Patrick Bulas: The Cat That Slept on a Tortoise Shell

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Patrick Bulas, "Sleepwalker," 2009

mezzotint, 20 x 23 cm

An opening reception and artist talk will be held on Friday November 17th, 2017 at 7:00 PM.

"The Cat That Slept on a Tortoise Shell" is a series of mezzotint prints that was inspired by Patrick Bulas’ cat, Lucy, and her ability to sleep anywhere she likes. Bulas illustrated Lucy sleeping on top of a tortoise, and then decided that she would not mind sleeping on the snout of a crocodile or curling up around the horn of a rhinoceros. These imagined encounters between Lucy and other animals is an extension of the events in Bulas’ life at the time he created the prints. Pet owners frequently identify themselves with their cats, dogs, and other animals. Pets populate folktales, fables, and myths so frequently that their anthropomorphic behavior can provide both entertainment and education. While none of the work in this series is linked to specific tales, they suggest stories that are left up to viewers to invent – and sometimes provide us with those valuable life lessons that only a cat can demonstrate. A lighthearted approach, "The Cat That Slept on a Tortoise Shell" encourages us to imagine an ideal world where Lucy coexists with many animals.