[ March/April 2003 ]

Cats, Fish and Feng Shui

Reviews by Dawn Brunke and Sherry Stultz

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