Painting emotional for cat; kids cheer him up
SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS
I brought something new to school with me this morning! Little Rock artist Rene Hein just completed a portrait of our Big Footsie in oil and it is now on the front desk for everyone to admire.
Mary and Lea showed it to Alex. He seemed to be appropriately impressed, and he rubbed the edge of it over and over to mark it with his scent. Was he possibly thinking, “Welcome back to your library, Footsie?”
Then all of a sudden he jumped down.
“He is leaving to go and cry,” said Mary. “He misses Big Footsie so much. Just like we do.”
Turning back to the picture, the girls especially loved the way his eyes were captured perfectly, and so do I. We could almost feel Footsie looking right at us.
Later in the morning, my second graders were here. As they lined up at the desk to leave after library skills and a Dr. Seuss story, Happy Birthday to You!, read in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, they stopped to pet Alex.
Almost in unison, when they saw the portrait, they whispered, “Awesome!”
They meant the portrait, but I think Alex thought they were talking about him!
He proceeded to roll and switch his tail and hit Bailey in the face with it.
“He’s making me a moustache,” she laughed! She then gave him a big kiss. That Alex is pretty awesome.
Susan Loesch has been the librarian at the Arkansas School for the Blind for 35 years and is on the board of Feline Rescue and Rehome. She started the library cat program about 10 years ago after much animal therapy research.
I’ve seen the painting of Big Footsie myself and I agree with Ms. Loesch’s second graders, it IS awesome (as was, of course, Big Footsie)!
What a beautiful portrait of Big Footsie! From all I can see, it really does capture his eyes, and, most of all, his sweet spirit!
Alex has had a tough act to follow, but he certainly seems to be maintaining the high standards set by Big Footsie. It’s true–that Alex IS pretty awesome!
It’s absolutely beautiful. To look at it in person, is to have Big Footsie gaze at you with his mesmerizing eyes. The artist really captured “his look”.
I’m sure big footsie is perfectly expressed in Rene’s painting. she knows how to feel out the soul of the animal world and we are blessed to have her around – the animals, the animal lovers and everyone else!
This obviously means SO much to the kids, and the painting of Footsie is just wonderful.
Thanks for the , I’ll keep checking back for more stuff, bookmarked!