a dozen shades of gray...cat

image copyright and by kindest permission of the artist

Bernadette Kazmarski does it again.  Would you look at the fur on this cat?  I could bury my face in it the way I can Veronica's fur (when she lets me).  But that's the sweet thing about pastel, that soft and tender medium.  Want this for yourself?  It's over at Etsy.
"The unique thing about my artwork," Bernadette writes, "is that nearly every painting is a cat who is or was at one time a member of my household. I never create derivative artwork from others' photos, photos I find on the internet, printed calendars, greeting cards or whatnot, I only work from life or from my own photos unless I am commissioned by someone to create a portrait of their pet."  So who's this fine creature?  It's Jelly Bean, a gentleman making up one of the current household.
Here's Bernadette once more: "My household has numbered between 8 and 10 for more than 20 years, all rescues, but now I have only this family of five rescued black cats. Yes, they are special to me, and very inspiring, and I do all I can to help dispel the black cat myth, but they could be purple with green and yellow polka dots and I'd love them just as much."  And on that theme of love, loss, and love refound, I really think you'll like to read Bernadette's post at her site The Creative Cat.