Cats,
Fish and Feng Shui
Why
Cats Paint ~ A Theory Of Feline Aesthetics ($16.95) and
Why Paint Cats ~ The Ethics Of
Feline Aesthetics ($16.95)
By Burton Silver and Heather Busch
(Ten Speed Press, 1994 and 2002)
Do
cats really paint? Are some cats’ marks aesthetically motivated?
Should they be regarded as genuine works of non-primate art? And do
some people really spend large sums of money to paint their cats? Is
this truly a new art form that “challenges us to redefine the
feline in our lives?” These are just a few of the mysteries
you’ll have to untangle as you delve into these undeniably
mischievous and marvelous books by Silver and Busch.
First off, the
photographs are like none you’ve seen of cats before. Richly
lavish, intense of color and strange of composition, they range from
beautiful to odd and funny, and quite a few will have you wondering “How
did they do that?” for quite some time. In addition to a
historical perspective and theories of marking behavior, Why Cats
Paint explores the work of Smokey the Romantic Realist, Rusty
the Psychometic Impressionist, and ten other “major artists” of
the feline persuasion. Although it’s most likely that the photos
initially draw readers to this book, the text should not be missed
(nor the footnotes, captions, nor even bibliography). How else would
we know that contemplative Smokey uses catnip to “intensify
harmonic resonance” before painting, or that Rusty, an Abyssinian
who hails from Edinburgh, prefers glass as a medium so as to
“allow the essence of its significant past to pervade his
sensibilities” as he paints?
Why
Paint Cats shifts perspectives and explores artistic forms of
painted cats – from cats painted in the styles of Radical
Symbolism to Neo-Totemism. (And no, I don’t mean painted pictures
of cats ~ we’re talking cats as the medium of artistic expression
here…actual painted cats.) This book features both the cat and
human artist, such as Paula Carson, a cat painter for the rich and
famous who only works with cats “who have a sense of the dramatic
and can engage with the viewer on a primal level,” and Jackie and
Jay Bloomfield, twin hairstylists and professional cat painters from
San Francisco (where else?), who think “you should be able to get
into cat painting without having to put across some deadly serious
message every time.” Indeed. (In case you’re wondering, no cats
were harmed in the making of either book, both having been approved
by the A.E.T.A. – Artists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.)
In both books, the
photos are superb and the text brilliantly hilarious and
thought-provoking. While some view these books as playful pokes at
cat lovers and art critics, other readers and reviewers tout these
as serious works. Somehow, this too reveals the odd, self-reflective
thrill to be had in that jumpy state between "Is this
real?" and "Are you sure it's really a joke?"
As Silver notes, “It seems there may be much we can learn about
the art of human beings by studying the art of the cat.”
~Review by Dawn
Brunke
Life’s
A Fish And Then You Fry ~ An Alaska Seafood Cookbook
By Randy Bayliss, Illustrations by Ray Troll
(Alaska Northwest Books, 2002, $16.95)
As Juneau mariner
and cooking columnist Randy Bayliss notes, weird recipes are needed
for weird times and, besides that, “life’s too short to eat bad
fish.” Life’s a Fish And Then You Fry is an unusual book
that brings together Bayliss’ amusing and creative approach to
cooking with Ketchikan artist Ray Troll’s witty and esoterically
fishy illustrations (beware: Troll is reported to hold a black-belt
in Weird-Fu).
Bayliss covers
everything from Alaska’s well known seafood (salmon, crab,
halibut) to lesser known and often neglected sea foods such as
mussels, herring, skate, sculpin and even seaweed. Early chapters
cover the oils, herbs and spices used in cooking, combining
folklore, recipes, and little known facts (olive oil was once used
by the Romans as axle grease), while other chapters explore cooking
methods (poaching and grilling to smoking and pickling). The last
two sections of the book focus on indigenous Alaskan foods (from
venison Thanksgiving Southeast Alaskan style to the daring fare of
squid salad) and the “Smelting Pot” in which Bayliss borrows
tasty slants on cooking from Russia, Thailand, Mexico and Italy,
among others.
Obviously, this is
not your Aunt Fannie’s style cook book (unless, of course Aunt
Fanny has a great sense of humor and keen desire to fry outside the
pan), and almost every page holds at least a snippet of Troll’s
unconventional humor, from the rough and ready “Walk softly and
carry a big fish” and palatably untrue “Real men don’t poach
fish” to small drawings of the Fairy Cod mother and an old man
sporting a herring aid.
Life’s A Fish
is punny, informative, imaginative, and occasionally scary (“The
silence of the clams”). It is also well organized, well written,
visually stimulating and humorous ~ what more could you ask for in a
cook book? A great gift for Outsiders and a well deserved treat for
every Alaskan cook.
~Review by Dawn
Brunke
Feng
Shui in 5 Minutes
by Selena Summers (Llewellyn Publications, 2002, 12.95)
Feng Shui in 5
Minutes is a user-friendly, practical guide to incorporating feng
shui into your daily life. Selena Summers utilizes Dragon Door Feng
Shui, which focuses on the position of existing doors in your home
or office space.
This handy book
will show you how to create a positive space in an area that may be
poorly designed, awkwardly positioned or have a dreary atmosphere.
Rearranging some furniture, carefully placing a plant, wind chimes,
mirror, or aquarium and rolling on a fresh coat of paint in a
soothing color can transform your home or office. Unlike other feng
shui books that require the use of a compass, Summers bases her
guidelines on the entrances and exits of your space.
Packed full of
Chinese lore regarding prosperity, harmony, power, romance and other
personal issues, this light-weight and inexpensive book is a change
from the usual coffee table feng shui books filled with glossy
photos and complicated instructions. You can take it with you
house-hunting or use it room by room. Pick this one up and buy
another copy for your friend’s birthday.
~ Review by
Sherry Stultz
