March 22, RBG for Tracy!

 This is another one of those photos that I saw and went "Ahhh!  I HAVE to paint that!"  Mostly because it's just a cute pic, but also a little challenging, and then there's that thing where animals have their eyes shut and you want to make sure they look alive...

I think RBG looks alive!

And it also seems timely to me, that I'm painting her on the day that another hopefully strong female Supreme Court nominee is undergoing whatever it is that they are doing~

Here's what Tracy said about her RBG, when she'd adopted her in September of 2020-  "Everybody asks me if she is Bengal breed but she was from rescue foster so I highly doubt it. "

6x6 acrylic on wood

$130

click here!

  

March 21, Freddie in the box!

 I LOVED the eyes here!!!!  They are just liquid and lit from whithin, and to get that delicate white face on a black ground is a heck of a challenge, my friends! But I think I did it-  it takes a lot of layering, and figuring which layer should stay and which needs yet another layer on top of it, to get to that white, that beige-y color, that pink little nose, that sweet little chin!

Love it!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

March 20, Jack the Cat

 And here is the lovely Jack, who sports a heart-shaped patch on his coat!  Molly sent me a collection of photos and I loved this one, because it also includes his tail and the colorful table cloth that accents his green eyes~

Such a fun one to paint-  I think it's the eyes too!

Ah, spring in Minneapolis!  I trimmed my son's hair last night, and trimmed the biggest dog's hair this morning.  It is shedding time!  Hope your home is hair free!

12x6 acrylic on wood

$270

click here to nab this one!

March 19, Foof!

 Okay, I love doing these projects because we end up creating a community of cat and art loving people and I love putting the books together and including all the stories of these amazing creatures. 

And sometimes, someone is really really great at writing entertaining stories.

Like Amy's here~

"Nine years ago, Gigi "Foof" Snorflebeest and her brother, Otis Snorflebeest, were rescued from the streets as tiny kittens. They were fostered out to their humans, Beth and Amy, who refused to give them back. Today Foof is eleven pounds of pure self-assurance, even if sometimes her reach exceeds her grasp. Foof's interests include cat treats, fine textiles, being gorgeous for days, popping in and out of existence whenever she feels like it, and sitting in spots where ley lines intersect so she can command the entire house from her position on the staircase. Mr. DeMille, Foof is ready for her close-up now. "

And don't worry!  You'll get Otis' story when I paint him on the 28th!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 18, Fluffy Cat!

 So this guy caught my eye in an instagram post and I asked my friend if I could paint it and he said yes~ I loved the noble look and those piercing yellow eyes, and the regal mane...

6x6 acrylic on wood

$130

click here to purchase!

March 17, Mr M

 And this is Mr M!  I had the wrong kitty story at first-

Sounds like a character though!  here's what Bethany says about him!

"Mr M is often referred to by my husband and me as The Warden. M decides when we get up and when we go to bed. And God forbid, one of us remains up without the other. M cajoles, whines, paws, paces, and positions himself to give you the evil eye, eyeball to eyeball, until you go to bed or get up. He's relentless. Lol.

Mr M loves to jump into a large plastic bag and starts to purr while i gather up the bag's handles and swing him up and around in the air like a sack of potatoes. Even better is if he can make a hole in the bag just large enough to stick his face thru the bag. The "ride" is over when centrifugal force enlarges his peak hole beyond safety. Then he has to wait for another day when I shop again for large items requiring a large plastic bag. Kitty repurposing/ recycling plastic bags!"

6x6 acrylic on wood

$130

click here!

March 16, Jiji

 Good morning!

It's finally feeling like spring in Minneapolis, even though the sidewalks were still sneakily slippery in spots this morning... but it was delicious out! And supposed to be staying that way!  The snow is melting and there's puddles everywhere, with that little crispy layer of ice on the edges that was so fulfilling to crunch on when I was small and wearing rainboots and walking to school in the spring...

And this is Jiji! Did I mention how much I love to paint black cats?

Oh and I got to sit and be photographed yesterday while I was painting Stella and Milo for an article about Pet Painters for the Star/Tribune!  It will be published on Sunday April 3rd so keep an eye out for it!

Here's Jiji!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

March 15, Milo and Stella for Nancy!

 These two just called to be painted!  I had SO much fun with them, and I asked my friend Sally if I could paint them BIG because I like to do at least one larger painting in these projects, and she said yes!  

So this one is 12x16 acrylic on canvas, and here's what Sally says about the two of them~

"The thing I love about this photo is that it captures their personalities so well: Stella is a sweet, super chill cat, and Milo is a quirky, curmudgeonly guy who usually wears a look of annoyance when he knows you're looking at him. 

"Also, they're 16 year old siblings. 😊

12x16 acrylic on canvas

spoken for!

March 14, Anya for Cathy!

 So for Pi day, I chose a Cutie-Pi to paint!  Hee hee! I was captivated by this pose and wondered if I could paint it, especially with Anya's wide opened green eyes~

"Look ma! No ears!"

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 13, Gilbert Blythe~

 So as soon as I saw this photo I knew I wanted to paint this one- talk about surrealism!  This cat coulda lived with Magritte!

I'm hoping the little light and the fact that he's in a room comes across just fine-  I loved the lighting and that semi-serious face~

SOO good!

And his owner is Stephanie Watson, whom I met years ago at an Improv Class that was so much fun and helped me in my teaching, because every day of teaching is improv, and Stephanie was part of the fun and energy of the entire class.  Stephanie is an author, and her newest book is "Pencilvania" which I haven't read yet but will be soon and he other books are on this link here!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$130

click here to purchase!

March 12, Amos

 I believe you probably know by now that I love painting black animals. So yes, here is another one! I love it!

And here's what Jody wrote~

"We inherited  Amos about 4 years ago when my colleague and friend unexpectedly died (at 60 yo!!). 

Amos eats cheese any time he can. He also knows when we open the freezer for the ice cream! " 

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

March 11, Momma Girl

This is such a sweet face~ I've painted a few other cats for Cecilia.  She knows how to pick them~

"Momma Girl was gentle, fierce, independent and very social!  She liked to hang out with us in the yard, or follow us to the neighbor's and always welcomed company. She was loyal as well and would run to the fence to defend her family when our dog and the neighbor's dog would occasionally bark at one another.

"We miss her. "

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 10, Bubby, for Isabel (From Kelli!)

 I think I may do a bit more on this one later, but I ran out of time in order to post it today~ but I love his eyes....

This is for Isabel, from her friend Kelli, who is also my friend, and this is what Isabel wrote about her beloved companion~

"It was love at first sight, and it was love until the end. This baby boy has been the center of my life for years now and I really would not have gotten through so many things without him to come home to. He kept me pushing when I had given up hope on a lot of things in life... he let me annoy him as much as he annoyed me.  ... I keep several Polaroids of him in my wallet at all times and now I know he will always be with me.  He is off being gay with his boyfriend now. Rest easy, big guy. Little baby thick. Biggie Smalls. Boob Tube. Thicc Boy.  Mr Perfect Paws. The cutest of all the cutes that ever cuted. Te amo. "

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

March 9, Ginny

 And this is Ginny!  I've painted a few of her feline siblings and they've all been delightful fluffy creatures with luminous eyes like her~

I also have to admit that I DO try to get a painting done in one sitting, but sometimes due to circumstances or my pallet needing to be refreshed, or me just feeling out of sorts, the painting sometimes doesn't get completed in one go.  With Ginny, I started this morning at home, got a good start, and then brought her here to school to add some of the finishing touches... which sometimes take longer than expected and so then the painting travels with me all day!

But I think I got her now~

Just so you know that sometimes I do start a painting the night before, just in case!  Especially if its a larger one.

Whew!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 8, Tommy!

 And here is Tonks' brother Tommy!

Tommy the cat, Toe-mas, Big Cat, Tommy toes, Thomas O’Malley, TomTom (the list could go on)… He’s the sweetest, easiest going, and cuddliest old man cat I’ve ever met. A polydactyl, he’s got big paws and doesn’t always “know how to cat” (he’s the least graceful cat we know 😊). We adopted him at ~13, having always wanted a Tommy the Cat, so he kept his lifelong name. Now 15 going on 16, this guy is attached to my side. He’ll come to bed as soon as I go to bed, sleeps on my shoulder or my pillow every night, sleeps near or on me as I work from home most days, and often greets us at the door with his sis, Tonks. He thinks all food should be shared (especially cheese!), often finds himself with his tongue sticking out as he’s mostly toothless, loves a good sweater, and hollers at his water fountain. He’s a goof and has been a huge blessing in these COVID years and we hope we get many more years with him. 

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

March 8, Tonks!

Great day for painting today!  And I've painted both Tonks and her brother Tommy today to make some room for a few other cats- thank you Ashley!

 We adopted Tonks (formally Missy) and her brother Tommy from Ruff Start Rescue in June 2019. She’s now 10 or 11 years old and spunky as ever. With a T on her back, we knew she needed a new unique name, so we went with one of my favorite side characters in Harry Potter, Tonks. Tonks loves her people, especially her cat-dad Dylan, and will sleep on him nearly every night. We also call her Tonker Bonkers as she loves to head bonk her people on the chin/face to show her love. A neighborhood watch girl, she will sprint from one window to the next when she sees (or think she sees) something interesting outside, but she also loves to snuggle up on her cozy blankets or her people and snooze away. We like to say she’s part dog, and usually greets us when we get home. She’s petite and feisty and lovey all in one. She and Tommy are the perfect addition to our family unit!

 

6x6 acrylic on wood

Sold

 

March 7, Faye

 This is Faye!  And here's what Heidi wrote about her~

"Faye is our big, soft calico with the personality of a kindergartener.  She’s a ray of sunshine on a dark day.

"Quite the athlete, Fayes loves to run, although jumping is her true passion.

You can practically hear her yell, “I’m FLYING!” when she jumps for her

ball or races down the stairs. Throw the ball behind her, and she jumps up with

her paws in front of her chest, spins around in the air, and becomes a Lipizzaner Stallion. 

"We love Faye more than we can say, and she has become an important part of our family. "

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

March 6, IdaMae!

 It snowed 4 inches last night!  So I had to spend part of the morning shoveling out the drive and the sidewalks and the dog paths in the backyard.  And because it was Duane's birthday yesterday, we stayed up past midnight watching the last two Harry Potter movies... so it's been a slow morning!  And I finally got to IdaMae here!  Isn't she a lovely tortie?

6x6 acrylic on wood

$130 inc tax and shipping!

click here!

March 5, Estrella and Naldo

Wow, did I have fun painting this one-   the light, the angles, and the look on Naldo's face...

Painting on black like I do means that you need to make adjustments constantly on darks and lights. And acrylic paint has a tendency to dry dark, so you also have to take that into consideration. With this painting, I was trying to keep the deck surface looking light enough to suggest wood and warmth, and I had to make it lighter three times!

Of course, the glory of this one is that the photo was such a great one.  Sometimes I worry about painting from a great photo because it is already wonderful... What can I possibly add?  But a painting does do something that a photo just can't do.

Can you tell I am really pleased with this one?

Joe sent the photo with this note~

"Not sure if you know but we had to say goodbye to our precious Naldo in early December. He developed tumors in his lung and liver, and we had to put him to sleep. We miss him dearly, even though we had him for less than 4 years. So, now we just have one kitty, Estrella--whom we've had for almost 11 years.

Attached is a photo of them from last fall. Naldo is in front."

8x10

spoken for

 

March 4, Pixel for Paige!

PIXEL!  I loved this photo and went ahead with it without really checking with Paige, who just landed her dream job at the Weaver's Guild!  Congratulations Paige!!!

And I painted Pixel before, as an 8x8, but I wasn't sure that was the size and went and painted this one as a 6x6 and I really love it-  it's more detail than I usually squish into a 6x6! I especially love that squinty little all-knowing eye there, looking right at you!

Pretty sweet, aye?

6x6 acrylic on wood

maybe be available, maybe not?

 

March 3, Hota Kah?

 Did you know that I love to paint black animals?  And this one is fluffy on top of it!  This is Hotah Kah? whose name includes the question mark, which seems weird when you are writing it all out, because it makes me want to read it as a question with my voice going up at the end, you know?

So here is Carolyn's explanation of the name~

“ Hota Kah? is our loving and attentive Siberian who joined our family as a pal for Fast Eddie (and us) after the passing of Ruby.  He is named after JK Rowling , creator of Harry Potter , using the phonetic spelling of her initials in Spanish.

Since we don’t really speak or understand Spanish , he has to have the question mark at the end... “

And here is the mysteriously named feline!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

March 2, Nelly for Julia~

This sweet cat is Nelly, and Julia has this to say about her~

"Nelly came into my life on April 2, 2019 during my freshman year of college. She was a stray and very sick, so I snuck her into my college dorm room and nursed her back to health. I’m an animal lover, but I would never have considered myself a cat person before meeting Nelly. Her sweet snuggles and friendly personality had a lasting effect on everyone who met her. You could always find Nelly lounging on a lap or basking in the sun, and she loved being around her people more than anything. It’s been 3 months without her; I miss her everyday and always look for pieces and memories of her where the sun streams through the windows. Nelly absolutely changed my life… and made me a cat person to boot :) "

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold~

March 1st, Moonshadow for Freya!

 I didn't actually get a story for this one yet, but I loved the face and the look and so Moonshadow is first!  And that word always reminds me of traveling around Europe in 1987 when I was twenty and carrying my Walkman with me and Cat Stevens was one of my tapes, and "Moonshadow" was one of my comfort songs and I'd sing it along to myself when my batteries died...

There was an island in Spain somewhere that was covered with feral cats, and this face reminds me of them~

I love those green eyes!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$130 inc tax, shipping and BOOK!

Click here!

Feb 28, The OFFICIAL LIST for 30 Cats in 30 Days, March 2022!

 Hey there! Yes it is TIME!

Here is the OFFICIAL (with the understanding that some things may move around) LIST for this year's 30 Cats Project!  I do still have some room at the end of the month so keep sending me photos!

I'm so pleased to have such a great selection of kitties to paint!  I'll be attempting to paint each one in the morning so I have time to post it for the day, and I DO want a story to post too, so please include a story with your photos!

If you are interested and want more info, you can click here~ and if you thought you were ON the list and you don't see yourself, please send me an email at katjojo@hotmail.com!

AND so 

HERE we GO!

1- Moonshadow for Freya

2- Nelly for Julia- 

3- Hota Kah? for Carolyn and Brad

4- Pixel for Paige 

5- Naldo and Estella for Joe and Charlie

6- IdaMae for Debra G

7- Faye for Heidi 

8- Tonks for Ashley AK

9- Ginny for Marcy

10- Bubby for Kelli 

11- Momma Girl for Cecelia C 

12- Amos for Jody B 

13- Gilbert for Stephanie W 

14- Anya for Cathy S

15- Milo and Stella for Sally N- 

16- Jiji for C&B’s son 

17- Mister M for Bethany A 

18- Pierret forJeffery A

19- Foof for Amy B

20- Jack the cat for Mollie and Sammy-

21-Freddie in a box for Kathy R

22- RBG for Tracy

23- Rinji for Janet 

24-Alo for Stacy

25-Loki for Lissa

26- Donn's cat

27-Kira Wears Her Hat for Patrick

28- Otis for Amy

29- Frank and Sam

30- Maynard James Kitten for Ashley

Feb 27, Asher!

 Yay!  This is Asher, who recently came to live with a friend of a friend in DC and so I painted this little welcome home painting for them! Isn't this the sweetest face EVER?! Those eyes are just so... liquid!

Thanks Melissa, for being such an awesome patron and friend!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

Feb 26, Beaner Day!

 It's my sister's birthday today!  And it's a nice round number, and we're having a little party for her this evening, and so this morning at my painting class I decided to use one of her photos to paint from.  She's just recently moved up to Duluth and sends us beautiful photos just about daily of our favorite lake, and this was one from last night, maybe?  I think?

So since we were painting landscapes I used this one, and gridded it on my phone, and screen shot the grid and did a brief pencil sketch and threw some paint at it-  it is so fulfilling to work with color and light and paint... and people! I think sometimes the atmosphere of the room is held in the paint...

9x12 acrylic on wood

$215

click here to nab!

the original~

Feb 24, A Commission

 This was a birthday commission, and it was for 2/22/22 so I think I can post it now!  This is Linus!  Isn't he sweet?

I got to paint him as a puppy too~

And next week I start with the CATS!!!  I could still use a few more, so send them my way!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

Feb 23, Luna again!

 The other day I was contacted by a patron who wanted to know if I could help fix a painting of mine that she'd commissioned some time ago that was accidentally damaged on the edges in a fall. And I said I'd sure love to try!  She sent me the photo below showing the split edges, and she was able to bring it over and drop it off, and I took a look at it with my handy husband and we reglued and sanded and GACed and gessoed and I repainted it as close to the original as possible, and I think it turned out great!  Plus I was able to be with a painting I hadn't seen in a while, which is always a pleasure for me, like visiting an old friend.

And when Sarah asked what the charge would be, I said there is no charge!  But you can tip me if you like! 

So I want you to know that if you have a piece of mine, I want to make sure it is looking its best for as long as I can!  Please let me know if you have damage, or if I never varnished yours (I've been varnishing most work lately for added protection!) you can let me know and we'll get that done!  If you are out of town, I'd appreciate you covering shipping but I'll happily fix anything I can!

Luna again!

Feb 21, Water Moves

 I've been working on this one for a couple days, dreaming about Lake Superior and Grand Marais~ the water shifts and smooths the rocks, changing color, leaving streams of bubbles and foam. Its so fun to try to paint it, really looking, thinking about color and value. I love it!

And I'm just so pleased with this one!

We also went to the zoo today, and Duane got some awesome photos of otters. So there will definitely be more of those coming!

And don't forget to send me your cats!!

18x14 acrylic on canvas

$495

click here for purchase info~

Feb 18, The Nose Leads

 I need a better title for this-

I'm playing with my horse photos from Camp Mishawaka and I'm realizing I'm hitting the issue of not knowing the anatomy of my subject well enough. I need to draw more horses.

I'm pretty happy with this one, but. thee negative spaces are still bugging me...

Feb 16, Another Commission!

 This is another from my holiday season!  I've been painting bears and bunnies lately, and kicking in a few commissions as well. AND I'm getting my list together for my 30 Cats Project!  DO please send me your photos still!

And I went rock climbing again today! It's crazy how scary it can feel- last week was the first time I'd gone with the Auto Belay system, where you hook in and the rope has an automatic holding system, so if you let go or fall, you are gently let down to the incredibly padded ground. But there's still that instinctual fear of falling... last week I whimpered the first time I let myself fall, letting go a little shriek of fear.  And most of the time, I'd climb back down a bit before I'd let myself ride down.  This time, I went up really fast and further than I'd gone last time at all, but still freaked out when I looked down and saw one of my friends REALLY far below!  EEEEEEK!!

Still, I did make it all the way to the top! And every time I let myself go got just that much easier...

Learning curve, kids!

10x10 sold!~

Feb 15, Searching for Spring

 This just seems an appropriate title for this one...

My husband was just saying how long February feels, and I was saying "No!  It isn't that long!" and now, seeing we're just halfway through, and Groundhog's Day feels like a really long time ago, and this week is taking forever and its only Tuesday, I think he's got a point.

On a happier note, we spent the evening listening to local singer and songwriter Jeremy Messersmith play music from his home on the musical platform Bandcamp for an hour and a half, despite his having a cold.  He'd had to cancel an appearance at the Dakota last Saturday night because of laryngitis so I considered ourselves super lucky to be able to watch him play in his living room! And Duane and I were both singing along- I just love Jeremy!  Do you know his work? Here's a video of one of my favs of his- Tatooine~ it was just a great way to spend a Valentine's Evening!  Duane and Max made a gluten free peach cobbler and we enjoyed that while listening too~

Yay!  Oh, and this is one of the bears at the Minnesota Zoo- I am so happy with it! Look at that back foot... isn't the paw pad just the sweetest thing?

16x12 acrylic on canvas

$385

 inc shipping and tax!

CLICK HERE

Feb 14, Pixie, A Commission

 Here's a kitty for you!  Did you know I'm asking people to send me their photos of their cats? So that I can paint them for my "30 Cats in 30 Days" Project this March!  So send me YOUR cat photos!

This is Pixie!  And I think I need to lighten up some of the grey a little bit yet...

Doesn't she have a priceless expression?

SO catlike!

Click here for more info on this year's 30 Cats in 30 Days!

Sold!

Feb 11, 2022 "Black Ear and the Shadow"

 Dontcha love double numbers? Like eleven, and twenty-two? And despite it being so crazy cold, it was a gorgeous day! The sun came out and beamed through my skylights at school, and it was crispy and clear as I wandered over to the Salvation Army on Nicolet and 38th to drop off my trunkful of stuff. That always feels good to get that little task taken care of. And then I went and got a massage!!!!  First one since COVID.

Wow. Did THAT make a difference!  I highly recommend it- thank you Kathleen!

Here's another bunny painting from my photos at Indian Rock Beach, FL in 2016. I'm lucky I know how to find those photos from way back then, aren't I! I like the shape of the bun's head and that dark ear and the shadow shape...

These really are value studies, aren't they?

6x6 acrylic on wood

$83 includes SHIPPING and taxes!

click here!

Feb 10, Teddy at the Lighthouse

I entered this painting in the Open Air Painters show at 801 Gallery for their Structural show! It was a fun one to do- there were a few more people in there, and some more structural elements, but the light and the water and the lighthouse were all pretty close to this- it's the lighthouse at Grand Marais, in the summer...

And Teddy is such a fluffy butt in this pic, it's fun how the light goes thru her fur!

20x16 acrylic on canvas

$700

click here for purchase info!

Feb 7, Kitty!

 Another commission for you!  This is Kitty, and I was asked to make sure and include those pink ribbons on her ears~

Pretty sweet, ay?

Also, the Art Shanties are done for the year. :( So we have to devise more fun ways to spend our time with our friends!  I guess we can have more backyard fires and maybe even go eat at a restaurant or something!

Oh and woodcut printmaker Emily Gray Koehler just hung a lovely show at Diamond's Coffee in the Thorpe Building this weekend!  Her work will be up through March!

9x12 acrylic on wood

sold

Feb 6, Dark Bun

I'd taken my wedding rings off on Friday because I had an impromptu clay crew come in at the end of the day to quickly make some endangered animals, and I put them into the pocket of the jeans I was wearing. And then I forgot about them, until this evening when I was turning out baskets of laundry for washing and heard that little jingle...

Sometimes there's that little jingle to remind you of something important! 

Like a dark bunny!  

Hmmm.  Not sure that all tied in together as well as I'd hoped...

6x6 acrylic on wood

$83 inc tax and shipping!

Click here!

Feb 4, Another Commission...

 I seem to be a bit obsessed with sewing lately. It's another creative outlet of mine that I greatly enjoy, since it is more of a 3D creative thinking project than a painting. You have to think in the round, you know- and figure out how to make something fit better.

So commissions are great, because I can sew and then paint, and they are two separate things entirely. Is that a dangling participle there?

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

Feb 3, Sniffler the Bun

 Here's another bunny painting!  There are still a bunch more!  Hmm, what DO you call a bunch of rabbits? I know they live in a warren, and all from my love of "Watership Down"...

SO I looked it up, and you can call them a Colony, but why would you when you can also call a group of wild rabbits a FLUFFLE?!

Isn't that the best?

This is the Sniffler....

6x6 acrylic on wood

$83 incl tax and shipping!

Click HERE!

Feb 2, Sweet Bun

 Yes, another rabbit, another one of those free-range love-suckers wandering around behind the studio at Indian Island in Florida, in 2016~

I just love round little buttercups like this! And I wanted to post another painting today~ so I'm not so far behind in February already!

And don't worry, there are more bunnies coming... I love them way too much to stop now!  And I don't have good ground hog photos...

6x6 acrylic on wood

$83 including SHIPPING and TAX

Click here!

Feb 2, It's Our ANNIVERSARY!!!

 I love Groundhog's Day! It's our 14th Anniversary today, and Duane surprised me with a gorgeous book he made, "14 Flower, 14 Years" on the cover.  He hand cut every page as a flower with a sweet quote, and the flower and color coincide with the year- I was crying as I was looking through it. He's so good at surprises!  And I didn't get him anything!

Here's a couple photos~

14th Anniversary!