is my kitty, Glow. She has a very long story to tell, but I'll brief. She was/is a feral cat, born under our neighbor's shed. We fell in love with her but, being feral, could never get close to her before she bounded off. Still, my children named her and we put food out for her, and delighted in watching her play and grow. Then, one day, the Animal Shelter came to our neighborhood and captured all the feral cats, including Glow, and took them away. We were devastated. She was in the pound, and it would take over $300 for us to get her out (shots, spaying, fees, etc.). So the kids set to work and had a lemonade stand, a garage sale, and hit up various relatives and friends for the "Save Glow" fund. They raised half, we put in the rest, and brought Glow home shortly after! Fast forward to today, and she is still a dedicated outdoor cat, but will come inside now and then to warm up and cuddle in my lap for a bit. 

8x8 acrylic on panel, available for purchase HERE at $160!

March 10, JoJo!

One of my greatest loves was my small black 8 year-old cocker spaniel rescue named Jojo...  I have great affection for this name~

And this was a lovely cat photo too!  I chose to paint this one in the rectangular 8x10 format since those LOOOOONG front legs stretching out are so important to JoJo's owners~

JoJo was a true companion. We were in our early twenties and not yet married when we first adopted him as a skittish little runt. Over the next 16 years he saw us through grad school, several moves, our marriage, and the births of two children. He ultimately grew to a handsome 20 lbs, but he never really outgrew the skittishness. He was neurotic, long-limbed, and affectionate only towards us. His nicknames are numerous and will live in infamy. There will never be another cat quite like this one!

8x10 acrylic on panel

March 9, Tiger!

This is Tiger, who lives with my friend Coffee Jon (whom I dated some time ago) and who now loves Tiger and his cat sister, Kitten, because their prior owner, Barbara, passed away a few years ago.  Barbara and her cats moved to Minnesota to live with Jon and Tiger is still keeping an eye on the house, maintaining his territory and giving John a good reason to sit and be still sometimes.

Here's what John wrote about Tiger!
Tiger, I inherited from Barbara "White Raven" Burritt after her passing in October 2008. On Tiger's first Minnesota snowfall in late 2007, he showed his true Maine Coon nature and bound through it joyfully, looking over his shoulder at me saying in feline-ese "looked dad, Snow! What fun!!!" It is my true dog Kitty.

March 8, Simon!

This is Simon!  He is a gorgeous blue-eyed, cross-eyed cat!  I loved painting this one-  golly!
And his owner Maggie has a few other cats I'll be painting and posting!
Here is Simon's story~
Simon is my right arm.  Between him and my dog, I am never alone.  Simon is the cat everyone threatens to steal – everyone falls in love with him.  He was adopted from the San Diego County Humane Society in September of 2003 and is approaching his 12 birthday.  He started out with cotton ball white fur which has slowly changed over to a beautiful creamy beige.  I have been told he is a flame point Siamese cat which explains his orange ears and striped tail.  When I picked him up from the Humane Society, I was told he was the cross eyed cat and you can easily tell when he looks at you that they were right.  His beautiful blue eyes are what caught my eye when he was just 8 weeks old.  I had to have him.  My mom calls him “squeaky toy” as he has a short squeaky meow.  He is extremely vocal and follows me everywhere.  He thinks it is always time to eat and tries to steal food from his siblings.  He loves laying in the sun. 

8x8 acrylic on panel, SOLD

AND I forgot to tell you the winner of this week's drawing from all the subscribers to my blog!  The winner is Susan Gainen, and I'll be getting a copy of one of my blurb books to her soon as her prize~

There will be another drawing NEXT week again, from ALL subscribers to my blog!  Pass the word along!  Not sure what that prize will be yet... maybe a t-shirt?  Maybe a Kat Dog bag?  hmmm...

March 7, Jelly!

SO, this is the first version of Jelly... I have to admit I am not happy with her-  I mean, with the painting... it just isn't catching what I think is the truth of this kitty...

SO when I have more time tomorrow (today has been longer and busier than my usual workday and I didn't get to put as much attention into this as I'd like!) I want to try another version of the many photos Kris sent me!  We'll see~

Here's what Kris says about her bright eyed pussy cat!

'Jelly has complex and beautiful markings, a tiny little squeak of a meow and a big heart. What she lacks in street smarts she makes up for in playfulness. She charmed Dan with her good looks and easy-going attitude, and is slowly winning over her big kitty sister, Carlos. The only thing she loves more than playing, is snuggling!'

And Kris gave me permission to publish this video-  a kitty video!  Be prepared for some saturday night partying!

March 6, Hank!

And here is Hank!  You gotta love a cat whose name matches his face so closely...  and whose personality is as solid as his name!
Here's what Loralee says about her dependent...

Hank is a three year old male who is in the husky clothes zone but thinks he’s still a kitten. Of course, he rules the house and christens every surface with soft orange fluff. He devotes much of his precious non-sleeping time to clicking at birds through the window, as he is an indoor cat. He likes to send emails and file papers in his personal assistant’s office, all done enigmatically and with single-minded purpose. Despite his best efforts to cause a major down-the-stairs neck-breaking fall for said assistant by being as uncannily underfoot as possible whenever we move from one floor to the next, Hank has not yet succeeded. Maybe this will be the year.

 Hank is a therapy cat for empty-nest syndrome as the tax deductions of the household left for the big world and is proving far more cuddly and clean than the adult children he replaced. He is nonplussed by the attention of being depicted on canvas, because, along with all other cats, assumes it is his due.

8x8 acrylic on panel, SOLD!

March 5, Ella

Ah~  again, a gorgeous photo... I keep thinking maybe I should post the photo I paint from too...
And I'll also make a video of me painting this weekend, when I'm able to set everything up for a bit... probably Sunday...

So this is Ella, an incredibly angelic looking kitten, with a beautifully written story by her loving Tim~

On February 27, 2015, we said goodbye to Ella, my belle.

She was near 20 years old and had soldiered through some serious physical infirmities in her last six months, her considerable dignity intact.

Ella and I experienced love at first sight at Golden Valley Humane Society on April 25, 1998. We saw each other, she spoke to me, and I knew it would be a waste of time to look at any other cats.We brought her home and she revealed herself to be beautiful, graceful, intelligent, curious, and loyal to a fault. (She shadowed me constantly.)

She was a very sociable kitty who met guests at the door and mingled at parties. She was also very talkative, greeting us with a quiet meow, and conversing when we spoke to her.

Ella was obsessed with being brushed and was always getting someone’s attention, then showing them where the brush was located. If they declined to brush her, she would hold the brush in her front paws and groom her own face with it.

She loved lounging on the screen porch or lying under the birch tree with us. In winter, you could find her near a heat duct or by the fireplace. 

Ella had a big personality and was a very important part of our family.

We will miss her dearly and believe that she is resting very comfortably in an eternal sunbeam on God's screen porch.

8x8 acrylic on panel SOLD

March 4, June!

I love good cat name stories!

We acquired June from a friend that had a cat that had accidentally gotten out and became a mama-cat. We were knocking around names with the family, and had been listening to Johnny Cash songs and landed on June (for June Carter-Cash). Once we had her home, we quickly realized how vocal she was, maybe that's partly why she kept the name June. She is a seasonal hunter and loves to go outside whenever she gets the chance. She can tell when the outside temps start to become bearable and she is very loud and persistent about letting us know she wants to go out for a while, and when she wants back in. 

She is very sweet. She has Scottish fold ears, a shortened tail and calico coloring. She is white, grey/blue and orange, with white paws one "lucky" grey toe as my 11 year old will tell you.

8x8 acrylic on panel, available for purchase HERE at $160~

and June too, 8x8 acrylic on panel

March 3, Jack!

And here is Jack!  I painted his brother Damon, in 2011, and I believe the style of my painting has changed since then...  fun for me to see the difference!  Damon's photo also had much stronger lighting.  Damon and Jack's animal loving owner Joe is also a great photographer, which can sometimes make a painting seen superfluous and I remember having a really hard time with Damon's!  Jack's was also tricky because of the more subtle coloring, though I love that muted background.
Here's what Joe says about the guys!

I’ve got a million pictures of these guys. They’re endlessly entertaining. This is Jack (he looks quite different in these photographs). He’s Damon’s brother. You painted Damon previously. Jack has been jealous ever since.

 10x10 acrylic on panel, "Jack on the Bed'

March 2, Ari!

And today's cat is a gorgeous one!  Sometimes I can't resist the opportunity to paint a cat I see, and this is one of those!  And it sounds like I'm not alone, from what Ari's companion Robert writes~  and I'll have to edit this a bit to get it into the book at the end of our project, but I just couldn't cut anything out at this point!  It all seems important~

And I did love painting the pale colors of Ari's fluffy coat- and those EYES!!!

8x8 acrylic on panel

"Here's a good photo of my beautiful cat Ari. He's been photogenic all his life, everyone comments on how gorgeous he is. He's going on 15 years old this April but he's still a cat athlete. A large fellow, he's a 15 pound Color Point Longhair, aka Street Siamese. When he was a kitten he was about 3/4 fur and weighed maybe half a pound in my hand, you could pet him and keep going deeper and deeper without finding the kitten inside! Now he's grown into his silky locks and a handsome fellow with leading-man looks.

His occupation is Emotional Support Cat, for which he's certified. He's actually also a physical therapist who gives purring and fuzzy tummy treatment to his disabled human. He will lay directly on a bad joint and warm and purr on it, healing it. He also interrupts nightmares and depression with aggressive affection, but politely leaves me alone if I'm happily writing or drawing.

Of course he's also my favorite model and muse! My sketchbooks are full of little life sketches as he will never pose longer than two minutes even sound asleep. He's also inspired fantasy novels with cat protagonists including the sabertooth cat novel we're editing now. It's said that a cat never sleeps on a bad manuscript!

We have been happy together for almost 15 years and I have high hopes he may be one of the great longevity story cats, since he's still a cat athlete. His belly skin sags from age and he darkened but he still runs around yelling at the top of his lungs, plays, bounces on the bed and does kitty olympics regularly, sometimes several times a day. He's not bony either, just muscled like a panther and lean. He has very silky hair, one of his amazing cool points is that his fur kept that kitten softness.

He sheds Cat Hairs of Inspiration in your direction though I'm sure you have a good supply of your own.

March 1, Delilah! Freddy Mercury's Favorite Cat...

And here is cat #1!  Delilah!  She was Freddy's favorite cat, and I like to start my month with a cat that means something to me to kinda get me into gear~  this was from some terrible photos!  But she looks like one of those saucy kitties that know how to get what she wants~  kinda like her owner~ if you are interested, here is a link to a little home video Freddy made himself of his beloved cat.
And here is a link to the song itself~  very corny and sweet, and near the end of his life~

Hopefully, I haven't completely turned you off by my personal revelation of my love of Queen!  Here's Delilah~

8x8 acrylic on wood, available for purchase HERE, for $160~

And here is the official list again!  Wahoo!  And a link to my little site for more info~

March 1- Delilah, for Freddie Mercury

2- Ari, for Robert S

3- Jack, for Joe O

4- June, for Kat & Family

5- Ella, for Tim and Heidi

6- Hank, for Loralee

7- Jelly, for Kris M

8- Simon, for Maggie E (painted at Wet Paint, I hope)

9- John's Cat (for Tom S)

10- Jojo, for Emily J

11- Glow, for Kat L

12- Molly, for Monica C

13- Jasmine, for Darcy

14- Peter, for Tina B

15- Sophie, for Heidi & Tim

16- Maud, for Becky L

17- Mabel, for Emily K

18- Smokey Bones, for Emily GK

19- Ally, for Jim U

20- Mouse, for Susan P

21- Gato, for Anne V

22- Amelie, for David K (painted at Wet Paint, I hope!)

23- Dennis, for Susan G

24- Milo, for Susan G

25- Raspberry, for Lily and Eliz

26- Riley, for Cynthia

27- Tigger, for Maggie E (in NY somewhere)

28- Doyle, for Becky L

29- Meow Parlor Cat, at the Meow Parlor, Manhattan!

30- Mystery Guest

31- Mystery Guest

Subject to being changed at my whim and human necessity!