Month: June 2012

June 21, 2012

BlogPaws, Temptations and Schtuffs

As I write this, I am on a plane somewhere between Detroit and Salt Lake City, beginning my annual sojourn to the BlogPaws Conference. BlogPaws is the premiere blogging and social media conference for people who write about pets. It is my favorite thing to do all year, as I get to meet with people from all over the world who share my passion for animals.

I have always been lucky to have a special job at BlogPaws. The first year, I was part of the organizing committee, and I coordinated an art exhibit of pet themed artworks from various artists. I created a mural with conference participants at the second conference, and I was a speaker at the third one.

This year, I have a special job too. Temptations Cat Treats is sponsoring my trip, and they asked me to share information about creating bonds with cats using treats.

I confess that this is new territory for me. I am a pretty basic sort of person, and I have never given my cats treats on a regular basis. Like most people, I thought “treating” was a special thing for now and then, but it never occurred to me to use treats as a way to bond or encourage certain behaviors with my cats. With Okey still very fearful, and Brewskie constantly obnoxious, I am glad to have this opportunity to learn and share with others.

Brewskie will be writing about this process on his blog (I can already hear his snarky take on MY side of the behavior issue). I will also be tweeting and sharing things about the conference on Facebook. I also just obtained an iPad, and I plan to use it to draw and create different artistic images inspired by the conference. Follow my Tumblr blog to see what I am creating!

Do you have any questions about the benefits of treating cats to strengthen bonding? And do you have any requests for my iPad doodling? Let me know in the comments, and I will see if I can get an answer or create an image for you.

June 18, 2012

Unlikely Heroes

“Rodney King” – Art by BZTAT

Some people are catapulted to fame through creative or entertaining actions. Others become household names through heroic and brave deeds in the face of danger. Still others become known through athletic prowess or amazing accomplishments.

And then there is Rodney King.

He became known not for something great that HE did, but for something awful that happened to him.

By all accounts, including his own, Rodney King was something of a screw-up. Battling addiction his entire life, he was prone to mishaps at every turn.

How did someone seemingly lacking in the typical qualities of heroism become such a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement?

I believe that the answer lies in his human frailty – something that we often overlook as an important element of the human experience.

Rodney King reminded us that we all are susceptible to our human demons – and susceptible to the demons of others who use our frailty to enhance their own overvalued sense of power.

Despite his frailty, Rodney King was able to demonstrate the most civil and responsible behavior in the face of society’s over reaction to what was done to him.

“Can we all get along?”

He later issued genuine forgiveness to those who had harmed him and he simply encouraged everyone else to do the same.

We were all amazed how he survived back in 1991. Now, 21 years later, we are saddened at his passing at age 47.

You were an unlikely hero, Rodney King.

But a hero, nonetheless.

June 16, 2012

A Sensitive Soul Gone to Another World

“Sebastian” Painting by BZTAT

For my latest Okey’s Promise Project, I am using real animals and children as my models. I will be painting 10-12 paintings that represent everyday people and everyday creatures that have a story of resilience and survival.

I chose Sebastian, a gray and white tabby cat from the Kansas City, MO area as a model for a number of reasons. He was a 7 year old kitty who somehow found himself in a homeless pet shelter at a mature age when he worked his way into the heart of Amy, a volunteer.

Sebastian had a sensitive soul, and a sensitive stomach, as it turned out. He survived being homeless and being a harder to place cat. He survived ongoing tummy issues. He wrote about his adventures and the needs of other pets on his blog, and he helped get the word out about adopting harder to place animals.

And he became an amazing companion to Amy and her husband Lee.

Earlier this year, Sebastian survived another huge crisis when Amy and Lee’s apartment burned down. Luckily, he and Dottie, his companion guinea pig, and Amy and Lee, got out safely. But their home and all their things were destroyed. Sebastian was great comfort to Amy and Lee during those trying days.

Sadly, Sebastian, ever the resilient one, was not able to live forever in this world, however. He developed serious health problems last weekend, to which he succumbed last night. He was 9 years old.

My heart goes out to Amy and Lee. Amy and I have become great friends online and in real life. We share a love of animals and we understand how deep that love goes for people like us. I know how dear this creature was to her.

Amy has also been a huge support to me as an artist, and was one of the first people to commission a pet portrait from me. Ironically, that painting was destroyed in the fire, and I will soon be re-painting it for her.

Sebastian was only with Amy and Lee for 2 years, but that was enough time for a beautiful love story to blossom. I believe that the souls of animals live on, and I am certain that this sensitive soul is now in a good place.

Thank you, Sebastian for being the purrfect model. And thank you Amy for sharing his soul with me and so many others.

This painting is not yet complete, as it will eventually have drawings from children pasted into the background. Follow Okey’s Promise: Art for a Cause for further developments with the project.