Today, in our ongoing series of profiles of Cat Lady Artists, I’m interviewing Tara Anderson, the creative spirit behind Ginger Cat Press.

Tara grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and studied illustration and fine art at the Ontario College of Art and Design. She worked for many years as a children’s bookseller before returning to painting and starting a new career as a cover artist and children’s book illustrator. She now lives on a 200-acre farm in Ontario where seven domestic cats and numerous barn cats provide inspiration.

Karen: Tara, introduce me to your cats!
Tara: I have seven cats. Blondie, Teddy, Red, Cooper, Oscar, Milo, Zoe, Gracie, and Bear.

Karen: Have you always been a cat person?
Tara: I have always been an animal person.
Cat, dog, bird or mountain lion, it doesn’t matter I just love animals. I ended up living with cats when I came to the country. My treasured childhood pet was a dog named Buffy. Buffy and I grew up together. We went everywhere together. In high school all my friends and I would walk her for hours after school. Back then I would have told you I was a dog person.
Karen: Teddy (right) is a cutie! Can we expect to see more paintings of him?
Tara: Ah Teddy… Teddy is Blondie’s son. He is a sweet shy boy. Generally I am the only person who is allowed to touch him. We decided as a family to keep Ted because he was so shy.
Shy cats often will end up in shelters just because they are so independent. We didn’t want this fate for Teddy. I constantly paint my cats so yes, Teddy will appear in future pieces.

Karen: What makes Ted a good subject?
Tara: Ted makes a good subject because I have a connection to him. All of the subjects in my art are like that. They come from my environment. I sometimes use photo reference for backup after I have many sketches. I like to draw and paint out of my head so I naturally draw what I know best. For me my best paintings come from the heart.

Karen: Do you foster kittens?
Tara: We live in the country on a large farm. Unfortunately people will often dump a cat rather than take it to a shelter. It is a sad tale. These lost souls are never fixed and when they are fortunate to escape the wild beasties they turn up at the farm for a meal. If I am unable to catch them right away I befriend them. Then I have them fixed. Sometimes I foster their offspring and find them homes. I have a gang of friendly cats that come and go on our property. We have a special barn for them that they hunker down in and I just keep working at winning them over and spaying them. I never have a hard time adopting a pet out to the right home.

Karen: On your blog, you wrote that Tigger — the orange ginger cat who figured prominently in your work — was the reason you started painting cats in the first place. Tell me a little bit about that, and why you paint cats.
Tara: Tigger. He was the most original cat I have ever known. He was a coveted member of my family. When I came to the country Tigger would come from the city for visits. After a while we became so attached my mom couldn’t bear to put him through the constant traveling. So he began living with me and Mom would come and visit him. Tigger did such funny things that it was only natural for me to paint him. He loved to talk in to the phone. He had many different types of meows. If something was wrong in the house he would come and find you. He was amazing and totally bizarre.

Tigger was like a little kid. He liked to sit in my lap when I was working on a painting. He would put his paws on the edge of my desk and watch. He was very good. He wouldn’t take off with my paint brush or anything. He would just watch. He was the best companion I have ever known. Tigger’s compelling nature was a natural inspiration for visual storytelling.

Karen: Which of your cats do you enjoy painting the most, and why?
Tara: I love painting any cat with a quirky personality.

Karen: What was your inspiration for your popular Ballet Cats series?
Tara: I used to dance when I was a girl. I was a ballet fanatic! I thought it would be a fun to combine the two. Cats are so graceful and athletic. They have such beautiful lines! It turned out nicely too. A fancy invoice with ballet cats in the margins led to my first children’s picture book; That Stripy Cat.

Karen: Do you paint cats other than your own?
Tara: Yes indeed I do. I have done cat portraits for friends and my customers from etsy.com.

Karen: Aside from Etsy, do you sell in other online venues or exhibit in galleries?
Tara: I mostly exhibit in coffee shops and craft stores, and have published work in magazines and children’s books. All of my links can be found on my blog: gingercatpress.blogspot.com.

Karen: Does tea time at your house include the cats?
Tara: Always. Tigger loved to take tea in the afternoon. Tea for me and a little catnip for my friends.

Ginger Cat Press is online:

• Buy online at the Ginger Cat Press Shop
• Tara’s Ginger Cat Press Blog

Today, as part of our ongoing series of profiles of Cat Lady Artists, I’m interviewing Shelagh Duffet of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’s hard to find one of Shelagh’s paintings that doesn’t have a cat somewhere within it. Her brilliant colors and primitive style portray a whimsical landscape that can’t help but make the viewer smile… and consider moving to Nova Scotia.

Karen: Shelagh, tell me a bit about the cats in your life and how they influence your work.
Shelagh: The funny thing about my work is that when I first really started painting cats, I only had a big Rhodesian Ridgeback dog named Sequoia. I do love cats and growing up, we had two Siamese cats named Topaz and Gigi. Topaz was the classic round, purry and motherly kind of cat, while Gigi was thin, neurotic and meowly. They both lived to be grand old dames. Our dog Sequoia passed away a few years ago and we now have Monty, a lovely large tabby cat who is my constant companion. Even as I sit here, he is trying to fit into my lap and as big cat, it is not an easy task!

Karen: I can relate! I have a 20-lb. tabby who has no idea how big he is. Have you always been a cat person?
Shelagh: Yes, I have. I do love cats but I love dogs too. Hard to choose between the two because they are so different.

Karen: Do you use Monty very often as a model in your work?
Shelagh: I’ve only painted Monty once. He’s the subject of Twilight Cat (right).

Karen: What inspired you to become an artist and sell your work?
Shelagh: I am self taught as an artist. I used to be a film editor and later a producer/director, so I have always worked with images. Even as a child I sketched a lot. When my daughter was born, I stayed home to look after her and wanted to find something I could do from home to earn money. Ebay was just coming online and I tried it to sell my art, was successful and still use it! I picked painting up ten years ago seriously and have not looked back since.

Karen: Have you always lived in Nova Scotia? Does it influence you?
Shelagh: I have spent most of my life in Nova Scotia. I lived in Toronto for a bit and Bermuda and have traveled extensively, but Nova Scotia is the place I come back to. It is a gorgeous province and Halifax where I live is just the perfect size. There are six Universities here and it is a Naval and shipping centre, so it has a vibrant and ever changing culture. I do lots of landscape pictures of Nova Scotia. It is so colorful and full of life.

Karen: Have you always used the brilliant, saturated “happy” colors in your work, or did that style evolve over time?
Shelagh: I am drawn to bright and happy colors. They lift my spirits and make me feel good. I have always painted with them. Occasionally I have ventured into pastels but always return to the color! Bright colors are like a big smile, you want to smile back!

Karen: Your grandmother, Alice, was part of the inspiration for the name of your shop. How has she influenced you?
Shelagh: I spent many weeks staying with my Grandmother in Scotland when growing up. She was an extraordinary woman. Small and feisty. My grandfather was a sea captain and away a lot. they had a small apartment when starting out in the bottom of a large set of flats across form a school. She decided to start a sweetie shop out of their home and eventually bought the entire building. One candy at a time, much to my Grandfather’s surprise. She was quite the business woman and I am inspired by her.

Karen: Of the work that’s currently for sale in your shop, which is your favorite?
Shelagh: Gosh, I have many favorites and they change constantly. I do like “All is Well”,” Twilight Cat”, “White House Lighthouse” and “Sunset Cottage”

Karen: You appear to be amazingly prolific! How many pieces do you paint per week?
Shelagh: It changes from week to week but I always manage to paint one to three at the very least. It is a matter of discipline. Just like going to work everyday. One doesn’t always feel like it but it has to be done. I find that once I sit, the ideas come to me and it is easy to get going, the more you do, the easier the inspiration:)

Karen: In addition to doing acrylic paintings, you’re also a photographer. Which do you prefer?
Shelagh: I prefer photography because it is so instant. Beauty is all around us and with one flick of the finger it can be captured. I find that when I have a camera in my hands, I look at the world with different eyes.

Karen: You also do corporate graphics, like the labels for Robbie’s Sauces.
Shelagh: Yes, I have done work for clients who have discovered me on the internet and it is always such a nice surprise. The internet has been responsible for the success I have!

Karen: I wish you continued success! Thanks for taking the time to chat with The Cat’s Meow.

Prints of Shelagh’s cat paintings can be found at Alice in Paris. Her prints are very affordable; most are only $20. You’ll also find her delightful Alice in Paris blog and other gallery sites on the web:

• Alice in Paris Blog
  
• Etsy prints of paintings: Alice in Paris
  
• Etsy photography
  
• Duffet Folk Art website
  
• Shelagh’s eBay shop
  
• Stock photos on Shutterstock
  
• Stamps for stampers

Her photography is available at the Love Me Boutique on Birmingham Street in Halifax NS.

Today I’m interviewing Kay Stahler of Kay’s K9s as part of my ongoing series on Cat Artists.

Yes, you read that right. But despite the name, Kay’s K9s doesn’t discriminate by species and embraces cats and other animals in the subjects she sculpts.

And her miniature sculptures are enchanting. Made of wool through a process called “felting,” she creates purrfect replicas of cherished pets. Her clients can even send bits of their pets’ fur to be incorporated into the sculpture, providing a great way to memorialize the furry members of your family.

Karen: Kay, do your pets influence your work?
Kay: I think they do. In between custom orders, I enjoy creating miniatures scenes with my needle felted animals. The inspiration for a lot of these scenes comes from my experiences with my own pets. For example, I’ll soon be offering a scene with a Jack Russell Terrier digging holes in a yard while a mole is poking its head up behind him. That scene was inspired by my own Jack Russell, who spent countless hours waiting patiently beside a mole hole in my own backyard.

Karen: How long have you been making these felt animals?
Kay: I’ve been making my felted Kritters for about two and a half years.

Karen: How did you learn the felting process?
Kay: I first heard about needle felting online a few years ago. I’ve always been the type to enjoy trying my hand at a new craft, so I ordered a kit off of Ebay. After learning the basics from that kit, I started teaching myself and creating dogs based on my own techniques.

Karen: Can you describe the felting process?
Kay: Simply put, needle felting is the process of taking raw wool roving and using a special barbed needle to sculpt it into shape. The sculpting is done by poking the wool fibers thousands of times until they interlock and felt together. This process is extremely time-consuming, and each sculpture normally takes 15 – 30 hours to create.

Karen: Is it a difficult process, or is it easy to learn?
Kay: I would say it’s the same as most other art forms – easy to learn but difficult to master. The concept of painting is very simple (dip brush in paint, run brush along canvas, repeat) but of course it takes years to develop technique, not to mention it requires a certain level of innate artistic ability. Felting is very similar. Everyone can learn it to varying degrees (it’s an extremely simple concept of poking wool with a needle) but not everyone can master it in the same way.

Karen: I’m always struck by what phenomenally accurate likenesses your sculptures portray. Of the 15-30 hours it takes you to make a sculpture, what percentage of that time is spent fine-tuning the facial expression and likeness to make them so realistic?
Kay: It can take anywhere from a day to 2-3 days to complete the finishing touches on a sculpture (facial details, final posing etc). I always send photos of finished custom sculptures for customer approval prior to shipment. At times, I will get a customer who is rather particular about the details. In those situations, the fine-tuning has sometimes required over a week! Under normal circumstances though, I spend a day on the facial features.

Karen: Are there any breeds that you find difficult to sculpt?
Kay: Tabby cats have been the most difficult so far, due to the very detailed and specific markings. I do enjoy being challenged though, it helps me bring out my creative side.

Karen: Of the sculptures you’ve created, do you have a favorite?
Kay: If I had to choose a favorite, it would be a Rat Terrier sculpture that I made almost 2 years ago. I made that sculpture as a gift for my mother, and it was a replica of the family dog we had growing up and tragically lost to Cushing’s Disease 5 years ago. She had tears in her eyes when she saw it and she has treasured it ever since. I know it has brought her a lot of comfort, which makes it one of the best gifts I could have given her.

Karen: What is the biggest size that you’ve felted?
Kay: I once created a Boxer that was 8” tall and about 12” long. I massively underestimated the work involved, and severely undercharged it. That one sculpture is the reason I limit my sculptures to 4” body length (about 6-7” including cats tails). I would have to charge insane prices to offer sculptures that size, as they would end up taking me several weeks each!

Karen: Why do most of your customers buy these sculptures? Are they all commemorating deceased animals, are they purchasing gifts for friends?
Kay: I generally have quite a variety of customers. I’ve had several who order a sculpture of a recently deceased pet, frequently sending me some of that animal’s fur to include in the sculpture as a memorial. Others have ordered from me upon receiving the devastating news that their pet is terminally ill.

I’ve also had several sculptures ordered as gifts (I deal with a lot of husbands ordering for their wives around Christmas).

Most customers seem to order a sculpture of their pets while they are still living, which is easier on me emotionally. Having gone through the heartbreak of losing a pet myself, it can be a very emotional process to work with grieving pet owners.

Karen: But even as difficult as it is, it must be gratifying to be able to provide a pet owner with such a stunning memorial.
Kay: Yes. In fact, earlier in the year I had a customer contact me about ordering a sculpture of her seal-point Himalayan. Her cat had just been tragically diagnosed with kidney failure, so she knew she had only a limited amount of time before she would be required to say goodbye. She told me how excited she was to discover my work because she had been searching for a way to immortalize her kitty.

She sent me some of Camille’s fur, and also some of her whiskers, to be included in the sculpture. This way she would always have a part of Camille with her, even after she had moved on to Rainbow Bridge.

Hearing how much my work means to people, and how much it can comfort them during such devastating times in their lives, brings me so much joy. I truly love working with my customers to memorialize their cherished pets.

Karen: Thanks, Kay, for taking the time to talk with me about your work. You really capture the souls of the pets you portray.

You can find Kay online:

• Kay’s K9s on Etsy
• Kay’s K9s website
• Kay’s K9s Blog

A portion of all proceeds from Kay’s K9s sales is donated to the Ontario SPCA and local animal shelters. By purchasing from Kay’s K9s, you help support animals in need.

Don’t forget! You can leave a comment on this post for an entry in The Cat’s Meow’s giveaway of a custom oil painting of your cat by Linden Alley.

Cat Lady Artist Susan Faye has an August giveaway I know you’ll love: she’s giving away one of your choice of three cat lady totes (two are shown here.)

This giveaway has a fun twist: you have to submit a kitty haiku. Should be fun!

To enter, go to Susan’s blog, 365 Cat Ladies, and leave your haiku in the comments field of the contest post. The winner will be chosen at the end of the month. You can enter through August 31st.

To find out more about Cat Lady Artist Susan Faye, check out her interview in The Cat’s Meow.

Good Luck!

As part of my continuing series on artists for whom cats figure prominently as subjects of their work, today I’m interviewing Alison Kurek of Buffalo, New York.

Alison’s early artistic career focused on photographic imagery, often social commentary pieces. Over the years, her style mellowed, becoming more playful. Her work is aimed at people who just need some smile therapy.

Although she still creates photographs, her repertoire has expanded to include polymer clay, ceramics and acrylic paintings. She often mixes it up in her current work, so probably best fits into the “mixed media artist” category.

Alison is a Buffalo native and a graduate of the State University College at Buffalo. Her work has been sold through galleries, shops and art festivals for over 15 years and is held in numerous collections throughout the United States.

Karen: First off, Alison, please tell me about your cats.

Alison: I have 2 cats. Mylo: a 2-year-old gray tuxedo and Livee : a 1-year-old tortie. Mylo has kicked off my tuxedo cat craze. They’re self-supporting (it’s hard work being a model), they have a lot of energy and they make me laugh quite often so how can they not inspire me?

Karen: Have you always been a cat person?

Alison: No. I grew up with dogs and didn’t have a cat move in with me until I was in my 20s. They grew on me rapidly though and for a number of years I had four. Chester, one of my original cats, was truly the inspiration for my first pieces of cat art.

Karen: How long have you been working in polymer clay?

Alison: Over ten years. Maybe as long as 13 years but I can really put an official start date on it.

Karen: Are your own cats the models for your work, or is your work the product of a vivid imagination?

Alison: Well — Mylo and Live would like to claim that they are responsible for all of my current work — but I let my imagination run wild a bit.

Karen: You imbue your mini sculptures with so much personality! Do you plan a certain “mood” before you begin each sculpture, or does it take on a life of its own as you work with it?

Alison: Both depending on the day/specific piece of work. My 3D “Fat Cats” pretty much all start out the same way and find their personality along the way; but my mixed media pieces start out with a painting first — so the cat’s attitude, position, coloring, etc. has to work with the painting. When I work on custom orders the wishes/requests of the customer play heavily into what the final outcome will be.

Karen: Your “Cat Out of the Bag” photo (right) is heartwarming. How did you capture that perfect shot at just the right moment?

Alison: Ah, that’s my Chester. He was a fabulous, FAT tiger with a mountain of personality. That photo was all about being in the right place at the right time — Chester had a bit of an attitude and was NOT one to take direction well. He was the inspiration for my Fat Cat on Edge series.

Karen: Which breed of cat do you most enjoy portraying?

Alison: I can’t say that I’d really choose one over the other — other than to say that most of my creations are of domestic short hairs. Polymer clay doesn’t lend itself well to making furry, long-haired cats (or at least I haven’t figured out how) — and my own cats have all been domestic short hairs. I had a fabulous calico named Jane for many years — so you’ll still find a lot of calicos in my work, along with tigers and tuxedos. I’ve been trying to getting the speckled, brindle coloring of my tortie Livee but am struggling a bit with that.

Karen: Do you ever do custom sculptures?
Alison: Yes — quite often. I work from pictures or from descriptions and match hair and eye color while working names into titles.

Karen: Which of your current works is your favorite?

Alison: I’ve been having a blast with ACEOs! They’re quick and fun and offer flexibility that larger pieces of art work don’t allow.

Karen’s note: “ACEO” is an acronym for Art Cards Editions and Originals. ACEOs always measure 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches, the size of a standard sports trading card. Other than size, there are no other restrictions or limitations, and they can be created in any medium, including but not limited to paper, canvas, wood, clay, fabric and metal.

Karen: Aside from Etsy, do you sell in other online venues or exhibit in galleries?

Alison: I sell ACEOs (mostly cats) on eBay under user name: aekurek. I have a Facebook site, and a blog at alisonekurek.com.

Karen: Thanks for the interview, Alison. I really enjoyed learning about the cats behind the art!

Check out Alison’s online store. You’ll find that her work is affordable, with most pieces going for less than $20–a great gift idea for the crazy cat lady in your life… or you!

Find Alison Online:

• Alison’s Etsy Shop: Conservatively Outrageous Designs
• Become a Fan of Alison on Facebook
• Follow Alison’s Blog: AllisonEKurek.com

The 365 Cat Ladies Blog is sponsoring a great giveway for July: THREE crazy cat ladies (or lads) will win the Peaceable Kingdom print shown above. All you have to do is drop by the blog and leave a comment in the giveaway entry post describing your cat’s favorite game. Winners have the option of a “with text” or “no text” version.

Entry Deadline: 31 JULY

Darlene Pucillo (who goes by “Puci”) is an artist based in Spokane, Washington. For most of her professional life she focused on fine art paintings. Within the last couple of years, however, she’s branched out into pet portraiture, much to her clients’ delight. Darlene put the paintbrush down for a few minutes to chat with me about her work.

Karen: First things first! Tell me a little about your favorite pet.
Darlene: As a teenager growing up in San Francisco, my constant companion through that difficult adolescent passage was Alfie, a Maltese-Poodle. Alfie and I would walk in Golden Gate Park almost every day. When I returned home from school, there he was in the window waiting for me. And, as I lay on the rug in the living room doing my homework, he would curl up on my back and nap. He lived to see me through school and out on my own.

Karen: You’ve been painting over 30 years, but just recently began painting pets. What prompted you to take the plunge into pet portraiture?
Darlene: I’m still perfecting my skills as a painter–thirty years of painting helps with that. But inspiration is not a skill that can be perfected. It comes suddenly and mysteriously and can leave just as quickly. For me, inspiration arrived one day in the form of a realization that, with my talent of composition using Photoshop combined with my skill as a painter, could enable me to offer owners of animals affordable portraits of their beloved companions.

I had been considering the idea of doing pet portraiture for sometime before I finally launched my online venture while living in Portland, Oregon. Per capita, Portland has a huge population of pet lovers.

I built an online following for my artwork. Sometimes the portraits are done to memorialize a pet that has died. Often the response to these portraits will give a touching insight into the strong emotional bond people have with their animals.

Now relocated to Spokane, I continue to pursue my artistic muse as well as my business of pet portraiture.

Karen: You continue to produce fine art paintings in addition to the pet paintings. Which do you prefer?
Darlene: I love it all, really. I just love to paint and specifically with oil paints. The great thing about the pet portraits is the immediate satisfaction from my customers as well as the assured income.

Karen: How many pet portraits have you completed?
Darlene: I’ve painted about 150 pet portraits to date.

Karen: Do you only paint in oils, or do you also work in other media?
Darlene: Art school, of course, introduces the student to a variety of methods for visual expression, but oil paints continue to captivate me. I love the rich color and consistency of oil paints, the slow drying time and the passion that emerges when paint, brush and painting surface unite.

I’ve also come to appreciate the digital media. It seems magical what an accomplished artist/designer can achieve with a program such as Adobe Photoshop. (This is how I compose my pet portraits for client approval.)

Karen: Do customers ever send you photos that just won’t work for a painting?
Darlene: Yes. That is an issue. A photo with poor resolution or other issues is very difficult to work with, so I try to obtain as many photos as I can to mix-and-match. But when a good photo is just not available, I find that a whole body portrait of the pet surrounded by a well planned background area will successfully convey the personality/essence of the pet.

Karen: Your final paintings seem much more vibrant and alive than the photos on which they are based. What sort of reaction do your clients have when they see the final product?
Darlene: I’ll answer that question with some of my client’s reactions to the finished portrait:

“Hi Darlene-…my friend Katy was so overwhelmed with the painting- she just couldn’t believe how well you captured him- she said the same thing I did- that a painting is surely a much better option over just a plain old photo…” she is getting it matted and framed and hanging it over her fireplace! She said “gorgeous” and then she cried- so thank you again for giving her something she will have forever as a happy reminder of Charlie!”

“Wow! you have an amazing talent….thank you. It looks so much more like her – more alive than the photos can capture.. I love it.”

“Hi Darlene! YES we received the painting and it is absolutely stunning! My dad just about fell over when he saw it…”

“Darlene,
That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. You did a marvelous job. I just can’t thank you enough. I miss him so much. You made me cry but then I have a hard time stopping these days.”

Karen: Are most of the paintings purchased as gifts, as memorials of deceased pets, or by people who just want to see their pets in oil?
Puci: Probably all three. Many of my customers who commission a pet portrait for themselves will commission more portraits of their family of pets. Many gift commissions are at Christmastime, on birthdays and the like. The memorial portraits are the most poignant commissions.

Karen: In addition to cats, dogs, and their people, do you paint any other types of animals?
Darlene: I’ve incorporated many pets and animals into my other paintings over the years, including horses, tigers, monkeys, hummingbirds, parrots, seagulls, frogs, fish… Currently I’m working on a project that involves endangered species.

Karen: Which is your favorite breed of cat to paint?
Darlene: I enjoy painting Ragdolls and other longhaired cats because the long fur can be painted in loose, long brushstrokes. Tabbies are also fun because the markings are always so unique to each cat. The eyes of a cat are most amazing.

Karen: Of all the cat portraits you’ve done, which is your favorite?
Darlene: My portrait of Target (part of my personal collection) is probably my favorite. Target was so special to me and my husband. He was so cool. He was a Tuxedo Cat who sort of adopted us and our apartment when his owner took off for Germany and left Target with the roommate. We called Target the Frank Sinatra of Cats.

Karen: In addition to your website and Etsy, do you sell your work elsewhere?
Darlene: I exhibit in galleries and I also exhibit in the cafes, restaurants and coffee houses that appeal to me. An example of a great coffee house venue for my pet portraits would be The Iron Mutt in Beaverton, Oregon.

Karen: I know my readers will want to know where they can see your work. If they don’t live in the Pacific Northwest, can they find you online?
Darlene: They sure can! I have a broad online presence, including the following sites:

• Darlene Pucillo Art: http://www.darlenepucilloart.com
• Etsy
• Facebook
• eBay
• Artfire
• PetLeeg
• The Pet Boutique Blog

Karen: Thanks, Darlene, for taking the time to let us have a peek into your creative life! It’s been a real visual treat getting to see your work!

You can commission a painting from Darlene, and it won’t break the bank. An 8″X8″ oil painting is $85; an 8″X10″ is $105, and a 16″X20″ painting is $210. It’s a purrfect way to commemorate a cherished family pet.

And, if you follow Darlene on Facebook, you can get sneak previews of her latest work!

[IMAGES: All images are the copyright of Darlene Pucillo.]

TO ENTER: Go to 365 Cat Ladies and leave a comment on the contest post to enter, describing you and your cat’s dream vacation.

If you want to learn more about the crazy cat lady behind the 365 Cat Ladies site, check out The Cat’s Meow’s interview with Susan Faye.

Today I’m interviewing Susan Faye (left), a self-avowed Crazy Cat Lady artist who creates brilliant watercolor portraits of cats and the people who love them.

Susan calls the Pacific Northwest her home, and her love of animals and nature is reflected in her gorgeous watercolors. Her popular blog, 365 Cat Ladies, showcases a new Cat Lady painting (and the occasional cat guy) and story every day.

If you’re a Laurel Burch fan (and what crazy cat lady isn’t?), you’ll love Susan’s brilliant washes of saturated color and whimsical designs. Even if you can’t afford a custom painting, you can indulge in one of her ACEOs (an artist trading card the size of a baseball card), magnets, or other merchandise. Just strolling through her Etsy shop or 365 Cat Ladies blog makes me happy! It’s guaranteed to lift your spirits as well.

Karen: Before we start, Susan, tell me about your cats!
Susan: I’m afraid that my status as a Crazy Cat Lady may be in serious jeopardy as I currently have only one indoor cat, Buttonwillow (photo at right).

In my defense, I lost two beloved cats last year and am still too heartbroken to replace them, quickly passing boxes of “Free Kittens” with averted eyes. I also feed two outdoor “strays” that live in my back yard, Smokey Joe and Sweet Pea–and as we all know, the Cat Lady Rule of Thumb is “if you name ‘em, they’re yours”.

Karen: Boy, do I know that rule by heart. Have you always been a Cat Lady?
Susan: Cats have been a part of my life since I was about 6, when our family adopted “Patches”, a skittish calico cat that our veterinarian neighbor gave to us. In hindsight, I realize she must have been feral, as she lived out most of her life behind a couch on the screen porch or in the rafters of the garage–at the time I just thought she was shy like me. Since then, a long and illustrious list of fantastic felines have shared their lives with me.

Karen: Did you always want to be an artist?
Susan: “Have crayons, will doodle” pretty much sums up my childhood. Creativity through the arts was a great way for a very quiet and painfully shy girl to express herself, and thanks to great parents, art supplies were always at hand.

I dabbled my way through my teenage years exploring drawing, painting, embroidery, sewing, knitting, crochet, ceramics, macrame, and yes, even decoupage (you youngsters might have to Google that one). You name it, I dabbled.

Karen: Have you always painted cats?
Susan: Cats have been a continuous thread through my creations over the years which have included greeting cards, a line of silk-screened giftware, ceramic sculpture, porcelain jewelry, and most recently–watercolor painting. The other themes that I like to use are nature, wildlife, the desert, and gardens.

Karen: Your style is very distinctive. Has it evolved significantly over the years, or have you always favored those luscious brilliant colors and flat geometry?

Susan: As a confirmed dabbler, I’d have to say that my styles are always changing and slowly morphing because I like to try lots of different things. I’m currently torn between the graphic-art, illustrative “Cat Ladies” style and the more representational, detailed style of my traditional watercolor paintings (which can be seen at my other blog www.susanfaye.blogspot.com) . I love luminescent, glowing, transparent jewel-like colors. They make my heart sing, and I hope they have the same effect on others.

Karen: It certainly has that effect on me! Tell me a little about your 365 Cat Ladies project and blog.
Susan: I began painting Cat Ladies from my imagination a little over a year ago when I discovered the Wonderful World of ACEOs–little art cards that are the size of baseball cards. After successfully selling them on Ebay for most of the year, I decided to give Etsy a try.

Sometime in September a wonderful husband of a Cat Lady sent me a query, wondering if I might do a custom painting of his wife, who had just lost the cat-love-of-her-life. Having just lost the cat-love-of-my-life and still in deep mourning, I decided to give it a try, although I didn’t have high hopes of success. He gave it to her as a surprise gift and it made her weep, which of course made me weep. The rest is history, as they say, and I began offering Custom portraits on Etsy.

Inspired by several different groups of Daily Painters, I decided to start my 365 Cat Ladies blog on January 1st of this year. I thought it would be a fun challenge, but knew full well that as a flaky-artist-type I couldn’t be relied upon to actually paint one each day (that would require rigid discipline, and we all know how artists feel about rigid discipline!). So I gave myself permission to supplement my daily blog with many of the images I had in reserve from over the past year. So far, so good, but the reserves are running out. Yikes, I’d better get back to work!

Karen: Will you continue the 365 Cat Ladies project after 2009 ends?
Susan: If I make it to the finish line, I will dance a little jig on New Year’s Day, and then probably maintain the blog with just ONE Cat Lady per week. I’m not crazy you know..

Karen: Where do the Cat Lady stories for the 365 Cat Ladies blog come from?
Susan: Some Cat Ladies are real, and some are imagined… Whenever I do a commission, I ask permission to use the portrait on the blog, and ask for any stories or interesting tidbits they would like to share. You can’t believe the wonderful Cat Ladies I’ve had the pleasure of “meeting” from every corner of the USA and also from points beyond such as Great Britain, Canada, and Australia! They’ve included astronomers, authors, librarians, web designers, vet technicians, pet sitters, teachers, fellow artists, and even a dog lover or two. Each one has a heartwarming story to tell.

The imagined stories are little writing exercises for me–I try to find a little prompt, such as something interesting I have discovered on the web, then see if I can create characters and a little story around it. I enjoy writing almost as much as creating artwork!

Karen: How long does it take for you to create a custom cat lady painting?
Susan: The time varies based on the number of people and pets, and the size of the piece. The final painting itself may take anywhere from one to four hours to complete, but there are many exchanges of e-mails and photos and I usually do a thumbnail sketch first– so depending on my schedule, the whole process can take anywhere from one to four weeks for the client to receive the finished product.

Karen: Who commissions your custom cat lady paintings? Are they mostly purchased as gifts?
Susan: They are almost always gifts–for sisters, husbands, wives, daughters, and neighbors as holiday, birthday, or anniversary gifts. The most touching commissions are those given in memory of recently departed cat-loves.

Karen: In addition to selling your work online (Etsy, CafePress), do you also sell through galleries or art fairs?
Susan: As a veteran of almost 20 years of craft fairs and art festivals, I have retired the canopy and gypsy caravan in favor of the newfangled internet, proving that you CAN teach an old dog (or cat!) new tricks. I am currently selling my Cat Ladies online through Etsy and Cafepress only; plus my traditional watercolor paintings are currently represented by Lawrence Gallery here in the Great Pacific Northwest.

Find Susan’s Work Online:

• The 365 Cat Ladies Blog
• Susan’s Etsy Store, including custom cat lady paintings
• Susan’s CafePress Store – Susan Faye Originals
• Susan’s CafePress Store: Susan Faye’s Art & Gifts for Nature Lovers
• Susan’s Exquisite Portfolio of Nature Images
• Susan’s “Picture Show” Blog
• Buy Susan’s original watercolors through The Lawrence Gallery