ARTIST STATEMENT

Cats and Dogs! I cannot imagine my life without them. They listen patiently. They express themselves with unconditional love, but they are thoughtful beings capable of incidences of humor, surprise and protest. I love to socialize with my own companions as well as the pets of friends, family and clients. But some of my favorite cats do not "belong" to anyone. These feral cats deserve love and recognition too. In my paintings and drawings, I try to capture the unique personalities of each cat and dog that I meet.

The cat paintings in this show are important to me because they represent the hope I have that all animals will be loved and cared for like my own companions. I have always thought of myself as cat-like, observant, reserved and particular. I identify with the painter, Balthus, who referred to himself as the "King of Cats". American humorist James Thurber said, pondering the mystery of cats in reference to Balthus, "Cats know something we do not know." (from Balthus, Claude Roy, 1996, First North American Edition).

Dinah, Django and Matilda are three examples of the many cats that are feral at Duke Gardens and in colonies around the Triangle. Dinah, Django and Matilda are neutered and vaccinated and fed daily by a wonderful caregiver. Their good nature and happy spirits belie what there lives would have been like if they had not been trapped, neutered and released (TNR) through Independent Animal Rescue. These cats constantly remind us that animals can be innocent victims of neglect and ignorance. I hope that we all support efforts to spay and neuter. Consider donating to C-SNP (community spay neuter fund) through Independent Animal Rescue!

All of the paintings and drawings in this show are portraits of cats and dogs that I know and love. The pen and ink sketches represent wonderful animals I have met through painting commissioned portraits or through my volunteer activities. I make pen and ink sketches to map out the composition and feeling of the larger painting. I usually start with smaller drawings from photos or life and then progress to full size color pieces, as I did with each of the drawings in this show.

I get special joy from painting custom portraits because I meet so many loved and cherished animals and their humans. It is fun to meet people and animals that have an extraordinary bond! I will be happy to talk with you about "Animal Portraits in Cut Paper & Paint".

Specials Thanks to Andrew Lonon, Carmine, Grover, Gomez, Gino, Frankie, Howard, Suka and Lorelei for helping me get ready for this show. Also thanks to the Durham Art Guild and Craven Allen Gallery for all of you support.

WORKING METHOD

The cut and paste technique is a process that I started experimenting with in college. I have worked to perfect and enjoy this method ever since. The process of choosing colors and textures and then applying them to a detailed drawing slows me down and allows me to think about the composition.

Each painting takes many steps (and bottles of wine and hours of music) to complete. First, I make a small pen and ink sketch to visualize the composition. Then I do a full size charcoal drawing with as much tonal detail as possible. I work from photographs and life. Next, I begin to paint! I try to work from the background to the foreground, but sometimes the figure or animal is too fascinating to leave in charcoal. I rifle through my huge box of paper, magazines and fabrics to "fill in" the color. If I cannot find the color I am looking for, I paint paper with acrylic paint to achieve the color that I need. The "color" is then glued onto the drawing.

Black and white collages cause a little more mental struggle. Many times I find the perfect piece of paper for a certain section and flip it to apply the gel medium and, gosh darn it, the back has an equally intriguing image for another section!

I use 100% acid free rag paper and acrylic gel medium. All papers used in the collage are as stable as possible. The paintings are finished with a UV Protecting Self Leveling Gel.