I LOVE this. So interesting hearing about your pre-making immersion and such interesting ideas about childlessness and love/repulsion. There’s something about new born babies that although beautiful and amazing is kind of repulsive too. You made me think of a passage in a classic children’s book (frustratingly can’t remember which) where the children dress their cat up as a baby to shock the neighbours. It has always stayed with me as freakish and Dahlesque as well as funny. Also, I think you need to add an explanation about the etymology of the biscuit and what an amazing man Garibaldi was and how extraordinary a British biscuit maker called their biscuits after him when he came on a celebrity visit to the UK. And that they were always called squashed fly biscuits by the children of the 70s and 80s which may also somehow link to revulsion and love (it did for me when I guzzled them as a child). Anyhow, LOVE your writing and your ideas ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Fascinating piece - and I'm a dog lover! Although very touched when my friend's cats jump on to my lap, until I start sneezing. Perhaps I wouldn't be allergic to bald cats?
I love your weird cat. I once held a day-old piglet and I think it might be similar: it was like holding a baby, except the piglet was calmer and more accepting of me as a stranger. His skin was soft and fuzzy and just very human. I found it very hard to put him down. Weirdly, it was the moment I first felt sure that I wanted to have a baby.
You've done it again...what a great post full of information. And meeting the Queen (the late one, that is). The cat, well to me, the name is the best part of that creature.
I used to work in a cats-only veterinary practice and I can say, without reservation, that the bald/almost bald cats are absolute treasures.....so much personality, so loving and their owners were completely smitten with them, which is fortunate because they can be quite high maintenance in their care needs.
Before working at the cat hospital I would've described myself as a dog person, but working there gave me such a deep and lasting love and appreciation of cats (even if our patients were mostly trying to savage me much of the time - I have the scars to prove it!) that now I'm very definitely a cat person.
I will also say, that a certain type of cat owner (definitely the type who have Sphinxs or the Rexs) are extremely devoted to their charges...so your art piece is absolutely spot-on in drawing a comparison between cats and babies - both literally and metaphorically. I look forward to seeing the final piece!
I LOVE this. So interesting hearing about your pre-making immersion and such interesting ideas about childlessness and love/repulsion. There’s something about new born babies that although beautiful and amazing is kind of repulsive too. You made me think of a passage in a classic children’s book (frustratingly can’t remember which) where the children dress their cat up as a baby to shock the neighbours. It has always stayed with me as freakish and Dahlesque as well as funny. Also, I think you need to add an explanation about the etymology of the biscuit and what an amazing man Garibaldi was and how extraordinary a British biscuit maker called their biscuits after him when he came on a celebrity visit to the UK. And that they were always called squashed fly biscuits by the children of the 70s and 80s which may also somehow link to revulsion and love (it did for me when I guzzled them as a child). Anyhow, LOVE your writing and your ideas ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great name! And as for the biscuit, I'd bump it to far higher status.
I love the artworks and the cat in progress. So much feline ins-purr-ation! 😻
I had the same thought about the garibaldi 😆 - easily one of my favourites...I wonder what that says about me? *cough*plebeian*cough
Me, too. I live in America and pay a hefty price for those biscuits...aka cookies.
I’m in Canada now and rely on British import shops where, yes, the lowly garibaldi sells for extortionate prices 😩
Fascinating piece - and I'm a dog lover! Although very touched when my friend's cats jump on to my lap, until I start sneezing. Perhaps I wouldn't be allergic to bald cats?
I love your weird cat. I once held a day-old piglet and I think it might be similar: it was like holding a baby, except the piglet was calmer and more accepting of me as a stranger. His skin was soft and fuzzy and just very human. I found it very hard to put him down. Weirdly, it was the moment I first felt sure that I wanted to have a baby.
You've done it again...what a great post full of information. And meeting the Queen (the late one, that is). The cat, well to me, the name is the best part of that creature.
I used to work in a cats-only veterinary practice and I can say, without reservation, that the bald/almost bald cats are absolute treasures.....so much personality, so loving and their owners were completely smitten with them, which is fortunate because they can be quite high maintenance in their care needs.
Before working at the cat hospital I would've described myself as a dog person, but working there gave me such a deep and lasting love and appreciation of cats (even if our patients were mostly trying to savage me much of the time - I have the scars to prove it!) that now I'm very definitely a cat person.
I will also say, that a certain type of cat owner (definitely the type who have Sphinxs or the Rexs) are extremely devoted to their charges...so your art piece is absolutely spot-on in drawing a comparison between cats and babies - both literally and metaphorically. I look forward to seeing the final piece!
So interesting, that conflict between what we find cute and what repels us - a fine line, often. Nice to hear ‘idea soup’ stuck with you as well!