Cous Cous the Puss Puss

 Cous Cous is a farm cat. Born in the barn and claimed by my boy when she was just a fur ball of a kitten cat.

       She is our first pet and she has moved with us over the years. Cous Cous pre dates all the dogs and quite often comes with us all for the last stroll of the day. In the woods with three dogs and a cat. Causes other walkers some delight to see such a sight.

Our Collie practices its sheep dog herding skills whenever the daft cat is on the prowl in the house, and I am convinced the cat goes out of its way to wind the dog up to the max. She also has a bad habit of sitting on the keyboard when I am working at the computer or standing on my watercolour pad when I am painting....! So cute, I know, but also quite annoying!

Blue Whiskers

 

Cats are a theme I have in my artwork and they appear from time to time in my watercolours such as ‘cat in a courtyard’ and ‘the long walk home’ as well as the more light hearted ‘CATalitic’ and ‘CAT a tonic’. ‘Blue Whiskers’ is a little watercolour sketch I did many, many years ago and has stayed with me as my logo and working title for art cards.

 

 

 

Cats have that independence and elegance that dogs seldom achieve. I often consider cats to be like women and dogs like men.... and I have suffered some abuse over the years for drawing this comparison... but, its just my opinion. Women and cats are independent and elegant, offer affection on their terms, and are incredible hunters. Men and Dogs are much simpler in character. Not too fussy about cleanliness, eat anything and are often far to keen to be affectionate....  I have a close bond with the dogs, and they are integral to my day-to-day life. The cat lives with us, eats our food, and from time to time play fights with me... until I bleed.

Chocolate Orange

 

 I enjoy drawing cats and I like the elegant shapes they pose. Perhaps there mystique draws me to them and adds greatly to the story of a painting. Where has it been? Where does it go? Who did it meet and what adventure has unfolded between then and now. It’s probably best we don’t know and thank the gods of fate they return safely.

The Cat will stay with me as a feature of my artistic endeavours.