Day One

The new piece has begun and even better, I have new colors on the palette. :).  I worked on the drawing yesterday and finished it this morning.  After lunch, I began putting wax medium on my board.  This one is a vertical, 18” x 12”.  I already know that I’ve started with too thin a layer of wax, so I’ll start tomorrow with a couple of layers of clear medium.  This first layer of pigment will recede more than I’d like, but I’ll reclaim it as I go.

At the end of my work day, I spend time with my studio cats — today, Smooch is feeling a little under the weather.  Unlike Noah, he normally isn’t effected by allergies but his eye was bothering him today.  I’m anxious to check on him in the morning.  Smooch is my dog lover — every dog that comes in has to be investigated.  Sweet Smooch.  

Carm, Sophie, and Pandora

I may be the only encaustic artist who works with a cat assistant.  As I carved into the wax today, Carmela was pulling the wax curls off the piece with her teeth.  Then she decided she wanted to sit in my lap.  And yes, the whole time white cat hair is wafting up into the air.  It is RIDICULOUS!!!!  

But let me tell you, life with Carm has been ridiculous from the moment I met her.  I surrendered long ago.  My sanity was saved by Pandora.  I rediscovered my headphones this morning and plugged in.  Evidently Adele has taken over MUSIC as we know it.  She’s everywhere!!

A good painting day in spite of the cat hair.  I ended the day with a quick run to pick up an 8 month old English Shepherd mix and deliver her to her foster mom. Sophie was in a shelter with dangerously high euthanasia stats.  She’s now safe and I loved spending an hour with her in rush hour traffic

Wild Kingdom

George Gray was born in a shed and was one wild baby kitten!  His Mama is Vespa, a well known Five Points lady :) and his Dad was “Big George”. I took his litter in and fostered them.  George would have gone to an adopter like his brothers and sisters but he met with an unfortunate accident while staying at my house!  While he was sitting on the floor minding his own business, another cat tipped a piece of ornamental ironwork over on him.  Poor George suffered a severe head injury — I rushed him to the vet with blood coming out of both eyes and his nose and he was slipping out of consciousness.  I thought little George was gone.  The vet didn’t offer much hope but she gave him a steroid shot to control the swelling and I took him home to see what would happen.  

George recovered!  He’s never been exactly normal but what’s normal for a cat anyway?  One of his issues as a result of his accident is he doesn’t understand “cat etiquette”.  Good manners?  What’s that?  Wait your turn?  Why?  George has to live with a handpicked group of cats or he gets in big trouble.  He STAYS in trouble with Carmela but that’s unavoidable.  Actually, his total lack of fear comes in handy with Carmela.  The other boys at the studio are totally submissive - perfect companions for George.  Of course, he has stayed with me.  He doesn’t make new human friends easily and no one understands him like I do.  He did forgive me for not having a kitten safe zone, thank goodness.  I think George and I will be pals forever.