Auditioning

This is a monotype I completed in a class I took from my friend Mary Ann (See the link "School of Eclectic Art"). One reason I like taking art classes is that I can absorb the energy and enthusiasm of not only the instructor, but also of other students who are stuggling, as I am, to produce something worthwhile. I tend to work in colored pencil and watercolor, which are in my comfort zone. I had never tried any printmaking before, but I was attracted to the process because of how painterly and how unpredictable the results are. This particular image was based on a photo I took several years ago at a friend's farm in Door County. A number of us had gathered for a camping weekend, and I saw a beautiful black cat sunning itself near the barn. The photo is OK, but I like how the print turned out even more.

Which brings me to my topic; we are auditioning cats for the role of "adored pet" in our house. I already wrote that my eighteen-year-old calico Sophie had to be euthanized just before Easter. We have been waiting to get a new cat until we took our trip to New Orleans and painted the basement floor. The floor will be done tomorrow, and then Monday the job of head cat will be awarded to a Humane Society kitty. We both went to the main shelter earlier this week. We peered into cages filled with cats who sqeezed their eyes, sang cat us songs, and reached out their paws toward the soft touches on the other side of the bars. We auditioned two, a little calico similar to our Sophie (only young and healthy) and a jumbo sized tom who cuddled and purred like a pro. Today I visited the satellite shelter at Mounds, and was charmed by a small female with black and white tuxedo markings. How to choose? Who can we bear to leave behind? Whoever comes home will need to purr, play and pounce on both our hearts. The question is, who will it be?