Oskar Completed - Hairless Elf Kitten Commissioned Portrait

Oskar-Winter S. Hairless Elf Kitten

Yesterday was warm and everything was melting. It was perfect for day tripping and visiting small neighbouring communities such as Paris, Waterford and Ingersoll. It felt so good to be out and about.

Here we are, Oskar is completed. But that doesn't necessarily mean that I won't go back and do touch-ups once the entire pack is done. I accentuated the curly tip of his ears, worked on the area where the whiskers would normally grow and made the wall behind him more contrasted so he stands out a little better, but still keeping everything soft.

Oskar is a cross between an American Curl and a Hairless Sphinx resulting in a new breed, the Elf Cat. At a time when inter-racial marriages were rare, my parents and us kids were always the object of (at the very least) prolonged stares. These stares made me feel like a creature from outer space. In time, I acquired an appreciation and empathy for anything that looked different, thus my use of the word "creature" as a term of endearment.

Boji, Oskar and Truman

The presence of fabric in the painting whether it's on a collar, blanket or bedding conveys home comfort, a sense that these animals are well taken care of and that they are an integral part of Lindsey's family. Because in the animal world it's not obvious, I also like to use colour to convey the gender of the animals. At the risk of sounding sexist, blues, purples and greens are, traditionally, attributed to males in North American cultures.  The boys are done, now for the girls.