Something Caught The Eye

Demelsa Landstra | Oil on Board | Unframed | 9.5 x 7 inches

“An orange cat sitting among plants, looking in a focused direction as if something has caught its attention. I painted this alla prima in one session, working directly in oil paint without a sketch or under drawing. The painting is built entirely in warm tones, inspired by early spring when the sun had just started to feel strong again. I wanted to translate that light and atmosphere into the work. The cat is focused on something outside the frame, which keeps the moment open and slightly mysterious, since you don’t see what it is looking at.

I made this selection because all of these paintings are made alla prima, each in a single session. What I find interesting is how the biggest and smallest works are very different in scale, but still follow the same way of working, wet-on-wet, in one sitting. I like that this keeps the process loose and direct, which feels similar to how cats behave. Each painting shows a different mood or expression of a cat, from calm to curious, intense or playful. These states can shift very quickly. Even though the paintings look different, they all show the full range of cat behaviour, often in quick, fleeting moments.

I am a painter from the Netherlands. My painting journey started in 2023, after spending time drawing both digitally and traditionally. Since then, it has become a very important part of my life, with my own cat as my muse and inspiration. I focus on creating portraits that feel expressive and full of life.

 I made this selection because all these paintings are made alla prima, each in a single session. What I find interesting is how the biggest and smallest works are very different in scale, but still follow the same way of working, wet-on-wet, in one sitting. Each painting shows a different mood or expression of a cat, from calm to curious, intense or playful. Even though the paintings look different, they all connect through the many sides of cat behaviour.” – Demelsa

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