The Lost Sketchbook, Cookie Not Greeting the Day
Apparently, Cookie was a hot subject all through this sketchbook. Actually, Cookie is always with me, no matter what I do, because I am her responsibility, and to make it look as if she’s not really following me she simply appears in the room where I’ve gone and performs some feline activity as if she meant to do that all along. She’s the subject of a lot of photos too, for the same reason.
This one is just a light sketch because I believe it’s drawn mostly from memory. Cookie used to sleep on her back in the place of honor, right next to me, between me and the edge of the bed where I would see her first when I awoke. When she would stretch, then curl her toes and draw in her hind feet, she would also curl her front paws and draw them in to her face. I’m not sure why she doesn’t sleep on her back anymore, but perhaps it’s difficult to get out of at the age of 17!
Of course, capturing this sketch would have been planned, knowing Cookie would be sleeping on her back when I awakened, and my stirring would cause her to stretch and curl her paws. When I would have moved to get my sketchbook, she would have been curious, so I would have had a very limited time to catch her in this position. I know I intended to keep the sketchbook by the bed in order to catch her again, thinking I hadn’t caught enough of the details of her position, but I probably forgot, and this is as far as I got.
That’s okay! It’s too bad that lighter pencil lines are difficult to reproduce because there’s actually more detail than can be seen in the scan unless you look really close.
As with the other sketches, this one is for sale, matted and framed. I used to regret letting my sketches go, but I’ve grown to love the thought of sharing my kitties. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail.
Yes, Cookie has finally worked her way to the place of honor, but only through the loss of others who’ve gone before so this promotion is always bittersweet, for them as well as me; there is always a hesitation on their part to move up.
I’m glad I posted these sketches. Some people have e-mailed, too, and I think because they are quick, in-the-moment sketches many people can relate to their cats doing exactly the same thing. I know for me, seeing the sketches of the ones who’ve passed reminds me of the exact moment I sketched them, when they were still here, alive and loving, and I could touch them, in a way that nothing else has including other more finished works of them I see every day.
I’m glad Cookie gives you a good memory of Hattie, too. Some morning you’ll feel her there next to you.
Cookie’s pose is such a familiar one – love it! Hattie always slept between me and the edge of the bed, right up close to my face. During the night I’d feel her whiskers gently grazing my face. Ticklish! In the morning she’d stretch like Cookie and wrap her paws over her face. I miss her dearly.