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.

Cheeky Charlie - a Cat of the Neighbourhood

A Lifetime of Cats: Cheeky Charlie

I was in the garden one autumn afternoon when a young cat streaked across the lawn and into my house without so much as glancing at me. This is very characteristic of the cat who came to be known as 'Cheeky Charlie' - he is very much independent and although he likes the occasional cuddle, affection is very much on his own terms and most days you are lucky if he will so much as acknowledge your existence.

Soon after, a young Scottish woman knocked at my door and asked if I had a tabby and white cat. It turned out that she lived across the road from me and over there Cheeky Charlie was known as 'Tabby', although he didn't really belong to her either.

For the next few years, he continued to spend half his time on my bed and half his time on hers. We became good friends and regularly cat sat for each other's multiple cat households. When she relocated to York, she chose to leave Charlie with me,

feeling that he belonged more to the neighbourhood than any individual person.

Indeed, I frequently see Charlie going in and out of other houses on the street, sometimes as far as half a mile away, and I often wonder just how many names he has. I feel honoured that he chooses to spend so much time with me.

Learn more about Charlie in my forthcoming book "A Lifetime of Cats", to be published in 2011.

Arthur the Wondercat (1983-2010)

A Lifetime of Cats: Arthur

It's hard to know where abouts in "A Lifetime of Cats" to include Arthur as her remarkable long life made her a contemporary of so many, and she outlived 14 others. Originally named "Diamond", she lived rough for several years before moving in with my family and being renamed "Arthur" after the famous Kattomeat cat.

Her years as a stray had taken their toll, and that well over a decade she battled against skin cancer. Unbeknown to us, she was already almost 25 years old when we made the difficult decision to have the tips of her ears amputated. She made a remarkable recovery and the operation certainly increased her life expectancy.

A great 'grumpy old woman', Arthur continued to climb trees, catch mice and entertain over 400 Facebook fans right up to the end. She finally lost her fight against the cancer in August 2010.

You will be able to learn much more about Arthur in my forthcoming art memorial book, "A Lifetime of Cats".

A Lifetime of Cats (The True Stories Behind the Art)

A Lifetime of Cats (The True Stories Behind the Art)

This work in progress will feature stories and paintings of every cat I have ever owned. I was just two years old when 'Uncle Ron' gave me my first kitten who became imaginatively known as 'Ginger'. Since then, apart from two years at art school, I have never been without a cat and I guess that Uncle Ron is largely to blame for my image as a 'Crazy Cat Lady'.

This portrait required a lot of artistic license as the original photo shows me sat outside in front of an unattractive brick wall and a badly peeling drainpipe. A google search gave me the 1960's wallpaper (I remember similar colours) and a familiar looking wall clock. I also changed the colours of my clothing so they don't clash so much. I wonder why, if it was so cold that I needed a thick hand-knitted jumper, why am I wearing shorts?

Ginger lived to be around 5 years old. He was a remarkably tolerant cat and put up with my early attempts of veterinary care when I covered him in sticking plasters.

There are many more cats to come, but I hope to publish in the first half of next year. Watch this space for more cats and more true cat tales.