Are you feeling lucky?

During April, I am offering fans of my facebook page the chance to win this one-of-a-kind canvas print, entitled "Looking for Trouble".  To enter the sweepstake, please visit and 'like' my page.  Then click the 'Contest' button (just under the banner), provide your email address and click 'enter'.   Your email is required solely to notify you if you are the lucky winner.  Everyone is permitted one entry per day, and you get bonus entries for sharing if your friend enters too.  So what are you waiting for?

Back in the land of the living

It has been months since my last post, and hard trying ones at that.  I moved home at the end of July and threw myself into painting walls and doors rather than illustration.  Typically of me, I overdid it, and there followed a period of bad health, which ended with me suffering a stroke at the end of October which affected my left side.

Once released from hospital, I spent a few weeks staring into space, trying to come to terms with what had happened to me.  Since then I've been working hard on regaining my balance, learning to walk normally and getting my left hand and arm to behave.  A recent breakthrough has enabled me to type with both hands again, although at nothing like the speed that I was once able. 

My new home has a conservatory which I have made my art studio.  It is great to have a dedicated place to paint rather than have to clear the dining room table every time I want to eat.  I've been working on illustrations for "A Lifetime of Cats", and the project has been forcably extended by two new felines joining my family.

The cats have played a major part in my recovery, providing me with a reason to get out of bed in the mornings and giving comfort.  Charlie, my 8 year old tabby, has taken on the role of my carer, making regular checks on me during the night and stimulating my affected hand with his tongue.  He also insists on accompanying me on walks to watch that I do not fall, and it has become part of our daily routine to walk round the block and visit the allotments to see the chickens.

You can view more of my paintings and follow the progress of "A Lifetime of Cats" by liking my Facebook page.

A Lifetime of Cats (A Work in progress)

Right now, my mind is somewhat preoccupied with moving house.  I should in fact have been spending this evening with a bottle of chenin blanc in my new home, but the seller has delayed and I'm sick with stress and not knowing when things will happen.

Painting is a great form of relaxation and I've been turning to it a lot over the past month.  I am somewhat regretting having already packed my coloured pencils, but my gouache and acrylic is still out and I've been cracking on with illustrating A Lifetime of Cats.

Henry, is the most recent portrait that I have completed.  He was given to me, along with his partner, Molly, by a friend of a friend who could no longer care for them, when he was 3 years old.  He was initially so vicious and would lash out every time we tried to approach him.  Gradually, we established a three-stroke rule and later he mellowed into a rather grumpy and unpredictable lap cat, with a love of gardening programmes.

I have another six cats yet to paint and six more stories to tell before the book is complete.  In the meantime, I invite you to download a sample chapter from 4shared.  This tells the story of Arthur, who battled skin cancer but still lived an incredible 27 years - and was climbing trees and mousing right up to the end.  I hope you enjoy it.

More Good News!

Just one week after winning an art competition, I received an email telling me that I had sold 500 copies of this greeting card to someone in Virginia, USA.  Whoever you are, thank you so much!  What a pity that my good luck didn't extend to last night's lottery results.

A lucky start to the Chinese New Year

The Year of the Rabbit is said to be optimistic, upbeat and full of luck. It certainly started that way for me when I received news that I had won first prize in FanArtReview's "Art in Nature" competition. It is the first time that I have won an art competition in over 30 years. The first time around, I won a yoyo for colouring in a picture of the Lone Ranger. Alas, my brother got the glory as I was above the age to enter so used his name.

This time though, the achievement is all mine and I'm thrilled. After a run of bad luck and serious expense, it couldn't have come at a better time and I have already been on a gouache-buying shopping spree with the proceeds. Thank you, FanArtReview! You have really boosted my confidence and inspired me to push myself and my work more.

Self publishing on a shoe-string: one writer/ illustrator's life: A Lifetime of Cats: Jet

Self publishing on a shoe-string: one writer/ illustrator's life: A Lifetime of Cats: Jet

A Lifetime of Cats: Jet

Jet : A Lesson Learnt

Whilst at art college, I lived on the top floor of a big Georgian house in Doncaster where I could not have a cat. Those two years of my life are the only time that I have been without one. The weekend after I moved into a small house in Sheffield, I went to the shelter in Broomhall and to seek 'a special cat'. Whilst many wound themselves around my legs, this big black cat sat in his cardboard box, calmly watching the proceedings. I enquired about him and was told that he was a big softie. It was clear that he was something of a favourite with the staff, so my mind was made up.

Jet quickly made himself at home and was popular with visitors. He was talkative and a lap cat. Shortly after, we were joined by a young stray named Morgan, and after a few initial spats, they became great friends.

Despite his size, Jet was something of a coward and on several occasions, he had to go to the vets for wounds to his back legs. It seemed that in a fight, he would always get bitten running away! Jet was a regular at the vets. He had recurring gingivitis which regularly caused him to lose his appetite. He acquired quite a liking for the yeast-flavoured tablets the vet gave him and once helped himself to a whole week's worth during the night! Thereafter, I bought him his very own pill box and he would come running when he heard the click of the lid being opened.

Later, I learnt that the gingivitis was a symptom of Feline Leukaemia and Feline AIDS. I don't know whether Jet had these at the time he was in the shelter, or picked it up from the bites he sustained. Although I always had my cats vaccinated against cat flu, no vet had ever recommended vaccinating against Leukaemia, and I had no idea that this awful disease even existed. It is passed on through saliva, and in a multi-cat household where they eat out of each other's dishes, it can spread like wild-fire. I lost three cats in just four months to this disease, and it was devastating. Whilst there is no vaccine yet for Feline AIDS (Jet had both illnesses), I now ensure that all my cats are vaccinated against Leukaemia and urge everyone to do the same.

You will be able to read more about Jet in my forthcoming book, "A Lifetime of Cats". I hope to publish later this year, but it is taking me much longer than expected. I could finish in a month or so if I used old illustrations, but feel this would be cheating. I want to create a new portrait of each cat - and there are many of them!

Are you missing out on DACS?

If you have ever had a painting or photo published in a book or magazine, or had a work of yours featured on television, it would be foolish not to sign up with DACS.

DACS pays an annual royalty based on collective schemes, for example when someone wishes to photocopy a page of a magazine or book that features your work. Even if you have only had a couple of pictures published several years ago, if you can provide DACS with the relative information, you could earn a decent small sum each year.

Thank you very much DACS for helping to pay my winter water bill and for being able to buy myself a pair of 'cat earrings to die for' with this year's cheque.

Looking forward to two weeks of art

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Term has finally ended and I can forget about registration and drama-queen girls for 16 whole days!

I am looking forward to working on the two books that I hope to publish next year. It is hard to find the motivation to paint on these dark nights after a full day at school, but now I have no excuse.

This picture marks Pablo's debut on my annual Christmas card design. A whole year has flown by since someone abandoned him on my doorstep suffering from pneumonia. Hard to believe that someone could dump such a cute and adorable little character. He has certainly brought a lot of fun and joy into my life. Last Christmas, he was far too ill to appreciate everything that was going on around him, so this year, I am going to make sure that he is spoilt rotten.

Events

Book Launch, 13th November

Congratulations to my friend, Lynn Taylor and her toy mouse, Miss Mousey, who have been interviewed this month by new online Manchester based magazine, 'Natter'.

Lynn's second book featuring Miss Mousey will be launched on 13th November at a reception held at Urmston Library. The Lord and Lady Mayoress of Trafford will also be in attendance.

Sefton Arts Book Fair, Sunday 7th November

Tabby Cat Press will be attending the book fair which kicks off Sefton's first Writing Festival. The fair will celebrate the diversity and quality of independent publishers and book shops across the North West. Held at Crosby City Hall between 11am and 4pm, entrance is free. Come along and meet Tabby Cat Press's authors Lynn Taylor and Angela Cater who will be signing copies of their books.