Cat Suites at FieldHaven Feline Rescue

I should have blogged about this weeks ago . . . but better late than never. I did write about it in my latest e-newsletter, which is why this may look familiar to some of you.

I've been a FieldHaven Feline Rescue supporter since I met Joy Smith, the director and founder, many years ago (I designed their logo too). FieldHaven now has a brand new, wonderful shelter for its feline charges. The shelter officially opened in April 2011.

As construction neared completion, FieldHaven staff came up with the idea to team local artists with shelter sponsors to create custom decorated rooms in the new building. Joy contacted me to see if I'd be interested in decorating one of the rooms and I agreed. Sandy, my good friend and fellow animal fanatic, agreed to help and we tackled this unique project with a mix of trepidation and excitement. I chose one of the four small rooms since I wasn't quite sure what I was getting us into. The small rooms (suites) are intended for cats who don't get along with others, so they're big enough for one cat or perhaps two cats if they know each other.

We designed and painted an oak woodland mural in the suite and I painted portraits of the sponsor's cats in various locations in the scene.



The "Oak Haven Suite"


The "Oak Haven Suite" in Progress

My art work is pretty much all small format, so this was quite an undertaking. While I have no problem thinking big - I'm not exactly a muralist. We ended up with even more on our plate when the neighboring suite's sponsor asked if we'd work on her room as well! A second mural was on the table until Sandy came to the rescue with a great design based on an ornate mirror & pair of candlesticks that had belonged to her grandmother. The "Mad Catter Suite" was born and it's a crazy concoction of wild colors, ornate decorations and even a Cheshire Cat.


The "Mad Catter Suite". The photos are Photoshopped versions of the sponsor's pets, complete with Dollar Store gilded frames. The moulding was salvaged from our bathroom renovation. The lower half is more of a peachy salmon than it looks here.


Seti the Egyptian Mau shares space with the Cheshire Cat


That's me for scale. The room is not much bigger than a closet!

Sandy tapped a wood-working friend to make the neat bunk beds in each room and another friend to make some of the shelves. The long shelf in the Oak Haven Suite was donated by the sponsors. Sandy's husband helped us install some of the components. We certainly appreciate the outside help for this team effort!

See many more photos in my Facebook album (you don't need a Facebook account to view the album).