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!

Space Cat (2014)

Space Cat, 2014, was painted when I was living in San Francisco.  I used a canvas from one of the two value packs (18 x 24”) I inherited because the factory gesso was too thinly sprayed on.  Essentially, all I needed to do was apply a good layer of gesso on myself—no issues on my end.  Because the canvases were free, I was a little looser with them and more experimental than typical.  These four free canvases eventually became, Underwater Cat, Parachute Cat (study), Clarinet Cat, and Space Cat. 

Space Cat features an elated astronaut cat waving to its viewers on the moon.  Flying overhead is a space shuttle that I believe turned out really well.   Space Cat is included in the catalogue, “The Art of Michael Crane: Cats Rule.”  The painting is currently unframed, so I will likely remedy that situation soon.    

Riga Mortis Cat

I painted Riga Mortis Cat during the Pandemic.  The concept for the painting predates the Pandemic.  It is based off an earlier sketch that I did while watching movies in the A-frame (our cottage in Michigan).  The painting is meant to be funny—in the Kurt Vonnegut manner. 

I plan on showing the painting at some point in 2021—possibly at the Pontiac Creative Arts Center in the Spring.  Riga Mortis Cat would pair nicely with one of my other paintings called, Dead Cat…. the possibilities are endless!

Medusa Cat

Medusa Cat simply makes me laugh.  I believe I have painted three version of Medusa Cat, each with a different background color (red, green, and the above).  The snake heads remind me of the Pacman videogame character and the Medusa Cat’s green tongue really works well against the background/field color.  

Balloon Ride

Balloon Ride is one of my favorite paintings that I have created in some time. The concept for the painting came about while I was working on a giant wooden “P” (8 x 4’) planned for the “POP! P’s of Pontiac” upcoming exhibition sponsored by the Pontiac Creative Arts Center. The show has been delayed due to the coronavirus however, Balloon Ride originally appeared on my giant “P.” I enjoyed it so much, I painted a second version (24” x 36”) which serves as a wonderful companion painting to Parachute Ride.  

Mod-Byzantine Cat Holding a Purple Flower

Mod-Byzantine Cat encompasses a bit of art history, something I often indirectly feature in my work. For this piece, I used a faux gold background which I playfully link to Byzantine art because of the metallic gold backgrounds used some 600+ years ago in many mosaic compositions.  This painting is another fun example of my playing around with different background treatments. 

The cat holds a flower in keeping with my Otto Dix motif.  I decided to paint the flower purple, which in this case represents nobility.  I named the painting, “Mod-Byzantine Cat Holding a Purple Flower.” Juxtaposing the words Mod(ern) and Byzantine are exceptionally humorous in my mind.   

On another note, during this time of uncertainty, stay safe and be well everyone.