Featured Daily Sketch: Mewsette Watercolors, 2015

February 20, 2026 Bernadette

watercolor of sleeping cat — “Mewsette Watercolors”, watercolor, 6″ x 9″, 1/2/2015 © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

Who said black cats had to be painted in black? What a wonderful gift these silhouettes gave me, allowing me to let go of representational color and pattern and render them intuitively. On this day Mewsette is a happy, warm kitty on a cold winter day, toasting herself in front of the furnace vent, and this is how I felt about it.

From January 2, 2015:

I thought I might not have a sketch at all today—I’m so scattered by the holidays mid-week for two weeks, I have no idea what day it is, and I really never know what time it is so it’s hard to focus. In my studio, I stood up to go and do something, I don’t remember what, looked down to see Mewsette’s wonderful shape relaxing by the furnace vent.

Perhaps that’s where the colors came from, because rather than grab the obvious choice of charcoal pencil, always handy, and sketchbook, I felt movement and wide strokes and a brush in my hand. Sounds like a watercolor to me, I thought, picturing two of my brushes applying a wash of paint in the shape of her paw and another bringing out the curve of her back. I stood a moment longer to let the visual develop and felt blue, purple, yellow, green? red? All the colors in the palette? I knew I wanted the blends, started with a base of yellow and worked the highlights and shadows on her fur in all the colors I saw. I did not want her against a plain white background, so I began with a few speckles and went from there. Fun!

One other thing about watercolors is that I need a container or two of water, and upstairs that usually comes from the bathroom sink. That’s a little more complicated now than usual with Bert and Ernie in there, the door closed, the baby gate. Getting in and out of there with containers of water can be tricky, and it’s also distracting to my model who, by the time I get into and out of the bathroom with sliding bi-fold doors and stepping in and talking to Bert and Ernie and the thought of treats and food they have and by the time I get back out with my water and collect my brushes and paints and watercolor pad, my model is usually up and about and no longer in the inspiring pose. I’ve been keeping a couple of containers of water in the studio, one for drinking and one for painting, so I hope to do a few more watercolors upcoming.

Some things never change, the warm kitty by the furnace vent, the need to watercolor, and the foster kitty in the bathroom!

2026: I didn’t realize then but did in later years when I looked over my sketches of them that in the colors and spatters here I managed to capture Mewsette’s joy and sweet, loving purrsonality. What inspiration they gave me, and where they led me in my art!

Where to find this artwork

I still have the original and also have a variety of digital and canvas prints, a greeting card and a note card, and three other similar sketches, find this on Portraits of Animals and also find the note cards here. And if you are interested in the gift items I’m making with this art, like tiles or keepsake boxes, you can search Portraits of Animals for “Mewsette Watercolors” and you’ll find what’s available. I’ll also be featuring them here too.

Daily Sketches 2011 to 2015

I think I accomplished what I'd set out to do three years ago today, a challenge to me and entertainment and enjoyment for you: to create a quick sketch of my cats each day as a way to practice and experiment, and present the sketch on that day with no editing, no waiting, no excuses, just to do the sketch and share it.

Read more about the reason for the daily sketches in Daily Sketches: the Idea, Most Popular, Awards.

Click here to see other daily sketches.

For a gallery of the ones available for sale, visit Portraits of Animals in the “Daily Sketches” section.

"Feline Style Sampler" book of sketches and portraits.

A collection of 34 images of feline artwork

**The award-winning* Feline Style Sampler**

Now in its third printing since 2013! 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.

~~~

*Certificate of Excellence, Cat Writers' Association 2014 Communications Contest

Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

Fine Art • Photography • Gifts • Greeting Cards • Books • Commissioned Portraits & Artwork

The original painting is still available and I also offer a variety of digital and canvas prints, a greeting card and a note card (also as part of a set entitled “Watercolor Cats”) and if you are interested in the gift items I’m making with this art, like tiles or keepsake boxes, you can search Portraits of Animals for “Mewsette Watercolors” and you’ll find what’s available. Read more and purchase.

Copyright

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.