Featured Friday artist on the EBSQ blog!

That would be me! yay! Honored to have been chosen to have my art and Etsy store profiled on the EBSQ blog! Please be sure to search tag "EBSQ" on Etsy to find many great artists! EBSQ artists rock!

Check out the blog post here: EBSQ Art Meets Blog Featured Friday

Orange kitty pet rock portrait

Orange kitty pet rock portrait
Originally uploaded by tagscats

Available now in my Etsy shop!

Orange cat rock portrait listing HERE

Another Nibblefest cat painting for auction

Cat Groom
Originally uploaded by tagscats

Here's my last entry for auction for the Nibblefest Ebay art contest, theme this month, "asian inspired". I love doing chinese brushwork ink paintings of cats, and this is definitely asian-inspired, with a twist!

A portrait of a cat doing the groom....based on my rescue cat Kesey. This would be a good pairing with my other cat ink painting for auction on Ebay right now, check them out!

But, you have to get in there quick for this one, as it's only a 3 DAY AUCTION!

Cat Groom Ebay Auction

sleeping cat ink painting, on Ebay now!

sleeping cat ink painting
Originally uploaded by tagscats

One of my entries in the Ebay Nibblefest art contest. This is a themed contest that runs each month starting on the 20th and ending on the 27th, each piece of art starting at a no reserve price of $.99! Now how great is that?? This month's theme is Asian Inspired.

I have 2 pieces running right now, may have a third to list later tonight...

This piece is a chinese brushwork painting of a favorite subject of mine, a sleeping cat. This one based on my cat Alice. This is hand-ground chinese ink 9x12 Arches 300# watercolor paper.

Sleeping Cat Ebay Auction

Rusty

Rusty
Originally uploaded by tagscats

I was commissioned to paint a lovely german shepherd, and while I was working on this rock portrait, Rusty suddenly and tragically passed away. So bittersweet. I am so hoping his owner finds comfort in this portrait. Rusty was such a beautiful dog.

Frida wins EBSQ Simon Sez challenge!

Frida
Originally uploaded by tagscats

There is a weekly challenge on EBSQ called Simon Sez. The winner of the challenge each week picks the theme. Now how could I resist the "fur" theme?? lol! This photograph I took of my rescue cat Frida won last week, woo hoo!

See the EBSQ Blog for details...

On Ebay right now!

Dashiel Sleeps with the Beanies
Originally uploaded by tagscats

This is my entry for the Ebay Nibblefest art contest this month, theme Vintage Cats. My cat Dashiel loves to sleep on top of my Beanie Babies, and I have painted him as such. This is an original 16x20 oil painting with a no reserve starting price of $.99, so, don't miss out on this auction! Search NFAC on Ebay this week from Feb. 20-27 for all the great Nibblefest entries!

Click HERE to see the auction!

Raffle Reminder!!!

Yes, I'm posting about this again because, well, it's important! Time is running out to enter my charity raffle to benefit the cats of Forgotten Felines and get your chance to win a custom pet portrait! It's been tough times for everyone these days, and animal rescues especially have been hard hit. These rescue folk work so hard for the cats in their care, and remember that every little bit helps.

You only have until noon on Valentine's Day to enter, that is when one of my cats will be picking the winner!

RAFFLE INFO HERE

I've gotten a great response so far, thank you SO much to those who have opened their hearts to help these cats and those who so unselfishly care for them

Charity raffle - win a custom pet portrait!

So, it's no secret it's been a pretty crappy few months around here in the house of many furries. I have lost 3 cats and a dog since just before Christmas. The latest, and really no surprise, was my sweet Bronte just this past Thursday. It was time, though no less heart-breaking, Bronte had been with me for nearly 17 years. She came to me a skinny flea-ridden kitten from the local humane society, and grew into a beautiful long-haired tortoiseshell cat, and kept her loving disposition throughout her life. She loved to be carried around and would rest her paws on my shoulder and purr into my ear.

I decided to honor her memory by helping other cats in need. I am running a raffle, the winner of which will receive a custom 16x20 pet portrait oil painting. The drawing will be held on Valentine's Day. All the proceeds will benefit a local feline rescue from whom I have adopted several cats, Forgotten Felines. Full details regarding the raffle can be found HERE

I'm happy to say since posting about it for the first time yesterday, I have some entrants already. Hoping for lots more!

Gentle journey, Bronte, my baby girl. I will always hear you purring in my ear.

2 Pears II

2 Pears II
Originally uploaded by tagscats

Just listed on Etsy, this is acrylic on 6x6 ampersand artist panel.

Dawn's Lucy - Lost and Found

Dawn's Lucy - Lost and Found
Originally uploaded by tagscats

This is a portrait I did for a fellow artist Dawn Thompson. We were swap partners in the 2008 EBSQ pet portrait swap, and I was late getting her portrait finished and entered it into the EBSQ Better Late Than Never Show.

This is an oil portrait of her sweet rescued dog Lucy. I loved the photo ref of her snuggled on some beautifully patterned cushions and decided to paint her as such. This dog has blossomed under Dawn's care, I'm so glad she found her way to Dawn, for she is truly home now.

This is 16x20 oils on stretched canvas. There's still time to vote for your favorite piece in the EBSQ Late Show, a few days left, so get out there and see the great entries! It's free to become a patron!

Heather's Gumbo

Heather's Gumbo
Originally uploaded by tagscats

This piece I finished on Christmas day. It's a portrait for a fellow EBSQ artist, Heather Sims. We meant to swap dog portraits for the 2008 EBSQ Pet Portrait swap, and both got overwhelmed, so ended up finishing our portraits in time for the EBSQ Better Late Than Never Show.

So, this is my entry and my portrait of Heather's beautiful collie pup, Gumbo. We decided to swap as we both have dogs named Gumbo, though mine is a JRT. It was so much fun painting her Gumbo, he's so lanky! I decided to put him on a fun size of canvas, this is an 8"x24" stretched canvas. He's done in oils, with a very limited palette, only titanium white, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and a bit of cinnabar.

Feel free to visit the Better Late Than Never Show, and vote for your favorite piece, it's free to become a patron of EBSQ! Only 2 more days to vote on this show!

Rock Hen portrait

Rock Hen portrait
Originally uploaded by tagscats

Got this one finished, just in time for the Nibblefest contest this month on Ebay! In case you don't know, Nibblefest is a monthly challenge contest, starting on the 20th and ending on the 27th. Each artist comes up with a piece to fit the theme, this month's theme is chickens! All pieces start at $.99, no reserve. Search for NFAC on Ebay to find lots of great art by fabulous artists!

I decided to do a portrait of a rock hen, on a river rock of course! So, check it out and bid! You know you want to!

Rock Hen rockin portrait auction

1 Tomato 2 Tomato

1 Tomato
Originally uploaded by tagscats

New art, a couple of still life studies of tomatoes. Acrylics on 5x5 artist panel. Getting ready for an exhibit in a few weeks. More in this series of still lifes to come, so, stay tuned!

See both in this series here

Tag has been tagged!

So there's this "tag you're it" thing going on here amongst the art bloggers. And right now I'm the "it" girl, according to Kari Tirrell, who tagged me. The rules?

1. Place a link to the person that tagged you

2. List seven unusual things about yourself

3. Tag (and link to) seven other artists at the end of your post, and post on their blogs to let them know they’ve been tagged.

So, here's some stuff about me that may or may not be unusual, that's always a matter of perspective, now, isn't it?? lol

Well, at the moment I'm drinking out of a mug with no handle. It was broken off a few weeks ago as one of the cats knocked it off the counter. Why am I still drinking out of it? Not because I have a mug shortage, there are mugs in my cabinet that probably haven't seen the light of day in years. But, it's my favorite mug and I can't seem to part with it. There is a picture of a dog taking a poo on it, underneath that it says "This Coffee Tastes Like Crap". I mean, how great is that?? Ok, so, I drink tea, but, why be picky? BTW, this mug comes from a site still around, and it amuses me to this day, Dogdoo.com, and yeah, I have and wear, out in public, their t-shirt. Did I mention I like toilet humor?

I have several cats. More than 10. I have dogs too (the definite count of them is 6.), though I seem to have a special connection with felines. And yes, the cats, all of them, do know their names and answer to them, my cat sitter was even amazed at that fact. But, why not? I talk to them all day long. I wasn't allowed pets as a kid, I'm sure there's probably some psychological meaning to that (um, yeah, I'm nuts), but, so what? I've always had a connection to animals, the reason I was a vet tech for so many years, and good at it. And, the reason I paint them today. Most days, I'd much rather spend time with them than hang with my human counterparts, they are always there for me. I consider that a good thing. Nothing better, in fact, than painting in my studio, and looking around at all my furry companions hanging out here and there. It's a very zen feeling for me, a peaceable kingdom, if you will.

I'm uncomfortable being watched by people. But, for some strange reason, I have always been involved in activities that at times involve just that! I grew up playing the piano, but would not practice unless everyone left the room. Recitals were the pits, and because I played well, I often had to go last or nearly last, and it was torture to sit there waiting my turn. I loved the challenge of bodybuilding during my 20's and 30's, but it was very tough to stand on stage and be judged. If my husband hangs around watching me in my studio, I stop painting until he leaves, lol, and yet I have put my art out for the world to see. Maybe it's because I am stubborn to a fault. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, though my husband would probably (no, most definitely) disagree on that point. But, it's a trait that has helped me in many ways. In fact, stubborn is probably the wrong term. Determined, willful, I like those terms better. It helped me get through stage fright during my piano recitals, helped when I was a national level natural (no drugs) bodybuilder, helped me to become a good vet tech, helps me to be a better painter, helps me to get up and go running most mornings because it's good for me, and it helps me to deal with long tattoo sits. :-)

Oh, and on that subject, I have several tattoos. I have some smaller ones, but I really have a thing for sleeving my arms, my right arm is finished and just completed the outline on my left arm. Traditional japanese tattoo art, and all with meaning to me. The right arm is dedicated to my muse, the left, to my mom. And no, just because my arms will be filled, doesn't mean I'm going to get a face tattoo. So stop worrying about it. ;-) And not that there's anything wrong with face tattoos, I know people with them and they are nice folk.

I do tend to hoard art supplies. Canvas, brushes, paper. Hey, you never know when Jerry's Artarama or Dick Blick might suddenly be swallowed up by a black hole. And, I'll use all of this stuff one day. Really. Hey, fellow artists and hoarders, you know EXACTLY what I'm saying here, please explain it to my husband too while you are at it.

I'm sort of a vegetarian, but, not quite. My husband became a vegetarian 4 years ago and for the most part, for ease of shopping and cooking, I am too. However, I haven't been able to give up a few favorite things....chicken fajita quesadillas at my favorite Mexican restaurant, or turkey/coleslaw/provolone deli sandwiches. And sometimes I really crave a great big thick hamburger, or, a fat little mouse (oops, sorry, that was me channeling one of my cat's thoughts... ) Anyway, I spend a lot of time with my obligate-carnivore cats, so it's difficult to go without meat entirely.

My husband has never called me Tracey, only Tag. I had a shirt on with my initials the day we met, and he's never called me anything but Tag since that day. I know most of his side of the family, 25 years later, still thinks my name IS Tag.

So, that's a little about me, and now I'm about to tag 7 of my artist friends, and, hopefully, they will play along, and you will learn some fascinating things about them....Noelle Hunt, Manon Doyle, Carol Cooper, Valerie Jeanne, Lauren Cole Abrams, Griselda Tello, and Windi Rosson.

Bee & Rose of Sharon

Bee & Rose of Sharon
Originally uploaded by tagscats

A new 10x10 oil painting on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=17367539

friend me!

I'm on Facebook and Twitter now, so, feel free to friend me! You can see Twitter updates on this blog as well...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1401564908&ref=profile

http://twitter.com/tagscats

Black Cats Etsy treasury!

I managed to nab an Etsy treasury, and featured several fellow artists from EBSQ, Interior Design Team, Vast Team, and WWAO. Be sure to click on each piece of work and take a good look, you won't be disappointed! This one runs through Wednesday evening, so hurry up and check it out!

In honor of Halloween and my 5 black cats...

"Black Cats"

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=17621

another beautiful Etsy treasury to check out!

Fellow EBSQ artist Torrie Smiley put this treasury together, and was nice enough to include my pumpkin. Stop in and check all the wonderful artists in this one!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=30316

I'm in this Etsy treasury, woo hoo!

Well, I'm not in the treasury, but, my cat butt tile is! Check out all the fabulous EBSQ artists in this one!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=17030