Featured Daily Sketch: Mother and Daughter, Sun and Shadow, 2012

June 8, 2026 Bernadette

watercolor of two cats — “Mother and Daughter, Sun and Shadow”, watercolor on paper, 6″ x 4″, 2012 © B.E. Kazmarski

These two were curled up together on the rug on the landing, in very diffuse sunlight, not the bright morning light we often have, but it reflected off the white walls and created some interesting color combinations in their fur as well as reflected areas. Nice composition they made, and I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with it at first, but I’m glad I chose watercolor for its opacity.

“Mother and Daughter, Sun and Shadow” is one of my daily sketches from last June (2012) when I was still experimenting with my watercolor pencils, mixing my love of simple sketches with the ability to blend colors, though not with my fingers as I am accustomed with my other familiar dry media of pastel, pencil, charcoal and the like. I sketched the basis of this, Mewsette and Mimi curled together on that pink flowered rug in a patch of sun on the upstairs landing, then ran a wet watercolor brush over it, just water, and let the colors blend as they would, magically turning my sketch into something I had not visualized.

How fun! Unplanned colors and textures blended to enhance the sketch, the shapes and open spaces, the reds, blues and yellows mingling just enough to add to the spectrum of colors and softening to a gentle pastel. Stopping after that first wash, I let it dry, then decided to reinforce the outlines of the two cats in a color I had not initially used, a dark green. And there I stopped. That’s often the most difficult part.

For me, this is the fun and the importance of creating my daily sketches. I don’t get the opportunity to experiment as often as I’d like, it’s best for me to use a subject I’m familiar with. When I was learning calligraphy and mastering the different pen tips and inks, I used my name, all 25 letters of it and including some atypical shapes and combinations, lettering it over and over so that I could focus on just the skill. Years ago, when I’d decided I was finally going to learn to draw I decided to use my cats as models for the same reason, and today it is the same; rendering things I see all the time in my familiar space I am able to focus on the medium and explore its capabilities without worrying if my subject is correct.

2025: Mimi and Mewsette were so close, indoors and out. I lost count of the number of sketches I made of them together. I think Mewsette just loved to be with her mother, and Mimi enjoyed being cuddled by big, warm, soft, gentle Mewsette.

Where to find “Mother and Daughter, Sun and Shadow”

I still have the original little sketch as well as prints on paper and canvas. Click here to visit the product post.

No gift items at the moment, but I’m working up a few.

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.

Read about the reason for the daily sketches in Three Years of Daily Sketches.

A collection of 34 images of feline artwork

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

Now in its fourth printing, and its 12th anniversary!

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!

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

Mother and Daughter, Sun and Shadow Keepsake Box

I often carried these in small and large round keepsake boxes. I may be making some again soon.

This papier-mâché box is hand-painted in sky blue with forest green trim, with a print of “Mother and Daughter, Sun and Shadow” adhered to the lid. Lid and bottom are finished with a light coat of matte-finish varnish. Insides are unfinished. Box measures 4″ x 4″ in diameter x 3″ high.

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.