Friday, June 19, 2009

Stripes

I delivered the poppy painting to my client yesterday and found myself apologizing for putting stripes on the ferret she had requested. I don't think ferrets have stripes. Fortunately she liked the stripes. It got me thinking, though, about my inspiration. Does anyone else remember these Kliban cats from the '70s or '80s. Didn't everyone have a calendar or coffee mug with these guys on it? Having grown up with them as part of my life I think they are making themselves felt in my painting. My other striped influence is, of course, my cat Opal.





3 comments:

  1. I think that everything looks better in stripes. Or polka dots. Probably not both but I do like pattern.

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  2. I'm not sure if ferrets have stripes, but I'm sure under your graceful hand, the stripes are a lovely addition.

    I do remember those cartoons and all the smiling fat cats doing silly things!

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  3. Opal is adorable and our now-departed cat Hank was also a stripy guy (brown tabby, sweetest fellow on earth while he was on it). I was a big fan of the Kliban cats, someone gave me a t-shirt recently and it's my favorite to wear around kids because the cat is eating a bunch of sushi and if you look closely, one is a mouse on a ball of rice. Ew. I remember a card that had the kitty strumming a guitar and singing "Love to eat them mousies, mousies' what I love to eat. Bite they tiny heads off, and nibble on they tiny feet!" Sorry, gross, but I found it hysterical when I was in 6th grade or so. I like that your ferret had stripes, glad your client did too.

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