Cheryl Kirsch has been interested in art and the creative process considering that early childhood. As a preschooler, she rejected coloring books in buy to create and color her own drawings. She has spent years studying a large variety of media including oil painting, watercolors, acrylics, fiber arts, Chinese brush painting, and painting on silk. presently she works mostly with watercolors, acrylics, and split paper collage, combining techniques from all the styles. Cheryl specializes in painting cats, animals, still lives, and spiritual landscapes.
It is my pleasure to introduce you to this prolific artist today.
When did you first begin painting cats?
I first began painting cats about fifteen years ago when I began studying watercolors. about that time I also became mommy to my first Maine Coon cat. I have great love for cats; now my work nearly always includes them. My studio is full of light, color, and cats, as are my paintings. When I look around my home, I see my four terrific Maine Coon cats. They are my muses, often lying at my feet or napping on the table where I am working. I like to do expressionistic interpretations of them, rather than sensible portraits. I also like to show the spirit of cat in fresh and whimsical ways.
After learning how to paint on silk, I began painting cats on silk scarves and accessories – wearable art. My Silks collection includes lots of different styles of scarves and lots of different breeds. I also paint ‘generic cat’ scarves with large faces, whimsical designs, or exaggerated distinctive features.
What is the creative process like for you?
I find much happiness in the creative effort and process. My work reflects my love for my subjects and my desire to create. I don’t fit into a mold; I am an experimental artist, always curious about new styles, trying new techniques, learning how materials work, and creating something new. I take risks, welcome unexpected results, and try things that may not work. I am known for creative use of materials and my paintings are often very textural. I work with a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, ink, and collage. I work with interesting textures, fibers and silks, strings and yarn, different glues, and a variety of papers to express ideas. I love patterns – natural patterns in the world around me, geometric patterns, calligraphy, embellishments, symbols, and COLOR. I use all of these to interpret the appeal around me and to enhance what I want people to see in my paintings. When I am “in the flow,” absolutely immersed in what I am doing, my work seems to create itself.
While cats are featured prominently in your artwork, you also paint other subjects. What is a lot more challenging – cats or other subjects?
The a lot more I paint cats, the much easier it becomes. but there are so lots of different breeds, it has become a challenge to accurately portray all the different kinds. After painting big, fluffy Maine Coon cats, who model for me every day, it was a real challenge to capture the structural Cornish Rex, or the large distinctive ears of a Siamese, or the folds in an (almost) hairless Sphynx. I try to think of how lots of different ways I can portray Cat. I bring that creativity to other subjects like landscapes, still lives, and animals. I love collage and “painting” with papers – using small split pieces of paper to create scenes. This process brings a myriad of colors into the work and ends up looking impressionistic.
I love challenges. When beginning any artwork, my mantra is “There are no mistakes/accidents.” Secondly, I know that the art surface is just a piece of paper or canvas. I am not thinking at that point about creating a ‘masterpiece.’ I have learned to get out of the way and just channel the creative force. Of course, in the final evaluation, I have to see which mistakes are good and what to keep. The rest get split up, and may appear later in collages. The process of creating, not just the end product, is very crucial to me.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I don’t ever have to look for inspiration. It pertains to me incessantly. I have a lot more ideas than I have time to develop. Of course, my cats are my muses. They inspire me daily with their beauty, grace, and loving energy. I wish to communicate that loving energy and appeal to others. I am also inspired by nature, experiences, dreams, and imagination.
Tell us about your own cats, and how they inspire your work.
I am now eleven cats old, having had my first red tabby female at the age of nine. Presently, my four cats are all Maine Coons. Jasper Sebastian is my retired Grand Champion, and he is now nearly fifteen years old. He is very intelligent, very friendly, and the ‘babysitter’ of the kitty clan. Harrison Steinlen is a huge (30+ lbs) red classic tabby with white. He is sociable and affectionate and has a luxurious coat and well-tufted ears. He is large and very impressive; visitors anull
