3 CELTIC CATS

Occasionally I will add a few stitched embellishments to Davy Maclennan’s Tofaidh Bo sculptures, and when I saw his Celtic cats, I immediately had to pick up silk and canvas. The metal for these particular beasts came from Stornoway Fishermen’s Co-operative, and those of a nautical disposition may recognise what the various pieces are for. I wanted to create three very different "waistcoats" and eyes for these cats, for to my mind they brought out three very different aspects of our friend Felis Catus.

The Beautiful Cat

She is called The Beautiful Cat because she is the very puss that the Owl wooed and married in the poem by Edward Lear. "Oh lovely pussy, Oh pussy my love, what a beautiful pussy you are." The Owl’s wife is benevolent and friendly as well as being beautiful. I used fine Irish linen and silk thread to create delicate floral eyes with a stamen running from top to bottom to give a cat-like pupil. The stitches - 32 to the inch - are so small that they create a magical kaleidoscope which echoes her delicate nature. For her waistcoat I decided on a brocaded effect, which I achieved through a diamond pattern which includes geometrically based flowers. As Davy had chosen gold to paint the cat, I used antique golds and pinks on a cream aida background. Thus she has a bridal appearance in keeping with her role in the poem.

The Running Cat

The Running Cat lives in my bedroom and frequently ends up amongst my shoes. He (I am sure he is a young, fit tom) has a much more aggressive appearance than The Beautiful Cat, and so demanded a different design and colours. This predatory animal appears to be intently on the prowl for food, so I gave him cold and natural eyes. I used a green so dark as to be almost black for the pupil, and three shades of cool emerald green for the iris. I wanted to portray the cat’s hunger as a visible beast in his stomach. As there were few people so adept at filling awkward spaces than the Celtic illuminators of manuscript, I decided to design my own cat in the Celtic style. This inner beast twists around on itself and reaches a claw out in anticipation towards the prey that the outer cat is seeking. In order to identify the inner beast with The Running Cat, I used the same shades of emerald green for its body, and for the outline I used a cool grey and a blue which matches the paintwork. I stitched the background area in a random mix of three deep reds to represent the stomach interior. The whole effect is of a dangerous and highly alert animal.

The Greedy Cat

The Greedy Cat also has quite an aggressive nature, although it is more playful than The Running Cat. It seems to be more akin to wildcats than domestic cats, with its pouncing pose and tawny copper colour. I decided to bring out the tiger in its eyes by using an amber silk for the pupil with three different reddish browns for the iris. This cat has a replete air that suggests it is not urgently in need of food, so I designed another Celtic beast for its stomach - a plump bird. I gave the bird flamboyant plumage and used a myriad of intensely tropical colours to give it a particularly edible look. The stomach background is stitched in browns and reds to provide a contrast with the shiny copper finish. The cat is hunting a small chick. I gave it an innocent and naive air by designing a simple Celtic spiral pattern for its plumage, stitched in soft golds on a deep blue and purple background.

Words & needlepoint designs copyright © Jade Starmore 2002

Postscript by Davy Maclennan

Three is a good number. The challenge was to produce small Celtic-style animals for display inside people’s homes, as my previous pieces had most definitely been for the great outdoors.

Where did they come from? They came from a distant land, unheralded, and one summer evening without warning, they jumped out at me from the jumble of scrap on my welding table, demanding to be given form and life.

I hope you enjoy looking at them, but most of all, I hope some more of their cousins will come knocking at the door, asking to be let in.

And why a duckling? Because I could not craft a mouse!