For Leonard, With Love xxx

    I draw cartoons for a number of reasons: the simple act of drawing/painting makes me happy; it eases and calms my mind; it entertains and cheers my beautiful Husband when he opens his lunch tin on break at work every day; it creates a record of our lives as seen through the world of our cats, who we love so dearly; and lastly, the process and end product speak for me when words just aren't enough to express the feelings in my heart.

 

    This week, we said 'Goodbye' to Leonard, our beautiful, bouncy baby boy. He was a foundling, discovered by my elderly kitty, Harvey, who insisted that he become his friend and play fellow. As very much as Harvey was my absolute soul, Leonard became my heart.

 

    He was a true innocent; a gentle giant with such a sweet nature and simple brain. He had the most basic of needs - to love, be loved, and to play. And eat biscuits. A lot. He has been a pure bright light in my life and a whole world to my Husband. 

 

    His health has never been good, but he has taken his meds every day like the goodest boy. He suffered with an enlarged heart - he had too much love for a regular one - and in the end it couldn't hold him in and it gave him up to become a dazzling shooting star that will forever remind us that true magic exists and can be found in the most unexpected places.

 

    Right now, our own hearts are broken, but we will heal and every time we look at these cartoons we will remember Leonard with smiles. I will continue to paint him, and his brothers who are with him in the Rainbow Meadows...they will always be alive for us as long as I can put pen and brush to paper. I paint with love and send it out into the Universe and share my sweet beloved cats so that anyone who sees them can add a smile to their day. 

 

    Goodnight my beautiful baby boy. Shine brightly now that you have the whole sky in which to run and play. I love you. xxx

 

 

 

It's (Eventually) a Hocus Pocus Hallowe'en!!

OOPS!

I missed it this year! I had AAAALL these big plans....which went the way that big plans tend to go! So here we are, more than a week behind the celebration schedule and no Hallowe'en kitty pic...is this one of the signs of a coming Apocalypse? Ha! No - I'm just fritzy still and things take their own sweet time...

Fear not, compadres, for a picture is finally here! I had SO many options spinning in my brain but I finally decided on a particularly witchy theme, prompted by the long awaited release of a cult classic follow up movie - guess which one!

 

For this I used my watercolours - Mijello Gold and Winsor & Newton with Artistro's metallic shimmers, Faber Castell Classic Colour pencils,  Dr P H Martin's Irridescent calligraphy ink (copper plate gold), Dr P H Martin's Bombay black India ink, and Tachikawa School G Pen nib pen for line work and detail. It turns out that Leonard's actually quite comfy in a frock. Roomy, he says. 

*  *  *  *  *

 I put a spell on you! Finally! 

Happy belated Hallowe'en!! - Shroo xxx

A Personal 'Thank You' to Her Majesty, Queen Ellizabeth II

 

 

 

    This last week has been a little surreal. The death of Queen Elizabeth II has been a shock to the system - more than I would have anticipated. I think times like these shake the bedrock of life and remind us of all the times when grief has been so overwhelming that the universe stood still and every second felt like trying to breathe underwater.

 

    Compartmentalising only works in the short term and the loss of an icon, whoever it may be, allows us to open up the proverbial box, break open the floodgates and let grief take hold in a way that may not have been possible at times where loss has been so close, so keenly felt, that the only way to find a path forward was to restrain, control and suppress.

 

 

    This week I have mourned the loss of my family, friends and beloved pets, fading memories of sunny days, and a child that might have been. It has been turbulent, overwhelming and ultimately cathartic.

In an earlier year I would have journaled extensively, written my mind and heart clear of tears, but I don't feel that call any more. So I came back to my happy place, my now, my life here and the peace it brings me, and I finally managed a piece of painty paper that sums things up for me. 

 

 

    The pain of loss and the hole that's left when a loved one departs this world is all consuming and it's easy to miss the love that's waiting to fill the void, and the simple moments of beauty that raise an involuntary smile. I am grateful that I have love in my life, friends who fill my heart with joy, and a home filled with happiness. In spite of all that has been, what is now is more than I could ever have hoped for, and I thank the universe for all those instants of beauty, those glorious helplessly funny moments where a smile or a laugh lights the darkness. I can heal and begin to unfold the tightly bound memories that have collected dust for so long and reconcile my past with my present - marked not by loss and pain, but by those bright unbidden dazzling moments.

 

    Thank you, Your Majesty, for this one last gift - this one just for me. Thank you for sharing some peace. I hope that your loved ones left behind can share some small moments of beauty and joy, together, and remember you as a mother, grandmother, friend. I hope that the sparkle that remains for them doesn't come from your jewels but rather from your smile. 

 

 

    We are all just people, moving between moments. May your moments be bright, bold and beautiful. Here's to smiling a memory to mark the day. Sparkle, you gorgeous beauties, for you are all a dazzling cascade of amazing moments. Go share some xxxx

 

A Fond Farewell, In Full Technicolour

 

     Losing a pet is a trauma equal to, sometimes greater than losing a human from your life's circle. People without pets will never comprehend the loss. We grieve more, I think, for animals because our relationships with them are so uncomplicated, so simple. Humans are so complex and we have to come to terms with so many negative emotions - anger, resentment, guilt, bitterness... None of those things are present when an animal dies, just the pain of the void that they leave in our lives - their unconditional love, loyalty, trust, comfort and the joy they bring. 

    To pay tribute is almost an impossible thing as nothing really seems fitting or equal to the task. The only way I know how to express my love and loss is through my art, and, in some way through my words. In drawing a picture to represent Gizmo's journey from this world to his eternal realm, I wanted to reflect the joy that he brought to all of us. Inside, I crumpled and felt only the pain of loss as I have before with other feline companions, but Gizmo was strong - they all have been - and deserved something equal to the value he held for myself and especially for my Husband, for whom he has been a constant friend these past eighteen years.

    This is a happy picture, although painful to draw and paint. There are aspects which reflect the sadness.... The two sisters, Missy and Sapphira comfort each other as their older brother leaves them behind, although the road to his happy hunting ground is closer for them than for their younger adopted brother, Leonard. He sits close by, a little on his own, bidding farewell to Gizmo whilst waving to Harvey, his brother and best friend, lost to us in 2019 who I know he misses dreadfully. They are all sat down, firmly rooted in our world, as he floats towards his ginger furred litter brother, and Harvey, the latecomer to the family, the other grumpy old man, he and Gizmo studiously ignoring each other even when curled up on the same small cushion...

    But Gizmo is pictured still close to his earthly family, still almost within our reach. He filled our lives every day - we are still seeing him in everything we do, hearing his demanding meows, feeling where his furry, purry body would snuggle. We hold on to him just for a while... Ahead of him he has candy floss clouds that catch the love we send, an endless supply of heavenly sausages and even Harvey is willing to share one of his snuggly wubbies with his curmudgeonly compatriot. Sadness, loss and joy, expressed in a way which, at a future date, even my husband may be able to enjoy. 

     For now, it stays inside a folder with other emotive pieces. The record is made, the catharsis has been processed, and the colour and joy that Gizmo gave us will be held as a record never to be forgotten.

A Hero's Passing

 

 

Gizmo Aloysius Graymalkin Wilkins. Hero, champion, leader, companion, friend. A sporter of impressive trendsettng pantaloons and fashionable crazy whiskers. Scourge of rodentkind and fearless warrior. "Sossoge" aficionado and quiche devourer...bumsmells innovator and soft cuddler. 

*  *  *

    Tonight, Gizmo -the champion of our hearts - has left us to cross the Valhalla rainbow bridge. His once proud and virile little body could no longer house the mighty spirit that resided within and it was time to grow wings and fly to the hall where all eternal mighty heroes reside in glory, feasting on tales of their astounding achievements, triumphs in battle...and "sossog" quiche.

 

 

     He was stalwart - walking beside his Father and best friend, matching him stride for stride, ready to celebrate the wonder of life and to offer solace when the challenge was too great. He never flinched, never failed, never waivered. Through to those last few moments, he remained, within, the Gizmo of his youth and left us with his mighty paws curled protectively around the arm of his dearest human - my Husband, Glynn. 

 

     The void left by the softness of his fur, the steady gaze of his eyes and the expressive meows and purrs is filled with the immeasurable love and joyous memories that can only come with eighteen years of constancy, the gift that was his lifetime. 

 

     Gizmo Aloycius Graymalkin Wilkins. He may have left for his new horizons, but everything that he was - everything that truly matters - will stay with us forever. There is no following this act - he remains the leading cat in the performance that is our life. We will cherish every second of him and one day join him at his table and voyage with him beyond the stars into eternity.

 

     Until the curtain rises on the next act, goodbye Old Man. I love you.

"Spirit of Hope"

 There's nothing like setting yourself a challenge. I mean, OBVIOUSLY it would be a smoother life without hurdles and landslides and zombie invasions, but WHERE would the FUN be? Eh?

    My entry for the new exhibition at the Cultural Activities Centre in Temple, Texas could have been anything... a watercolour, a nice acrylic canvas...another inked piece... Anything. But as I sat staring at my sketch book that little tingling, nagging feeling started on the back of my neck, just below the hairline there... Just.....there..... Yeah. I know that feeling - it's my muse saying hello and feeding an idea directly into the art centre of my brain, an idea that I know will have no wiggle room at all. Once it's embedded I have no choice. 

    "You're doing this with textiles -- get out your needles and threads and settle in for the long haul!"

    So...yeah.I went digging. It's surprising how many embroidery silks you can have and STILL need to order 150 more from Amazon (they were an awesome bargain!) 

    The brief was to represent belief in Christmas. As a pagan, I wanted my piece to be a little more historically and culturally inclusive without offending or challenging other peoples' faiths. I chose to focus on the bringing of light into dark places, the lighting of candles, the burning of bonfires, an idea which transcends time and culture. Light signifies the hope that our species carries inside each of us: that the cold, austere dark nights of winter will eventually pass and become the warm light and abundant growth of Spring and Summer. That life replaces apparent death. That the earth itself is reborn and each of us with it. Even our fancy schmancy "modern times" and the educated rationality that abounds now doesn't fully banish our fear of the night and our longing for reassurance that the hope of light triumphs over the abyss of darkness.

    This piece is about light, hope and happiness. It's my belief that finding the bright and shining path will guide me through the blackness. This is bold of colour, wild of style - a freehand embroidery following the same processes as any of my art pieces...a concept with minimal form that follows its own path. The seed beads are sewn individually and the whole thing is stitched over my hand painted design on a piece of reclaimed cotton cloth. 'Nuff said - here be the finished working along with a few potentially useful close-ups:

In Remembrance

 We will never forget those who have bravely fought and fallen, that we may thrive and grow. 

We will remember them.

 

Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day!

Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day 2020

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Our lucky black cats - no matter what level of buggerlugs they choose to be, our lives are richer for having them as our crazy companions/overlords! Love from Shroo, Mr Shroo and (left to right) Missy, Gizmo, Sapphira and Harvey xxxxx

A Handmade Birthday From The Heart

 We had an event this week!

    My Husband had a birthday! What is WITH these things.....they happen every year!! I enjoy spoiling him as much as I can which this year included drawing him a portrait of Gizmo, his companion cat for nearly eighteen years. I've had to be furtive since he's been at home as he has eagle eyes and an aggressively inquiring nature! With this being my priority, my tradition of creating home made cards and gift wrap was left, by necessity, to the night before the Big Day. 

    There are so many beautiful gift cards out there, and I love to find the most perfect ones, but still, for nearest and dearest I prefer to inflict my own designs upon them as an exression of love - whether they like it or not! My little pictures gave Husband a card from each of our fur babies (written by their own fair paws with bestest spellingness, naturally) and a classic bigger dancing Leonard from all of us:

 

The classic dancing Leonard!

The gift of Gizmo

Harvey's birthday blessing, sent accross the Rainbow Bridge by angel post

 

Missy sharing her gorgeousness

 

About as normal as you get with Sapphira

 

Another happy, dancing Leonars, this one just from him to Daddy

 

The bits of gift wrap that haven't already met the recycling...

 

    Quick and happy inking with a splash of watercolour and presto! Cards for Husband on his awesome special day! He loves them.... I love him....cats love him....an all round happy day! 

 

    For anyone who's not tried gifting homemade cards I highly recommend it. Give it a go, and if you like, please share your work with me - I'd love to see it!  

 

When The Parade Passes By....

Hello Lovelies!

    Well, for those of you who choose to swing by and pass a little time here, I thought I'd share the little extra illustration created for the CAC 'All Souls' exhibition in Texas. I wanted our fur babies to totally represent, so I dressed them up for the occasion and sent them parading through the crowded streets of Mexico to celebrate La Dia De Los Muertos with everyone else. As you can see, they had a whale of a time....

    A little A4 size watercolour and ink piece with the bright colours that are abundant in this celebration, set against a night sky illuminated with flares from fireworks scattering sparks upon the merry band.

    Thank you for visiting! Hope I see you here again soon xxx

'Vida Y Muerte' - A Soul Work Complete

 

Hello Lovelies! 

Posh post time. I was honoured recently to accept a generous invitation to show some of my work at the All Souls exhibition at the Cultural Arts  Centre in Temple, Texas. Going along with my resolve to follow a more intuitively creative path, I've chosen to stretch my creative focus by using exhibitions and competitions as practise in working to a brief. The following piece is my primary entry and is entitled "Vida Y Muerte" . It's just shy of 50cm square, took 48 hours to complete and is drawn with a nib pen and Indian ink, with Windsor and Newton coloured inks, chosen for their transparency and vibrancy. During the process I went through the usual stages of frustration and angst-ridden doubt, but when all is done I confess to being rather pleased with the result.

    I wrote a perfectly acceptable explanation of all the bits and pieces and thought processes contained in the drawing so I have copied and pasted them below, along with some hopefully useful close-ups of the work itself. Hope you enjoy the art and if you have questions go ahead and leave a comment - I'll look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

 As always with my work it is loaded with symbolism. The cat represents La Santa Muerte with her crown and solemn expression, gazing on her destination in the afterlife even whilst journeying through our realm.

  

 A cat was chosen as a symbol of that gateway between worlds, and the picture is taken from reference of a stray cat I used to feed many years ago. She was old, but tough, and although she looked like she'd been through the wars, she carried herself with dignity. I wanted to reflect her stubborn and enclosed, self posessed beauty.

 

 

 

 The 'crown' is represented with twigs (a nod to my own pagan beliefs) but each stark branch carries buds which promise new life. Some bear berries - again the promise of new life but I wanted to add the spirals as a recognition that even this solemn event - La Dia De Los Muertos - carries with it an element of fun and celebration. Also, they lend just a little to my love of Tim Burton's twisted vision of another, darker world.

 

 

 

The butterflies represent souls, and a metamorphosis from one state of being to the next: a sense of becoming something more... The Monarch especially is closely linked with the celebration as its migration patterns and routes coincide and their colour is added to an already splendid array. The coloured inks have a very slightly raw and garish aspect which was carefully considered - I didn't want subtlety in shade, more an explosion of vivid light.

 

 

 

The flowers represented are featured heavily in the traditional ceremonies - with the exeption of anemonies.

 

 

 They have been added because when my grandmother died, my mum dressed her hair with them. The headdresses worn by women during La Dia De Los Muetos remind me very much of that snapshot in time. They remind me of death and the passing of a loved one. They remind me that beauty and dignity are present even in dark times. 

 

 

The snake is a common symbolic figure in many mythologies, here chosen to represent deceipt on one hand, and healing on the other. Its inclusion is meant to add a sense of power and presence, and is a play on the character of La Catrina, a richly dressed pastiche of rich women, often featured wearing a boa. The cat is wearing a boa. The snake's tongue curls round the fur and decorations eventually becoming the tail and body of the creature, my interpretation of the ouroboros, symbolising infinity and the cycle between birth and death. It is adorned with the markings of a traditional sugar skull and features a marigold on its back, a flower used to decorate graves and attract the spirits of the ancestors. Unlike the other flowers, its stylised design lends itself to the pattern of the scales of the boa.

 

 

 

I wanted to add bones... a bird skull chose itself, selected by my subconscious. Once it was drawn I considered the meaning: not only are birds the prey of cats (seems relevant, given the main subject) but also - I have always held with the superstition that if a wild bird flies into the house, it signifies a death on the way. I don't have many superstitions but this one was passed down the family line for generations.

This was something of a labour of love in the end, and a little voyage of discovery and fascinating introspection which is something I love about an intuitive approach to art.

A Wish for New Year 2020 xxx

Wishing you all a year full of colour and magical muse, of light and beauty and days full of the joy of being. I wish you the courage to persevere when life is grey and the bliss that comes with dancing in rainbow light. Whatever comes, I wish you a hand to hold, arms that embrace and the security that friendship brings. May stars light your way and love be ever in your heart. Happy New Year 2020 to all of you - Shroo xxxx

 

Christmas Wishes!

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and all good things for the coming year! xxxx