Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Cat's regalia

Rebecca Baldwin

Felis domesticus, aka the house cat, is not indigenous to the United States, so you'll never find images like the one above in cave drawings. It is said traders and explorers first brought cats over on their ships.   Even so, the "crazy white lady's pet" has found a place in Native America.  Natives love their cats.  Rez Cats are just as prevalent and tough as Rez Dogs.  Where there are Native who love cats, or, more likely, white people who love Natives and cats, there is a market for Native American "inspired" cat schlock.


You have this t-shirt:


Admit it, in fact your wore to bed last night!  Heck, since you rolled out of bed at the crack of noon, you're wearing it now!  So, I don't have tell you what back of the shirt looks like now, do I?

Basement Kitty hates you:

I know this look, this the look you get just before your face is clawed off.



Zuni Sun-kitteh-
stolen from Happy Zen Pe





Ready to taunt you on your facebooks:



Basement Kitty dreams of Buffalo...and Murder!
Stolen from google, but the source page was gone.  If you know where this comes from , please let me know.



Sad hipster Indian Kitteh is sad.
Karo Design


Cold on my Vespa.  My feathers fly in the wind.  Litter makes me cry.





Watercolor is harder than it looks
“Chief Meow Meow” Arleen Cornelius-McCann
For those who don't know, when I can't work in textiles, watercolor is this Blog Goddess's chosen medium...well that combined with ink and bad poetry.

Somebody bought this already.
Dutch & French Artist, Vera von Benckendorf Smith
Okay, somebody bought it for $35, but still.

This reminds me of someone...
Wild Sunflower Studio 



Actually, this is rather cute and unoffensive.  My husband would totally tile the kitchen back-splash with fat kitty tiles.  What?  Cats are manly. See?
(not my husband)
Another FB offender:

Meanwhile, at a craft-mall in Oklahoma:

Etsy user Turquoise Hearts


Voted "Most Likely to be Eaten by a Real Cat"

Etsy User Kirie 2602

Normally, I don't crack jokes about actual Native Made crafts...

Dorothy Herrera, Cochiti Price: $425
Buh, seriously?  Don't worry, the Artist has sold 2 of these at $425-$450 a pop.  She will sell more, too.



Finally, the most random and strangely offensive thing I could find:
Ka Graves
The description on this photo-shop train-wreck:
"The Rite of Summer

SIOUX PROPHESY
There will come a time when the earth is sick and the animals and plants begin to die. Then the Indians will regain their spirit and gather people of all nations, colors and beliefs to join together in the fight to save the Earth:
The Rainbow Warriors.
- Ancient Native American prophecy -"
Yeah, right.  I think the real explanation of this piece is: Mushrooms!

2 comments:

  1. I still say the rainbow warrior thing is for us to start a sentai team. And I'm not just saying that because I'm wearing red.

    You should meet my parents' cat, Mao. Yes, I named my cat "cat". Got something to say about that?

    Watercolor is pretty hard. I've seen it done beautifully, and gone horribly wrong, mostly the latter.

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  2. So, I'm seriously and actually an art historian of Native American art - and Dorothy Herrera's take on Helen Cordero's "Storyteller" figure is an absolute art-historical riot. The irony is appealing to me, knowing the history of the "storyteller," but you are right - it's probably lost on the average cat-lover. I think Dorothy should charge twice as much for these!

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