Bored Panda reached out to Jamie, who shared what initially drew her to the world of artistry.
“I’ve always loved drawing since an early age. Color, shape, and form have always fascinated me as I have cats! From a young age, I would try to pick up neighborhood cats and bring them home.
My first trip to the Met and seeing Joan Mitchell’s art and all the other abstract artists really spoke to me and I decided to transfer my major to art and switch to art school. Before that I had no idea you could choose art as a profession, I had considered English or Philosophy. There are books from my childhood with cats scribbled in them and I was obsessed with Dr. Seuss and many other children’s books of the time.”
We were wondering how Jamie herself would describe the essence or theme behind her illustrations. Here is what she wrote: “I describe my art as fat cats and good design. I love painting energy, before I painted cats I painted large abstract paintings, it’s great having a subject now and I just find cats to be the perfect form of self-expression, I love their shape and silly nature. They are the most perfect form ever created and I’m obsessed with drawing them!”
Each creative has their unique creative process, therefore, we asked Jamie to share hers.
“I used to draw everything by hand, pen & ink, and I often still do, but now I usually use a stylus and Photoshop to create my illustrations. I love the ease of color selection and brushes and quickly being able to edit and change something. My ideas usually come from my life, especially from my garden lately or from whatever I’m doing at the time. I try to find inspiration from the everyday and capture a universal experience we all feel with our cats or life in general,” wrote the artist.
As for the audience’s takeaway, Jamie commented: “I hope my audience can connect with the energy captured in my art. Whether they recognize their cat or just the beauty or humor of the sentiment illustrated, I’ve done my job.”
Lastly, the artist added: “I know it sounds cliche, but have fun, in life and in art. We so often get bogged down in the day-to-day hustle and expectations of where we should be that we miss the moment and the beauty right in front of us! Life doesn’t have to be purrfect for you to enjoy it. I am happiest puttering around the house staring at my cat, digging in my garden, and making silly little illustrations of my life, sometimes it’s the littlest things that bring us the greatest joy! And I’m reminded of that every time I look at and draw my cat.”
