Featured Artwork: A Little Poetry Chapbook With My Art

A few weeks ago I received a request to use one of my sketches in a special little project—a self-produced chapbook of poetry.

“I have come across your art (drawing (exquisite!) of cats while looking for illustrations to a manuscript I am getting bound (poetry in French manuscript). There will be only 5 copies of this booklet and none will be for resale (it is strictly for personal use). Can I use this drawing (sleeping cat from behind, on your Creative cat. net website?).”

She is from Quebec and explained that it was just for herself and her husband and a few friends. My copyright information would appear with the art and at the end of the book.

“Thanks for letting me know what you think of this idea and kudos on your work for cats adoption and education… (I myself work with animals too and I am a poet). Cheers and hoping to hear from you…”

She mentioned the possibility of working together at some time in the future if the book was actually picked up by a publisher, but for now, this was just for herself, her husband and friends.

I thanked her for the respectful request and gave my permission, and said I’d like to see the pages where the art appeared as well as anything else about the book, and I’d like to write about it too.

Her pen name is “Lilou Volage” and the title of the book is Tea that Whistles. A chapbook is a small booklet usually with a minimum of pages, a paper cover and either simply folded and not bound or saddle-stitched. It’s often not only self-published but also self-produced, and because poetry is so difficult to sell to publishers, it’s a way of getting your poetry out there. I have a chapbook of my poetry too, Paths I Have Walked.

Below are the pages where the poem and artwork appear in Lilou’s book.

My French is a little rusty but I translate it thus:

The cat walks with a heavy step in the streets
And in the neighbor’s garden that he has freshly
planted
Mother-birds are on alert:
A seriously cunning hunter is free.

I’m sure Stanley did just that, many, many years before! That freedom to walk alone and go where they please is one of the age-old archetypes of the cat. It also brings to mind when Mimi and other cats before her stroll the yard, and suddenly the trees are full of avian voices saying “Cat! Cat!” in their own individual language.

(I added a change to my translation above after I published this—Lilou let me know that “ratoureux” is French Canadian slang for “cunning” rather than “feeling”, so I changed the last line from “A hunter is seriously feeling free” to what is there now.)

Lilou also has a website on Tumblr, koxynelduquebec.tumblr.com, and she’s also on Twitter @streakingbeat. What fun to meet another poet in action!

Featured Artwork

I also feature artwork which has not been commissioned, especially my paintings of my own cats. If you’d like to read more about artwork as I develop it, about my current portraits and art assignments and even historic portraits and paintings, I feature commissioned portrait or other piece of artwork on Wednesday. Choose the categories featured artwork.

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All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile 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.

© 2015 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski

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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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