Bobby Cat

Made by Margarethe Brummermann

My first Paper mache sculpture, just about life-size. When it was in the armature stage, my gallery asked for ornaments, so I interrupted to make 20 hummingbirds. So by now the cat finished as number 21, I guess. I started with a card board cut-out following some photos I took in our nature preserve here in Tucson. But I quickly abandoned the restraints because free-shaping seemed more fun (maybe I shouldn’t have, it would look less goofy). I do not like aluminum foil, so I used newspaper held together in plastic bags for the armature. Plus string and thread. I covered it with 2 layers of newspaper strips ans then a layer of paper mache clay prepared by weight. That worked beautifully to add texture. I prepared the recopy twice and thus had enough for 20 hummingbirds and the cat. The eyes are glass cabochons that I reverse painted. It’s a technique used in taxidermy, but I painted the eyes very simplistically to keep the folk-artsy style. As for the local critics: one of my dogs hated it so much that I had to ban him from the studio (our patio) after I put the ears on. The Heeler Kira is guarding it like it’s a young animal of the heard.

Paper mache bobcat

Paper mache bobcat

7 thoughts on “Bobby Cat”

  1. I love him! He looks like a young and playful cat – adorable. I agree with Eileen, the fur textures, on his face especially, are very well done.

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  2. It is hard to believe this is your first sculpture in paper mache! You did a beautiful job, I love the stance and the fur textures. Well done!

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    • Thank you! I am a watercolor painter and I have sculpted in other media since childhood. But I am falling in love with Paper mache – it’s affordable and light enough for big seizes and needs no kiln.

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