Maternal Instincts: The Nest of Earthly Delights, 2021

As the title might suggest to some, my painting’s strangeness is an homage of sorts to the magnificent triptych, The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1490-1510 by Hieronymus Bosch (about 1450-1516).  Each year I reread Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream at least once and there is a fun passage where Bosch is mentioned. That passage always triggers my fondness for Bosch. I only know this painting by illustration and have not seen it in person. Seeing the actual painting is on my bucket list.

In nature, cats hunt and kill birds. My painting depicts a hungry kitten sitting in a nest with its mouth wide open while a robin holds a worm in her beak. The robin’s motherly instincts have taken over as she prepares to feed the adoptive kitten.

Another fun situation that the painting offers is the fact that the robin is Michigan’s state bird, which is my home state. I was very aware of this while formulating the composition.

Whale Ride, 2024

Whale Ride (2024) was the product of an idea that I had been playing around with since my San Fransico days. I believe I started tinkering around with sketches shortly after I finished Elephant Ride (2013) which was the impetus for the animal ride serise. Whale Ride measures 36 x 48” and was painted to be a focal point for the Woods Gallery exhibition in the summer of 2024. I took a little artistic liberty by moving the whale’s blow hole a little closer to the middle of the canvas for better compositional balance.

Octotabby, 2021

I have been playing around sketching an octopus cat for years. I think I first came up with the idea while I was painting Underwater Cat back in 2013. In Underwater Cat, I painted an octopus and a puffer type looking fish along with a snorkeling orange cat who wears flippers.

At any rate, I painted Octotabby with nine legs opposed to eight, because cats are synonymous with nine lives. Additionally, I had an exhibition at the Scarab Club entitled, Nine Lives: The Art of Michael Crane in 2016.   

The painting measures 11 x 14” and it is on panel. I have been wanting to frame for some time but have not yet. The creature’s eyes (crescent shaped) and sharp teeth make it appear menacing, which adds another dynamic to the painting, unlike my early sketches. When the opportunity presents itself, I would like to exhibition this painting.

An orange pop art graphic cat face, with green eyes and pink inside its ears with nine legs resembling an octopus.

Tiger Barb, 2016

Tiger Barb, 2016 was painted at the Scarab Club.  The idea was minted shortly after I started painting kuhli loaches.  If memory serves me correctly, the primary sketch came to me quickly and there was no need to tinker with the composition. My wife and I currently have five green tiger barbs that buzz around our 30-gallon tank in our basement. They are essentially schooling fish, so it probably would have made more sense to have painted multiple tiger barbs on a single canvas. Maybe next time!

Death on a Pale Rat, 2020

Death on a Pale Rat, 2020 is a play on the DIA’s great painting, “Death on the Pale Horse” by Benjamin West (1738—1820).  I believe my mentor at the DIA, Nancy Rivard Shaw was very involved in the painting being purchased by the museum.  At any rate, this West painting has always had a special place in my heart.

I painted an earlier version (8 x 10” on panel) that appeared in my Scarab Club exhibition, “Cats Rule: The Art of Michael Crane in 2019.” 

I have been toying with the idea of painting a large canvas with artist friend Mike McMath where we have a full-on battle with sword wielding Snuggie Cats, some of which are mounted on rats…could be epic!

Lunch Break: Giraffe Ride

I painted two bookend paintings in 2014 that I titled, Lunch Break: Giraffe Ride (both 18 x 36”).  They obviously are shown facing opposite directions and really exhibit well together—I nicknamed them, Left and Right.  One of the paintings appears in the book, Cats Rule: The Art of Michael Crane. 

It was interesting formulating the painting in my head.  Because of the color of the giraffe, I decided to paint the waving cat gray.  The tree branch with its delectable leaves (at least for a giraffe) was painted in the top corner.  I decided against outlining the branch and leaves in this case and looked to the simple designs of Grete Prytz Kittelson (Norwegian, 1917-2010).  I own a couple of enameled metal bowls with her famous leaf pattern.  I bought these bowls through eBay well over twenty years ago, prior to this type of material exploding in popularity and price. 

Clarinet Cat Study

Clarinet Cat Study, 2015, was painted on a free canvas (18 x 24”) that I received while living in San Francisco. 

I really like how the clarinet tuned out. I made several sketches of clarinets until I was happy with how I planned on depicting the instrument.  Additionally, I once had ambitions to paint more cats playing an assortment of instruments. You never know if this theme will resurface.

Red Snake, 2019

Red Snake is a Venetian Plaster.  The technique was taught to me by artist friend, Mike McMath.  I should probably say, my good friend Mike McMath who also happens to be a very talented artist. 

The painting appeared in an exhibition at the Saginaw Art Museum called, “Plaster and Wax: Michigan Artists Painting Beyond the Canvas (Featuring Mike McMath), June 14, 2019 – September 14, 2019.  I showed three additional paintings in the exhibition that also including “Rhino Ride” and another version of “Rhino Ride” done in Venetian Plaster.

Noir Medusa Cat with Red Flower, 2020

Noir Medusa Cat with Red Flower was completed in late 2020 (November-ish I believe).  I had wanted to paint a medusa cat hold a flower for a while, so I am glad I got around to it.  The canvas is a play on my Otto Dix Cat motif, which has been a mainstay in my work.  The trident tail amuses me to no end and I am laughing as I am typing.  When I get a chance, I am thinking about making this painting into a sticker to hand out the next time I exhibit my work.

Rhino Ride (2014)

Rhino Ride, 2014 was the follow-up to Elephant Ride, 2013.  They are both painted on a 36 x 36” canvas and I believe they really work well on a square format.  I painted another version of Rhino Ride in 2019, the big difference with the second version is that the rhino is white and facing the opposite direction.  I am typically not political but white rhinos (northern and southern) are endangered and I am an animal lover, so I am hoping that this painting might bring some attention to these beautiful and powerful creatures.  I have also thought of painting a third version, this time using a black rhino.  All this said, Rhino Ride is one of my favorite paintings.