It is with delight that I introduce you to a San Francisco artist, Maria (Katzy) Strom. She is a painter who is currently working on a series of paintings featuring cats.
Maria says, “I love, love, love cats!” She gives this as her reason for creating The Cat Series. Unfortunately, due to an allergic husband and a pet-opposed landlord, she currently is sans a living, breathing cat. But she has surrounded herself with her imaginative and whimsical cat art.
Maria began painting in college at Portland State in Oregon. After school, she was an artist living in an attic. Her art supplies were purchased with money left over from her waitressing job.
A children’s book agent steered her into illustration. She says, “It was a perfect fit because I love to tell stories through my art.” Maria wrote and illustrated the children’s book Rainbow Joe and Me. She was inspired to write it while she was teaching an after-school, art program at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It is available from Lee and Low Books and Amazon.
When Maria moved to San Francisco she became a children’s book reviewer for a website.
Maria began painting full time again a few years ago. This is what she says on Etsy about her paintings: “Something catches my eye or someone says something and an idea pops up and I start painting. I tend to see things in a simple, maybe childlike way. I hope to get to the essence of the thing. And I hope to bring this excitement and surge of imagination to the viewers of my work.”
Though Maria does not have a kitty of her own, it doesn’t stop her from seeking out furry friends. She’s been a feral cat feeder in San Francisco and a cat sitter whenever she has the opportunity. She regularly visits shop cats. There is one in a kite shop in Chinatown (You can see her in the photo at the right.) and another in a local convenience store.
Maria’s cat art is available on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/CatLadyPaints
and Fine Art America http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-maria-strom.html
In conjuction with this post, Maria has generously agreed to give one of her Katzy signed prints to a The Cat on My Head reader. To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment letting me know which of the three featured prints you would be interested in receiving. The winner will be selected using Random.org. Those leaving a comment between now and September 1 at 8 p.m. EDT will be included in the drawing. The winner will be announced the following day.
Cat Dreams seems to be the one, and of course, that’s what I’d pick! I especially like that the artist studied in Portland (where we live) and lives in San Francisco (where our daughter and family live)!
If I won I’d love the Cat Dreams print. I bet most cats do dream of those things.
I would Love to win Cat Dreams for my Granddaughter because she Loves her kitten and Gold Fish and her birthday is September 29th. Thank You!!
I would LOVE to win the Saint Cat , because it looks like me 🙂
XOXO
I definitely like Cat Dreams!
Yow Aunti Janet diz Maria kitteh lady iz beeuteefull n she iz also bery tallented too!!!
Me lubz dat Saint kitteh piccie da best n iffin we win we wantz to gift it sumone speshell in da Statez!
Much lub Nylablue n Mum too x0x0x0x0x0x0x0
We like the crazy cat lady print because it reminds us of our mom. MOL Love, Cali, Andy, Tater and Shelly (C.A.T.S)
We love Maria’s work and think Saint Cat is our favorite.
What a great giveaway!
XOXO
What a fantastic giveaway, kitties! Love Maria’s artwork! We would like to enter please and would choose “Saint Cat”.
I’m a bit late but I’d like to enter. I think she needs to dump the allergic husband and get some cats of her own.
Oh, I like the Cat Dreams.
They’re all very cool but I think Cat Dreams is my favorite.
What a fun artist! Could we please be entered for Cat Dreams?
Thank you so much
Marty and Mom
Beautiful artwork! I love “Cat Dreams”
What fun art work. My favorite was Cat Dreams.
Love these! We are “Catlick”, so the Saint one is purrfect! Hugs.
Her art work is amazing. I really LOVE the saint cat!
Totally wonderful artwork……………..we love all the drawings – ALL of them….but my most fave is “Cat Dreams”…….looks like my idea of a perfect sleep!
Hugs, Sammy
Those are fun paintings!
We like the CatSaint…or was it SaintCat? MOL!
But we really like the Cat Dreams!!
Thanks so much fur this fun, furbulous contest!
MIAOW!
They are all gorgeous, but Cat Dreams is also my favourite.
She is super talented!! Love the colours and the expressions 🙂
What pretty and vibrant kitty art! We love them all, but Saint Cat is especially charming 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
xo Tux
Those are so very pretty, we love Cat Dreams!
Oh what a wonderfur giveaway! We like Cat Dreams!
Cat oh Cat we have a lot of entries to do till the drawing!
WOW! What a talent! Those are really great! 🙂 Happy Tuesday! 🙂 xx Roxy & Tigerlino <3
Maria is so talented, and her love of cats shines in her artwork! We like all the prints, but Cat Dreams is our favorite. 🙂
Hugs!
P.S. – Swizzle says hi. I gave her some extra snuggles for you all, and she sends purrs and headbonkies back. 🙂
those are adorable!I love the cat dreams print though the most,xx Rachel and Speedy
OH how magical and whimsical! We love CAT DREAMS! What lovely lovely renderings!!!
What great paintings! We like Cat Dreams too.
Love her artwork & I love reading your blog! Cat Dreams is my preference.
We love all the kitty art! We looked in her shop and loved that she had a cat guy too! Out of these, we love the Cat Dreams! Thanks for the chance to win such a wonderful gift!
Very cool! Love the colors. We like “Cat Dreams” the best. Thank you for featuring such a cool artist! Sampy sends Astrid soooo many kisses and soooo many nuzzles. We all send love and hugs.
What beautiful paintings! We love the saint cat the best! <3
I love them all, but would like the Saint Cats! We love kitty art in our home. Thank you!
Goodness me what a clever cookie she is indeed 🙂 her art is lovely and vibrant (my daughter is an artist and i know how hard it is!!) i live the saint kitty the look of contentment is wonderful 🙂 and we also wanted to say we hope to join the selfies on sundays..well the girls have insisted!!! hugs and loves Fozziemum xxx
OH Gosh, LOVE them all but Cat Dreams is my favorite! What a wonderful lady artiste~ xo
We LOVE ‘Cat dreams’….are we allowed in the draw because we live in Canada?
The REAL Maple Syrup Mob xxxxx
What wonderful cat art.
Mom has green eyes and she loves the CAT EYES picture. It made her face smile after having a horrible night.
What delightful art! We love how colorful they are!
That is so hard to choose! But I guess I would like Cat Dreams.
I liked as well Saint Cat but as anyone who has ever been owned by a cat knows, cats are definitely not saints!
Wowza….all this beautiful art! You never said Canadians couldn’t apply so here we are, hoping like heck to win something. I think the Cat Dreams would be most applicable around here. Thanks gang.
Licks,
Shoko
Aw, I wish she could have a kitty of her own! You can see how much she loves us cats in her paintings.
Those are way cool and charming too. Have a terrific Tuesday.
Best wishes Molly
What a great talent! Thanks for introducing us to Maria. I love them all, but I would like the cat dreams painting, if we win. 🙂
Dat’s cool. Weez like da Cat Dweams da bestest. 🙂 Hope yous hav a pawsum day.
Luv ya’
Dezi