Visual ArtSEP 22, 2018

Help! I Can't Stop Painting Cats!

Hello, my name is Anne, and I’m a cat lady.

It all starts here…I’ve been wanting to prove to myself that I could be a productive artist at home, just the way I’m a productive worker-bee designer/coordinator at my job. Some days, I could come home physically and mentally wiped, after not only clearing my to do list, but also creating a second to do list after my lunch break and clearing that, as well! I know the potential in a day’s work – and I know my bandwidth for productivity…and I wanted to apply it to painting on a daily basis.

About two years ago I was let go from my job and I wasted no time jumping into applying myself to painting. My first of this era was the Mewnicorn, a concept that formed a couple weeks before I was laid off. I had no idea who my audience would be or that some people wouldn’t go bonkers over the magical cuteness the same way I did. But it was my phoenix rising from the ash and it headed up a solid parade of magical kitties to follow. In the case you don’t understand the hybrid, it’s a Cat + Unicorn, hence the Mew-Nicorn. :)

Why cats?

When I was a kid, I always wanted to have a kitten. I absolutely love dogs too, but there’s this ultra-special place in my heart for cats and kittens. My family got our first cat when I was 11, and she was a total queen – proper, slightly distant, and always well-poised, but she had total heart, was nearly human at times, and we snuggled and played constantly. It was perfect, since we had recently moved to a house in the countryside that was not close to any friends or sizable town, and I needed a buddy to hang with.

One of my favorite things to do when hanging out with her was sketch her, constantly! She had a gray heart on her side, so I’d always start my sketches with her outline and heart. From quiet, comforting joy to wacky freakishness, her personality was large and I wanted these characteristics to show through in my artwork. Her name was Pearl and she was the muse who started it all.

Time passed, I went to college and then graduated and temped as an admin, went back to school for graphic design and finally found my career path. I was able to visit and snuggle her into her golden years until sadly, slowly and quietly age took her one morning. She had a great life with a wonderful family, so there’s nothing to get too upset about, other than my friend now being gone. After Pearl came a few other kitties; and if I could have ten at a time, I WOULD. But that’s nonsense my husband won’t tolerate, and I’m willing to share kitties with the rest of the world of cat lovers!

The Art part:

When I was very young, I knew I loved art probably more than myself. Making it, especially. When I sat around the house, drawing Pearl in her nap pose, crotch-licking pose and stretching poses, it just clicked for me: Cat art f*cking kicks *ss. (These were my exact thoughts at age 11.) It’s versatile; cute, funny, beautiful – it has a full range. And in some ways, I always wanted to, against all reasonable odds, make a living off of cat art.

Somehow this thought made it past my logic filter.

I had not yet grown serious painting and drawing skills, as I hadn’t committed to any classes/lessons after high school, until I began consistently going to junior college in the evenings, starting in 2014. The classes have helped me grow, and still continue to teach me new things each day. I’m very lucky to be exposed to such incredibly talented professors and students, who have big hearts and a hilarious demeanor. I’ve found my peoples.

So now I paint as much as possible, and post it online, to find fellow cat lovers, cat ladies and crazy cat ladies, in hopes to form a connection over this common thread. Our hearts go out to our cats in a way only we know how. And I hope my artwork speaks to everyone about this passion for our cats, and the sensational magic they mysteriously contain.

Thank you. Now go hug your kitty.

Say hi and follow my new stuff! instagram.com/apennypackerart/

Adopt a magical kitty:

redbubble.com/people/Annepennypacker

More info: Instagram