Furry, sassy Luca - a feline extraordinaire.
According to Luca’s owner, this cat has some very defining characteristics: she has a big attitude and loves to give her the stink eye.
I laughed when the client wrote that Luca loves her husband, but she, on the other hand, is mostly tolerated. She "is the other woman in her own marriage" by her own admission.
In the reference photo, Luca is reclined like a furry aristocrat surveying her castle. She looks as though her servants nearby have not quite met up to her exacting standards.
Luca’s story or How I Stole my Friend’s Cat.
Luca was originally the client’s friend’s cat. She writes:
He started dating my co-worker. She is deep into dog sports and he was sucked into the addiction too. Last year he worked for a dock dogs organisation (nationally competitive dog sports), that had him constantly travelling.
We cat sat Luca in our basement for 8 months. When the time came to give her back, we were struggling. We offered/asked to keep her permanently. They agreed. And that’s how I stole my friend’s cat.
Luca's aristocratic pose.
While Luca appears unimpressed with the humans kowtowing around her, she is definitely charmed by Chicken Tender, a sweet kitten who arrived in the household at three months old.
If you visit, be aware that Luca will accept treats but she might just strut away, tail high, with a perfectly timed side eye. No one can remain unaffected by her little personality quirks.
Luca, after all, is more than a cat. She is part-time judge, comedian, and Olympic champion in the sassiness sport.
We are merely spectators in her world!
Other commissioned feline portraits in this client's home.
Luca is painted in acrylics on an 8 x 8 gallery wrapped canvas. She presently resides with Chicken Tender, and her human family in Pennsylvania.
I have painted many portraits and ornaments for this cat loving client. Her beloved pets have included Iggy, Beans,Tony, KitKat, and now Luca, and Chicken Tender.
A sincere thank you to all my clients and especially to my repeat clients. It's truly a great compliment when a client returns for another portrait.
Your continued support means a lot to me and encourages me to keep creating. I am very grateful for the opportunity you have given me, over the last eight years, to paint your wonderful pets.
Is it the photos Louise – the reference photo has Luca as slightly brown, but your painting moves Luca towards the purple?
Graham, the client wanted Luca’s portrait to sit next to previous cats I have painted for her and she liked that particular colour which was in Iggy and Tony’s portraits. Luca is not brown though…more of a soft grey with cream. Always difficult to achieve true colours just from photos sent via email which is the reason I prefer to paint pets in whimsical, unusual colours when the client accepts this style of painting. Have a wonderful week!