Daily Sketch Reprise: Swirling Bath, 2014
Well, this wasn’t at all what I’d set out to do, but then I’d set out with kind of a loose idea to begin with, “sketch Mr. Sunshine on my desk”. I started out with the toned paper and charcoal seeing Sunshine with his glossy black fur, but suddenly discarded that in favor of my pastels and a half-formed idea of blended color areas on paper with a black outline sketch on top to give them definition. He is so graceful, especially when he turned to wash his side with his tail curling around to the front. So, here it is. It’s a little darker than I’d have liked it had I planned it, but overall I like it. Below, I cropped it so that it didn’t have the white edges. Often the white edge dilutes the colors, which is why I sometimes crop the colorful ones to eliminate that influence. The colors look a little more intense this way.
Where to find this artwork
I donated this original sketch, framed, to the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center’s annual Paws & Prints Benefit in 2014. But I still have prints available on paper an canvas. You can purchase a print of this art on Portraits of Animals.
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What else was I sketching on this date?
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Daily Sketch Reprise: Black is the Color…2012
Black is the color of my true love’s hair,
Her lips are like a rose so fair—
The sweetest face, and the gentlest hands
I love the ground whereon she stands…
I sing for my love in Kingston for she has moved with her mama to a new apartment and I have not heard word for nearly forever.
I look to the northwest through the green leaves of spring to the blue sky above, knowing that we share the same sky and the same sun.
I love my love and well she knows:
I love the ground whereon she goes,
I wish the day it soon would come
When she and I would be as one…
She of the wondrous hair.
And so I sing through the open window into the springtime and hope my song reaches my sweet precious sleek black belle femme Mademoiselle Daisy Emerald Marguerite from the Canadian town named for kings next to the great river. Somehow I know, though she be surrounded by eligible black cats who actually enter her home as guests, that she wants me to be her love!
I know that soon I will have a reply…
Well, that was last year, and this year Mlle. Daisy Emerald Marguerite is moving back to the country! Giuseppe is very pleased and feels she will be much safer and happier there.
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The lyrics to “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” are traditional, arising from the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky and first transcribed by John Jacob Niles in 1915, though the song form and the mention of the river Clyde likely refer back to Scotland, though there is no known form of the song in Scotland prior to the mid-twentieth century.
A few links to this song for those who asked.
The first version I ever heard, by Joan Baez, still my favorite.
The melody is different in the European version, here by Salmon’s Leap. Although the song was “discovered” in Kentucky by John Jacob Niles, it references Scottish towns and rivers and no doubt came from there originally. European singers didn’t care for the American melody either…
And the Nina Simone version—a great melody can be owned by everyone.
Click here to see other daily sketches.
For a gallery of the ones available for sale, visit Portraits of Animals in the “Feline Artwork” section.
Read about the reason for the daily sketches in Three Years of Daily Sketches.
And download your free desktop wallpaper calendar for computer or mobile, usually based on a daily sketch.
A collection of 34 images of feline artwork
Feline Style Sampler
Daily sketches, illustrations, commissioned portraits all in a small coil-bound gift book.
Click here or on the image to read more
or find this book on Portraits of Animals.
Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals
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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item. Subscribe to The Creative Cat Preview E-newsletter. © 2022 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski Weekly schedule of features: Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters Tuesday: Rescue Stories Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork Thursday: New Merchandise Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!
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Weekly schedule of features:
Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life
Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters
Tuesday: Rescue Stories
Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
Thursday: New Merchandise
Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy
Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats
And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!
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