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The Sofa Cats

Cat(s) of the Month ~ September 2012
The Society of Feline Artists, or S.O.F.A for short, was founded in September 1994. They have the aim of promoting the work of the best cat artists, whether established or unknown….and what an amazing collection of feline portraits they have in store on their website!
Stable Cat
Painting/Photograph: Barbara Thaxter
The society has had an annual exhibition of cat paintings at the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery in London for several years, featuring over 100 artists, some of whom exhibit internationally and showing more than 300 paintings in a range of media, making it the largest exhibition of cat art in the United Kingdom. Subjects range from the humble moggy and the friendly domestic tabby to the more exotic breeds like Siamese, Burmese and Bengals and of course the Big cats. From the nobility and drama of the wild cat to the playful kitten – all are painted with the mastery of artists who know and understand their subject. Norman and I have looked through the gallery on the S.O.F.A website and selected some of the pictures which have caught our eyes. We hope you like ’em too.

Barbara Thaxter

A Shady Place
Painting/Photograph: Barbara Thaxter

Jackie Coote

Frankie ‘The Professor’
Painting/Photograph: Jackie Coote
Sunbathing
Painting/Photograph: Jackie Coote

Kay Young

Jaguar
Painting/Photograph: Kay Young
Jasmine and Bertie
Painting/Photograph: Kay Young

Marion Forster

After all we’ve done
Painting/Photograph: Marion Forster
Ebony Gang
Painting/Photograph: Marion Forster

Marion Pritchard

Everything in the garden is lovely
Painting/Photograph: Marion Pritchard
Tabby with Fushias
Painting/Photograph: Marion Pritchard

Sue Sareen

Black and White Cats
Painting/Photograph:Sue Sareen
Two Kitties
Painting/Photograph:Sue Sareen

Alex Johnson

Sitting Pretty
Painting/Photograph:Alex Johnson
Watching
Painting/Photograph:Alex Johnson
Not forgetting a link to the S.O.F.A Website where there are a whole lot more artists and their paintings.
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Cat paintings by Peter Robinson

We’ve been looking at these painting for many years (haven’t we Norm?) and find them fascinating. I’m including a selection of our favourites here. We especially like the one that’s a dead ringer for Norman himself! We’d like to thank Peter (Gordon and the all the cats too!) for letting us post them here.

Peters work is described on his own website …”Working in designer gouache and pastels, mostly from photographs, Peter paints his cats with colourful, intricate and detailed backgrounds”. To us, Peter seems to capture the real spirit of these cats, as well as making the works highly decorative. Wonderful!

Alison's Cat
Alison’s Cat (just like Norman!)
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Kitten on the bed
Kitten on the bed
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Cat with lilies
Cat with Lilies
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Cats Eyes
Cats Eyes
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Ginger Cat Brother
Ginger Cat Brothers (both are just like our old cat gingerbread)
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Moggy Gloria
Gloria
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Marigold Cat
Marigold
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Two Sisters
Two sisters grumpy
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Tabby
Tabby
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
Ginger Cats
Photograph: © Peter Robinson
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The Cats of Elizabeth Blackadder

Well, Norman and I just love these paintings…. Dame Elizabeth Blackadder RA was born on 24 September 1931 in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. She trained at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art (ECA).
Fred on top of cupboard
Fred on top of cupboard
Photograph Copyright: Elizabeth Blackadder
Her early work was influenced by the Scottist Colourist Joseph Crawhall and her teacher, William Gillies. In 1954 she travelled to Yugoslavia, Greece and Italy after receiving the Carnegie Travelling Scholarship.
Kikko on a rug
Kikko on a rug
Photograph Copyright: Elizabeth Blackadder
At the time of writing Elizabeth is still travelling widely for exhibitions throughout the world. From 1956 to 1986 she taught at ECA.
Venice Cats
Venice Cats
Photograph Copyright: Elizabeth Blackadder
Her signature subjects include landscapes, cats, flowers, still-lifes and portraits. Blackadder’s work is based in the traditions of the Edinburgh School, but is strongly influenced by Japanese aesthetics.
Amelia Sleeping
Amelia Sleeping
Photograph Copyright: Elizabeth Blackadder
Characteristically, she carefully arranges objects in a shallow pictorial space to create intriguing and subtly decorative images.
siemese cat painting
Siemese Cat
Photograph Copyright: Elizabeth Blackadder DBE, RWA, RA, RSA, RSW
Dame Elizabeth Blackadder
Dame Elizabeth Blackadder DBE, RWA, RA, RSA, RSW, in her studio, November 2010
Photograph Copyright: The Scottish Gallery