Cougar Totem Painting Continued
Meet Samantha
(Sam for short)
I always love the intensity of big cats eyes. Even when at rest they have a stare that (perhaps because we humans are prey animals) speaks to the very primal mind. Here she is a sub-adult though in the wild she would be old enough to be on her own by now.
Sam is giving me a good stare because she is trying to discern whether I might be smuggling some haunch of elk or something. (I was not.) Mostly she slept out of view so zoo goers were often disappointed. Part of my job was to talk with people so I often would call her out. Of course she always came. After all she wouldn’t want to miss a meal on account of being anti-social.
The person I replaced was attacked by a mountain lion. Whether it was Sam or not, I do not know. They fell into the electric fence and that is pretty much what saved the keepers life.
I had only one “really” scary moment with Sam when she wrapped herself around my right leg and started chewing on my boot. Fortunately I had my trusty garden hose and all it took was a spritz to end her making a snack of me.
About The Painting
The body area is not done. Considering I’m not a fan of yellow I certainly have allot of it here. I am moving onto to the background now and then may play with the coloring of the cat again.
Tags: totems
This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing the story and reference photo. Sam’s a beautiful cat!
The water hose spritz in a big cat’s face works as well as it does on regular-size and small cats? I never realized that! Perhaps that’s how Bert trained Big Kitty to be such a wonderful spokescat for the World Wildlife Fund’s Florida Panther program. He was very calm and friendly — but if they’re anything like the smaller cats, females tend to be more in-charge, in your face cats while males are more mellow.
Thanks Robert. It looks much better with the background in. Will post in a day or so.
I was unaware females were. . . um . . .less mellow than males. Makes sense though when you think about it.
I’d like to say the same as Robert - Thank you for sharing the story and reference photo. Sam’s a beautiful cat!
I’m so used to seeing your “normal” coloured paintings that when I first glanced at this I wasn’t too keen, but I have to say, it is growing on me very quickly! You are so talented Mona, and so versatile!
Truthfully she looks pretty crappy here. I like the look better with the background but am not as happy as her as I was with Bear. However I’m having a lot of fun just letting loose with my creativity. I think I need the back and forth between tight realism and loose and colorful expressionism.
Finished Emma. Really enjoyed it. Started Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol but got a copy of Pride & Prejudice waiting when I finish Dan’s book.
I can imagine that after needing to concentrate so hard on your realistic paintings, that these paintings are quite refreshing for you and just feel like playing. I suppose it’s the difference between me making a polar bear and a set of bowls!
You know, I’m really tempted to re-read Pride and Prejudice, as it’s been so many years since I read it. Jane Austen has a few other books that I haven’t read yet, but after seeing the tv drama’s they don’t appeal to me as much. I expect I’ll get round to them one day. I’m glad you enjoyed Emma. How did you think it compared with the film?
It was odd. I thought the film really captured the book much better than I expected. Much of the dialogue was verbatim. Some things were different but I suppose it helped the movie along with the story line to trim or substitute characters. Like in the movie Emma was with her friend when they were attacked by the gypsies but in the book Emma was at home. Not important in any real way though.
Very much enjoying the current book but am looking to crack open P&P again. It’s been at least a decade since I read it.
How ’bout you? What’s your take on Emma?