Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"Here is Leo once again in happier days relaxing in the morning sun. Sadly he recently crossed over the rainbow bridge after nearly two decades as my friend Stephanie's constant companion. I have been sitting on this reference for a while, waiting for the right time to use it. I've been in an artistic funk (again) and he has helped me through it. Thanks, Leo!
16 comments:
Popped on by and was glad to be greeted by another beauty! Glad you are out of your 'funk', cuz I've been wondering where you went! Hope all is well.
the light shining on this kitty and dancing around pillow is grsnd... love his soft face and sleepy expression.
Thanks for stopping by Brenda. It's nice to know I haven't lost everyone since the creative drought.
Thanks, Diane. (...and thanks for dinner last night - it was delicious, as always.)
Leo was a big love and sleeping seemed to be his raison d’être. I really like the light in this piece.
I think this is stunning. Oh how I love the cushion. Beautiful face of kitty.
How do YOU get in a funk? I'm in one but it's because I can't do what you do!
I never even met Leo, and your painting makes me miss petting his soft, sweet self. Ya done good!
Thanks, Nancy. A few years ago I posted this bit of wisdom on my blog and it bears repeating. Robert Henri’s book - The Art Spirit should be required reading for all artists . Among his random bits of artistic philosophy, he reminds us that we will have bad days:
"All things change according to the state we are in. Nothing is fixed. I lived once in the top of a house, in a little room, in Paris. I was a student. My place was a romance. It was a mansard room and it had a small square window that looked out over housetops, pink chimney pots. I could see l’Institut, the Pantheon and the Tour Saint James. The tiles on the floor were red and some of them were broken and out of place. There was a little stove, a wash basin, a pitcher, piles of my studies. Some hung on the wall, others accumulated dust on their backs. My bed was a cot. It was a wonderful place. I cooked two meals and ate dinner outside. I used to keep the camembert out of the window on the mansard roof between meals, and I made fine coffee, and made eggs and macaroni. I studied and thought, made compositions, wrote letters home full of hope of some day being an artist.
It was wonderful. But days came when hopes looked black and my art student’s paradise was turned into a dirty little room with broken tile, ashes fell from the stove, it was all hopelessly poor, I was tired of camembert and eggs and macaroni, and there wasn’t a shade of significance in those delicate little chimney pots, or the Pantheon, the Institute, or even the Tour Saint James."
Thanks, Deb {:-)>
Mark...i am sobbing..but it is ok. i know it was not your intention but it is good for me to keep going through the loss. the way you captured his fur in the sun light makes me crave for his warm and soft body and the solid form of his muzzle brings back so many moments when he defined me with just his facial expressions. Thank you for helping me to never forget how lucky i was to have him and how awesomely gorgeous he was while basking in the sun. Your colors, brush stoke and composition are just as beautiful as he was...
Stephanie
Thanks, Stephanie. I hope it wasn't too soon. I painted Theo for Susan as a Christmas gift and the wound was too fresh. The painting is yours by the way, when you are ready for it.
no, it was perfect timing...and now we have two new kittens in the house to help heal away the loss of leo and mezz. you guys need to plan to come over and see them before they are all grown up. kids grow up fast you know;)
thanks for thinking of leo and me!
Mark!
Gosh, this is good for so many reasons!
Love the intense reds of the pillow/couch against the dingy greens of the background.
Leo's half-awake pose is a hoot and his wild hair must've been a challenge but fun to paint!
Great job here!
-Dean
Thanks, Dean. This painting is one of my favorite small panels. I am quite happy with it.
I'll admit that I'm not a cat fan, but this painting is really appealing.
I don't hold that against you. Even Ailurophobes are welcome here. Thanks, Curtis.
Leo is a sweetie!
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