I have hundreds of images stored on my computer–drawings, paintings, digital images, etc., that I have created over the years. I regularly search through them when I need a picture to illustrate an idea. When Brewskie Butt’s anipals on Twitter started talking about a “Pussy Cat Island” pawty, I knew exactly which picture to choose.
I wish I could say that I created the picture just for the pawty, but that truly is not the case. The drawing was made in 2004.
The cat illustrated in the picture is named “Who”, or as he was called in 2004 by his then companion, my mother, “Kitty Kat Who”. “Who” lived with my mother in an independent living center for retirees until March of 2008, when she was placed in a nursing home. He has lived with me, Brewskie, Slick and Noah (his litter mate brother) ever since.
My mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease since 2004. “Who” was the perfect companion for her as she came to grips with the disease and adjusted to living away from her own home. He couldn’t go with her to the nursing home, unfortunately, when she needed a higher level of care.
My mother was always creative with the truth when it came to telling a story, but the elaborations became even more interesting as Alzheimer’s started taking hold. The story she told about “Who” was that he arrived into the world in a Tupperware dish during a flood. Each time she told the story, it became more extravagant!
The actual story was that Noah, Who’s brother, was found floating in a Rubbermaid bin in a flooded basement. “Who” and the rest of the litter had managed to climb onto a shelf, and they were safe and dry. But my mother’s story is more interesting, no?
The drawing above was created for a calendar of family pets that I made in 2004 in order to celebrate the creative story that my mother told about “Who”.
Although Alzheimer’s has ravaged my mother’s brain in a very heartbreaking manner, I take comfort in knowing that it has not destroyed her creativity or her character. Today, she lives in a facility that keeps her active and full of life. Our relationship, at times strained through the years, is now very sweet and comforting for both of us.
And the stories between us? Well, fiction and fantasy are full of truth too.
Onward to Pussy Cat Island!!!
Note: Unframed 8 X 10 prints of the “Pussy Cat Island” picture may be purchased for $30.00 plus shipping and handling. Please email BZTAT at bztat@artadventuresstudios.com if interested.
Life is an Adventure!
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.