Thursday, March 28, 2024
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The Boys Have Chosen the Winners of the Feline Style Sampler!

black cat with papers
Jelly Bean wants everyone to win.

In the absence of a human to choose the two winners for the Feline Style Sampler (I forgot to ask anyone who stopped by today) I enlisted the assistance of my helpful and talented felines, who always offer assistance when I’m working on just about anything. I printed out the comments, cut them apart and fanned out the strips, each with a comment. “Just give me a sign,” I said to Jelly Bean, happily purring in a loaf on my lap. But his sweet and generous purrrsonality doesn’t recognize winners and losers. “I want them all to win,” he purred as he ran his nose back and forth along the edges of each one.

Then I turned to my engineer, Mr. Sunshine, who would no doubt have the purrfect solution to the problem of choosing winners. First, he gave me a good laugh. “Finally, you ask me to help you! I try to offer my help all the time and you turn me down! Do you think I’m just going to drop everything I’m doing and participate in your silly game?” I guess I deserved this, and in truth, Sunshine was preparing for a nap with his mama and siblings, and I knew this was important work, and apologized for taking his valuable time.

black cat laughing
Mr. Sunshine had a good laugh…

“I was only kidding,” he said. “You really do tell me to keep my paws off your stuff, even when I have a good idea. But I have an idea now, let me try this.” First he tried biting his chosen winner, but couldn’t get enough of a grip. Then he tried pulling just one from my hand. “I could really use at least one opposable thumb,” he remarked.

black cat with papers
…but he gave it his best.

Then I just held them up and let them all flutter to the floor to see what Sunshine would do, and even Giuseppe joined in, but they really couldn’t figure out what to do with the little strips of paper. “I’m not sure what to do,” he said. Giuseppe is famous for that line.

two black cats with papers
Giuseppe and Sunshine weren’t sure what to do.

So finally I took each one and rolled it noisily into a ball as Giuseppe and Sunshine paced in anticipation, then tossed them all in the air and let them fall where they would. Sunshine ran for one and picked it up several times and Giuseppe picked up another, then dropped it and gave it a swat.

black cats
At last, a winner was chosen.

So there you go, not terribly scientific, but great fun! And how fitting that my models choose the winners of this little book?

Congratulations to Anita and Kimberly H!

I’ll be in touch for your addresses, and I’ll be sending an email to each of you who commented but did not win.

Thanks so much for participating! Sorry I didn’t get to answer a few of your comments—this is when the holiday season gets a little intense for me with special orders and packing and shipping, and we’re also doing our best to keep Emeraude well (successful so far). So unless I totally lose my mind, no more giveaways before the end of this year.

. . . . . . . .

Buy one now!

It’s a wonderful little gift for someone who likes art and likes cats, enough images to look at so you don’t get tired of them right away, and small enough to tuck in your pocket or desk drawer to pull it out for a look now and then.

"Feline Style Sampler" book of sketches and portraits.
“Feline Style Sampler” book of sketches and portraits.

I love to use selections from my portfolio of artwork to gather into a collection of some sort, finding a theme and then a likely way to present the collection, like my calendars. In my “inspiration collection” I have calendars and art and photography books on all subjects that I enjoy simply pulling out to study, and a few friends and readers have asked if I ever planned to do a book of my artwork.

"Feline Style Sampler" book of sketches and portraits.
“Feline Style Sampler” cover.

Earlier this year I created this little portfolio piece, Feline Style Sampler, sketches and portraits, to include in presentations to prospective illustration customers to both show a variety of styles of illustration and my ability to design a little book like this and have it printed and bound. I was very pleased with the way it turned out and enjoyed the response when I presented it and showed it around to friends. When a friend admired it and wanted to purchase some for gifts, I thanked her for an idea I hadn’t even considered, though once she mentioned it the idea was a natural. In fact, I had such an enthusiastic response to it on all accounts that I decided to offer it for sale.

Feline Style Sampler is simply a collection of 34 images, no text or narrative, though each image has the name, medium and size of the image inconspicuously added at the bottom of the page. The book is little, only 4.25″ x 5.5″, and coil bound. All pages are printed on 100# gloss cover rather than text weight stock to stand up to handling and to ensure opacity.

"Feline Style Sampler" book of sketches and portraits.
“Feline Style Sampler” title page..

The images I’ve included run the gamut from quick and simple ink sketches to highly detailed commissioned pastel paintings. They are a mix of daily sketches, commissioned portraits and a few of my personal works all jumbled together instead of categorizing them by medium or style. They even span my entire career as an artist with a few of my earliest included as well as very recent daily sketches. You can see a few more samples here.

How to order

This is available here using the button below and in my Etsy shop. It will be available on Amazon.com soon.

Click here to order a book through my Etsy shop.

Use the button below to order through PayPal.




Good luck, and thanks for reading, commenting and sharing my art!



Subscribe to The Creative Cat e-newsletter for specials on exclusively feline-themed art and merchandise.

 


Take a look at other new merchandise and featured artwork.

two black cats in studio
Bean yawns as Mimi looks bored to tears.

Usually once a week on Thursday I feature something new in my “shop”, whether that’s here on The Creative Cat, in my Etsy shop, on my main website or even at one of the bricks and mortar shops that carry my work.

Read about creating custom items.

Find out more about creating custom items for your own home using the images you see here. Visit the “Ordering Custom Art” page to see samples and read bout how to order.

At right is the response I usually get from my cats. I’m either a total snooze or good for a laugh, depending on whether you think Jelly Bean is yawning or laughing. Mimi looks skeptical and rather bored.

 


Subscribe to The Creative Cat e-newsletter for specials on exclusively feline-themed art and merchandise.

 


Browse some rescued cats and kittens!


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.


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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

4 thoughts on “The Boys Have Chosen the Winners of the Feline Style Sampler!

  • Anita

    yay!!! With much thanks to the Boys, your help is always so much fun to witness!!! 🙂

    Reply
  • da tabbies o trout towne

    conga ratz two de winners… N sunshine…dood…yur pick sure iz hystericals !!! enjoy de week oh end guys…eat plentee oh butter 🙂

    Reply
  • Good for the boys that help!
    Congrats to the winners.
    I was thinking of asking about Emmie when got to the line you say she is kind of well. I’m so glad for that.
    🙂

    Reply
  • Nancy Blue Moon

    Congrats to the winners of this sweet little book! Thanks to the boys for being so helpful to your Mom..

    Reply

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