Country Heart

"Autumn Coon" 12x16 Pastel Painting

Even though I live closer to a city now, my heart will always be in the country. Honestly, the country is where I plan to be again someday. For now, I love taking lots of photos while I am out exploring the many parks here. I am never short of creative ideas when surrounded by all the crisp golden leaves damp with morning dew, smells of apples and pumpkin spice, and squirrels and chipmunks scurrying over the dirt paths as they work hard on this years harvest. I love this time of year!

This kitty is another cutie I have cared for through my pet care business. He is a very regal, affectionate cat and I was able to get some very majestic photos of him to work from for this painting. So this is a rustic, yet sophisticated, country autumn scene. 🎨😊

Black cats are traditionally used in Halloween art and the superstition behind them finds them in more cat shelters than other cats. In reality, their color is just the product of genetics, but their image still goes beautifully among the golden hues of the autumn season. So here I included in my autumn cat series, a regal black cat who would prefer to play in the leaves, eat some treats, and snooze in a pumpkin patch. 🐈🍁🍂

Wild Roots

"Wild Roots" 11x17 Pastel Drawing

This week's drawing was inspired by a book I came across at the library called "The Cat Encyclopedia". The book includes a small introduction to the history of cats. I have been hearing a common opinion lately, also expressed briefly in the book, that cats are not truly domesticated. My veterinarian shares this opinion.

The photo I used for this drawing came about because my cat was exploring a small ledge in our basement. She was drawn to its narrow path and its height above the floor. I immediately took some photos thinking this would be her in the wild, scaling trees and keeping an eye on the world below her.

I want to share a statistic from the book that I found interesting. Under the section titled "Cat species around the world" it states, "Wildcats are successful in evolutionary terms in that they were once widespread and found in many different habitats, but most species are now either endangered or threatened. In contrast, there are an estimated 600 million domestic cats worldwide."

I find it ironic that we care more for the smaller version of the wild cats than the wild cats themselves. There must be an instinctual, or perhaps more habitual reason, that humans take compassion for some animals, and not others.

So in the spirit of staying true to our natures, watch your fur baby for signs of  their wild roots and appreciate where they came from. They are survivors, instinctual and probably have a better grasp of the natural world than we do, despite humans imposing domestication.

Spring into Change

Springtime to me always feels like an opportunity for change. If I feel like my life is on repeat, then Spring is a great chance to begin again.

 As many of my followers know, my family and I moved from southeastern PA to the Cleveland OH area recently. I love it here! Despite many unforeseen events since we got here, hey that's life you know, I am having a great time taking in the new sites, meeting new people, and the varied (and much larger) wildlife here.

My fur babies, seen in the paintings here, endured the long drive by car to get here. It wasn't too long before they found their favorite new spots in our home. I think they are also enjoying watching the larger wildlife outside. :)

My pet care business is slow to start, and no new art as of yet, but with Spring in the air now, I am filled with creative inspiration. I look forward to continuing my art work here in Ohio and meeting new clients and fur babies. There's nothing like walking a dog in the Spring rain or working on a drawing until my hands are covered in art colors. Now get outside and get dirty! -SB

It's Harvest Time!

Welcome to my new blog!
There's nothing like a warm mug of apple cider and colorful leaves falling outside to inspire me to draw. I have enjoyed doing pet portraits over the years in various mediums. I am currently doing portraits in charcoal/pastel. I also love drawing my own fur babies. This is our youngest in her favorite pose. When the seasons change and the temps drop, our kitties move to their cold weather sleeping spots in the house. This sleeping position seems to be preferred no matter what the season. I suppose viewing the world upside down keeps a fresh perspective. Perhaps more of us should take the time to see the world as our fur babies do, and then we will be just as content as they are. :)