Day 3: Ketchup Tigra

This was a big test to the project: I was supposed to go to a gathering of internet dorks in Toronto, but logistics (and expenses) were unjustifiable. My income's been low this year due to the economic downturn and frivolously spending $600-$800 for a weekend seemed irresponsible.

Instead, I drove 4 hours to New Jersey to help my wife and Sister-In-Law plan SIL's most recent 39th birthday party. The test? Can I paint while away from my home studio? Amid the craziness of party planning and then during an actual party?

When I arrived, they weren't there, but my college-aged nephew let me in and I looked around for the cats, whom I like to torment (in a friendly, loving way). The new one I found under the bed. I asked the Nephew what the cat's name was and he said, "Ketchup." Later, when SIL got home from a Broadway show with my wife, I mentioned "Ketchup" and she looked perturbed. "His name is Tigra!"

Apparently I'd been a pawn in a small point of contention between a mom and her wily Sophomoric son, who giggled. "Tigra," by the way, is Russian for "Tiger" (he's striped, obviously). I married into a family of ex-Soviets. In any case, I had taken a photo of this cat, painted him after everyone went to bed (my favorite time for work). I knew I needed sleep, so I picked a subject, style and composition I could whip out quickly. (an artist friend referred to that as "desperation pieces" ... I disagree. We'll see what I consider a "desperation piece" as time goes on)

At SIL's birthday party, as a special gift, I sold her this painting :0).

Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of it before I framed it. The framing was a good exercise though: it's a 7"x5" piece, which fit into the frame of 7 1/4"x5 1/4" ... which meant the frame swallowed part of the cat. A twig and a Swiss army knife came to the rescue and there's a small piece of her yard debris inside the frame. From this I learned to keep a bit of a gutter around the edges for frames to eat up.

Side note: Day 3 refers to the day of the painting. I'm posting with a time lag, I hope to catch up soon.