Getting the perfect profile pic (it's not as easy as you'd think)

Schroedinger's Blogger

New look! New 'about me'! New name (sort of)!

Yes, I disappear for months and come back to claim that this is no longer an art blog - the nerve! This is not a permanent change, but rather a way to manipulate the current situation such that I can keep blogging, maybe provide some entertainment or insight for anyone who wishes to read my words, and possibly even grow a bit as a blogger (or a person.. who knows?).



My initial reason for starting a blog was to support Cat-in-a-Box because, well, every artist needs to have a blog right? It turned out to be a good thing though; it was easier and faster to get going than my website and a nice way to ease in to having an online presence. Then I realized how much fun it was to share art-related things that I often don't get to tell anybody about (except my poor, beleaguered husband :D). Showing my works-in-progress, or ranting about right/left brain theory, discussing shows or any old artsy things.


Alas, much has changed recently - there has been less time to devote to art and thus less to post about. The result is that the posts get fewer and further between, and then the pressure to put up something 'worth posting' rises. And then... no posts at all. Just a sad, lonely blog sitting here dreaming of bygone days.


But! Life is still really exciting, and even if I don't have much new artwork to show you just now I do have a bunch of other crap (er.. very interesting things!) to share. This demotivator about sums it up....




So for the indeterminate 'next little while' this is Cat-out-of-the-Box. The cat has been loosed and is going to go nosing into all kinds of things. Art may be among them, but for the time being this is an 'anything' blog rather than a dedicated art blog. I don't think many would disagree with me if I say that the best way to kill creativity is to force it... well that's the place I am right now. However, the reverse is that if you don't try to force it sometimes you get the very, very best of creativity. Let's see how it goes!


So if you're looking for only art-related stuff then watch for the blog banner to change back to the old logo. If you're up for something new then stay tuned!

~ Pam

Moving is such hard work for kitties!

It's tiring, all this driving... note the plains of Wyoming/Nebraska/Iowa/Western Illinois (take your pick) in the background. Ginger is particularly pooped in this shot - having spent an hour telling me just what she thought about this whole 'moving' idea and then maintaining her place as Queen Bee in the Seat of Honour the rest of the ride (at least Michael didn't vomit on her this trip! Go meclizine!).



The official cat of 'Cat-in-a-Box' stalwartly guarding the coffee and skittles on the long drive...



And Nessie - taking her turn on the Seat of Honour (yes, the Seat of Honour is a dog bed on half a vari-kennel in the back of the car - comfy as well as being a good vantage point!)....



Surprisingly (or perhaps not) the cats didn't care one bit about the snowstorm in Nebraska, they mostly just slept. Now they have happily claimed all sunbeams that enter this house - apparently sunbeams in Illinois are just as good as sunbeams in Colorado! :)

~ Pam

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to workshop I go!!

I'll save my usual apologies for the lag in posting - in my defense there is a whole heckuva lot going on around here recently. The overarching biggie of them all is that Cat-in-a-Box will be moving from snowy Colorado to snowy Chicago in the very near future. Any of you who have ever moved (and especially those of you who have a habit of occasionally moving twice in one year) can sympathise with the descent into chaos that is occurring here currently.

Although I must say it's heaven for a certain boxaphilic cat....

"I can haz bubbelrap?'

However - there's nothing like moving to light a fire under you. So among the other things I've been up to (which I plan to use as further blog-fodder in the upcoming weeks so I can show you some new art) I'm also giving an Introduction to Scratchboard workshop next week at the Wyly Community Arts center in Basalt, CO. So if any blog-readers out there are local think about signing up at http://www.wylyarts.org/content/scratchboard! The workshop with cover the basics of scratchboard origins and techniques, with some practice exercises and a fun valentine's Day project on day one and a more in-depth discussion of advanced techniques and starting on a 5x7" board on day two. Be sure to spread the word if you know anyone in the Roaring Forks Valley who might be interested!


In other news, I have had a piece accepted to this year's Art Show at the Dog Show! Rosie's whiteboard portrait (titled 'Petulant') was juried in from a total of 462 submissions, it will be making the trip to Kansas to compete against other canine art in the show this spring. If you'll be in Kansas in March or April try to check out the show, the schedule is here.

"Petulant" (Rosie) 9x12" Whiteboard (c) Pam Boutilier

And another piece I can post now is this tiny scratchboard done for a friend as a Christmas gift. This is dearly beloved Ellie who passed away a year ago, isn't she just beautiful?

"Ellie" 3.5 x 5" scratchboard (c) Pam Boutilier

I have some more work that were gifts and so could not be posted earlier, keep a weather eye and I'll get them up in the near future! I'm also pondering the direction of this blog... so be prepared for the possibility of some interesting sidetracks!

Thanks for reading!

~ Pam

Desktopper WINNER #4 "Weed"

I am happy to announce the latest Desktopper contest winner!

I realize that the Desktopper schedule has been.... inconsistent (to put it mildly) since the summer, but rest assured - everyone who has entered has their name in a hat (actually a small wooden box) and my husband faithfully pulls one out monthly. I hope to get back on a consistent posting schedule with these at some point, in the meantime keep watching as the paintings will be posted when completed!

The fourth winner of my contest is 'Weed', belonging to Patty;



This is what Patty had to say about her beautiful kitty:

"Weed was a very little kitty when I found her on the side of the road 11 years ago. Weighing less than a pound and being so tiny I thought for sure she was a kitten, the vet said that she had just given birth as her mammaries were still swollen. Weed's size and condition told us that there was no way any babies could have survived, so for the rest of her life she has treated every animal she meets large and small as though they were her long lost babies and licks them til they are wet (or so annoyed they walk away). Weed has been a special addition to our family, showing us how unconditional love really works."

~ Pam