Cat

Valery Molchanov, Cat

Valery Molchanov (1959-1998) graduated from the Design and Decorative Arts Academy of St. Petersburg. In his forties, he created fantastic graphic artwork, oil paintings, enamel, and forging works. He exhibited his work throughout Russia and America and was a member of the Artists Union of Russia.

Molchanov’s background in graphic arts is apparent in the rigidity and flatness of this painting. Each object looks as though it was cut and pasted onto the canvas separately. The simple shapes are balanced out by a wealth of patterns that add personality to the painting. The character of this painting is where Molchanov was most successful. You are able to gather the familiarity between the artist and his beloved feline companion. The cat has a cartoonish expression on its face that is almost comical but also endearing. The colors help bring about a sweet, cozy feeling to the painting. Too much black can often come off as heavy handed, but Molchanov thoughtfully limited his use of black to the object of our attention, and his own, the cat.