The Catch

Demelsa Landstra | Oil on Board | Unframed | 16 x 12 inches

“I painted this alla prima in one session, keeping the brushwork loose and direct, with more focus on the eyes to create a strong connection. I started with a rough oil pastel sketch, and parts of it are still visible in the painting as colour and structure. I like to keep these layers in the work, not to create a perfect image, but to leave space for observation and interest.

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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