A NOT-SO-FUNNY-EXPERIENCE

WHY WE HATE COMPUTERS

Artists have failures and frustrations on paper and canvas frequently -but you either salvage it or dispose of it, right?  Or it just sits there to quietly mock you...  At least it is "there".
Illustrating the book "P22, The Journey" took me into an entirely new realm: digital drawing.  For this story, I set our hero into actual scenery of his Santa Monica Mountains.  Well, as much as I could... 
When it came to his desperate crossing of two Los Angeles' fearsome freeways, I had to somehow conjure the frightfulness of that experience.  Learning to use the computerized drawing program "Procreate", I stumbled my way through all of its' endless options: tool/color/hue/light/clarity/size/save/layer/CMYK vs RGB, etc.  It became my nightmare!  I worked five endless hours on the glaring headlights of the scene below ....-and then my computer crashed!!!  I was stunned.  Outraged.  Furious.  Frustrated.  All my work was gone.  Realistically, there was nothing to do but begin all over again even though I did not recall just how I had coaxed and prodded those tools to that successful point.

Forevermore, I will look at this scene and wince...

BOOK OF THE YEAR

Celebrating recognition of "P22, The Journey" 

as choice of 

City of Agoura Hills' 'One City/One Book', 

The Agoura Hills Library, & Friends of the Agoura Hills Library,

our Mayor Northrup will read to the entire second grade
of Yerba Buena Elementary
at the Agoura Hills Library on October 24th at 9 a.m.

Kathi will demonstrate a basic art lesson on "How to Draw a Mountain Lion"

P-22, the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing, & our friend the amazing Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Federation have been in the news all week with coverage on the final stages of this fantastic project. When built, it will connect the Simi Hills to the north and the Santa Monica Mountains to the south, and will be the largest wildlife crossing in the United States. Made possibly by conservation and private funding -and so proud our book can play a small part in donating to the cause!  Go to #savelacougars if you want to contribute or at least buy some of our signature P22 fun products!

STUNNING WALL ART

I think you know that mountain lions are known by many names:- mountain lion/cougar/puma -hence why I am known as "the Painter of All the P's"...

My many puma portraits were the beginning of my book illustrations for "P22, The Journey".  Written, illustrated, and produced as our fundraising contribution to the #101/Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing, our book is a five-star winner on Amazon!  Not only is it a quality production, but the outstanding coloration on special page paper has everyone falling in love with my artwork.  Needless to say, I am very proud this endeavor is doing so much good for our wildlife.

I made 11x14" reprints available for framing so everyone could enjoy my paintings. You can buy them online at SaveLAcougars.org, or at many of our book signing events.  (Our facebook page is ghostcatpublications.)

Thx to a wonderful framer, Ria Richey (creativeframingbyria.com), the $30 print of the beautiful puma on our book cover looks like costly artwork!  Our admirer and supporter, Jill, has allowed me to share what she has done with it...  I absolutely love it!  Thank you, Jill.

Come and say Hello!

WHAT AN HONOR...

Immediate success

Our wonderful book has already raised $3000 in less than two months for the wildlife crossing fund!  

Now on Amazon, "P22, The Journey" has been reviewed as 'the perfect Xmas gift'.  It has been rated five stars on both Amazon and Facebook.  

Book signings have been hosted by impressive local California businesses: Aldabella Winery in Westlake Village, Ladyface Alehouse and Brewery in Agoura Hills, The Wildlife Waystation in Sylmar, King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, and REI stores in Northridge, Woodland Hills, and Burbank.  We also look forward to seeing you on Saturday, October 27th from 11-4 at the "Shane's Inspiration" meadow in Griffith Park for our annual P22 Day.  Follow our appearance dates on facebook at Ghost Cat Publications!  

Also, heartfelt thanks to former State Senator Fran Pavley for gifting our Agoura Hills library with a copy -which is now being considered for all countywide public libraries.

...and then there were tee shirts

            Another item has been added to our fundraising efforts:  
                     a top-quality cotton tee by Hanes @$20
           Contact me at KColmanStudio@gmail.com if you need me to research shipping costs.


Otherwise, try to attend one of our upcoming book signings!  Check our facebook page, Ghost Cat Publications.  One is coming up at a Westlake Village Winery, AldaBella, on September 23 (3-5 p.m.), followed by an October 7th one on the scenic patio of Ladyface Alehouse in Agoura Hills (from 7-9 p.m.).  Of course, you can always join us at the annual all-day P22 Day celebration at Griffith Park, on October 27th this year!  We look forward to meeting you!  🐾

Book Created to Raise Funds for Liberty Cyn. Wildlife Bridge theacorn.com/articles/women-create-book-to-raise-funds-for-liberty-cyn-wildlife-bridge/ By The Acorn Staff | on August 09, 2018

artist Kathi Colman is flanked by co-authors, 

Sherry Mangel Ferber and Calandra Cherry

"Old Agoura artist Kathi Colman had already been busy over the past few years painting images of mountain lions known to have lived and died in the Santa Monica Mountains, but the book, she said, deserved some new images of the cougars to fit the narrative, which is appropriate for children, but is equally informative for adults since the history and travails of the big cats is only part of the tale."

ABOUT OUR BOOK

The Book Is Done

...and it is superb!  Beautiful size, thick glossy pages, stitched binding...  Just top quality all the way through!  No longer categorized as a childrens' book, it is now elevated to coffee table art book status.

"P22, The Journey"

My first experience with illustration.

Completed in just six months, it incorporates many of my prior puma portraits inserted into scenic settings derived from actual National Park Service photos.

THAT took me on a steep learning curve!  However, I am now familiar with digital drawing -and enjoying the ease of it.

EXCITING NEW BOOK

The journey of one very special mountain lion began with him putting one paw forward......Our collaborative journey began with our collective passion being put forward......

Remember when I told you I interrupted "painting all the P's " because this story just called out to me to illustrate?

Well, it is done -and it is beautiful!

Follow us online at Ghost Cat Publications

A re-visit...

IN MEMORY OF AN OUTSTANDING SEARCH & RESCUE DOG-

"HUNTER"

16x20" pastel on board 

given to his handler, in gratitude & admiration

At long last....

HOORAY!

After more than five intensive months, I have now become an illustrator!  Thinking I would contribute maybe six or eight paintings for a children's book, I gladly accepted the challenge.  Umm, it turned out to be more like 28...

Paring it down to 18 or so, I agreed and began.  It soon turned out that creating a scene at my easel, then photographing it, then tweaking things, then photographing again ...was NOT the way to go!

As good friends do, I was taken in hand by a longtime friend who had really 'evolved' technologically.  She insisted I learn digital drawing.  Despite my complaining, she dragged me along into a new world of producing artwork.  What a steep learning curve!  As challenging as I found all the technicalities, I eventually learned to love it.

And now, after frying my creative brain, I am proud of what I have done.  The story of the awesome journey of P22, the Hollywood mountain lion who successfully crossed two of Los Angeles' busiest freeways in order to find his new territory, needed to be told to our children.  He was a brave youngster and somehow kept going until he found his new safe & forever home.

I will share my artwork with you once we have gone to press.  I just wanted to say hello and catch you up that I am still here, and even more passionate about supporting the critically-needed wildlife overpass at Liberty Canyon in order to give our wildlife the freedom to roam which our busy freeways cut off.  Our selfishness...  Time to make amends; overdue.

Portrait of a Wildlife Biologist and Tracker

I recently presented my portrait of Jeff Sikich to him saying, "Little do these cubs know that once you find them and tag them, your research captures the personal commitment of us all."

Thank you for your dedicated work, Jeff!

Dr. Jeff Sikich of the Santa Monica Mountains & Cub

(he may remember which one this lucky little guy was; I do not)

P-52 & P-50 as Cubs

       ..and here is my newest addition to National Wildlife Federation's 

challenge to me to "paint all the P's"...   

             "P-52 & P-50 as Cubs"       

Painting these two babies (two of a litter of three) 
was a joy.  Who couldn't love those faces?

Matted reproductions, ready to be framed

 @$30. 

online #SaveLACougars.com

all art profits go toward the realization of 
California's first wildlife overpass

"P-37, as Cub"

At last, a new addition to the collection of "All the P's"... 

"P-37, as Cub"

11x14" pastel on suede mat

framed original @$1250.

in support of "SaveLACougars"

critically needed wildlife crossing 

ready-for-framing 8x10"reprints @$30.

online at #SaveLACougars

CREATING

AN ARTISTIC COLLECTION OF

“ALL THE P’s”

(puma/cougar/mountain lion/ghost cat)

www.KathiColman.com

KColmanStudio@gmail.com

Challenged by Beth Pratt, California Director of National

Wildlife Federation, to “paint all the P’s” in support of the

critically-needed wildlife crossing over #101 at Liberty

Canyon, artist Kathi Colman has been at work portraying

their beautiful faces (young or old, alive or deceased) to

be reproduced & made available to all thru the #SaveLA

Cougars website. Many originals may also be purchased

by those with a generous heart; Kathi has contributed

them outright to make this privately-funded wildlife corridor

dream become a reality!

“I always talk to them as I paint them. They each have

their own personality and story to tell. I am fulfilled when

told, “Oh, those eyes! That face! I can actually feel their

plight!” Their message is simply that we humans must

now undo our thoughtlessness... Our L.A. freeways have

trapped them and denied them their freedom to roam and

live naturally. ...That makes us the predators, right?

*the portraits of the cubs are the sweetest because we had not yet disappointed

them

Very lucky lady.  

She got the "awwwwww" painting.

 

Eric plunked Kat in the car today and told her, "We are going to pick up your birthday present".

Surprised, Kat never realized her husband had been noting her comments, "Ohh, this is my favorite one..", during their four visits to the Fred Kavli Theatre's Jungleland art show over its' five months exhibit. Despite being an animal lover, Kat is highly allergic to them so "P-32, as Kitten" is now her own special fur cub!

In acquiring this original painting by artist Kathi Colman, Eric and Kat Gerber have contributed to the support of the ongoing cultural exhibits at the Fred Kavli Theatre, as well as to #SaveLACougars tireless fundraising efforts toward the critical need for our wildlife crossing.

Therefore, Kat's birthday is a gift to all!  

Happy Birthday, Kat, and much appreciation to your loving husband...

shared by-

Kathi Colman

www.KathiColman.com

or KColmanStudio@gmail.com

facebook.com/KathiColmanStudio

-Fine Arts' recognized oil and pastel portraitist

-Community Cultural Affairs Director and Historical Archivist, Old Agoura CA

-Administrative Editor for Facebook newsletter Old Agoura Homeowners 

-Advisory Council/Ambassador for SaveLACougars

=

Recognition Award from CA State Senate!