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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Ornamental Cats and a Living Label Cat!











Every so often we have to take the long road to Malmesbury where we renew car licences or passports...there is always something! The queues can be maddening. On this particular day my husband was so kind to face the bureaucracy on his own and he left me and my daughter at the very delightful Kontreispens. This shop with fresh products and beautiful crafts has a spacious coffee shop. My quickly rendered little oil painting shows one tiny corner of the decor which is brimful with cats crafted in porcelain, wood, metal and cats on mugs, plates, posters, paintings!

Then, on leaving the shop after lovely cappuchino and apple pie, I bought a bottle of olive oil. The label had a black cat on it and the name "Kasteelkat". At home I was soon on the phone and learnt from the farmer who produces the oil that they always have the real black cat from Riebeek Kasteel (a foundling) around their feet, even when parading through the olive groves. "Kasteelkat" for short!

I hope you enjoy the little painting and the photos of my visit to the coffee house. Last, but not least, the bottle of Kasteelkat olive oil is photographed next to my own porcelain kitchen cat!
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22 comments:

  1. Absolute nonsense blogMarch 23, 2011 at 10:39 PM

    Wonderful little painting and photos. I love little places like that. Just outside of Port Elizabeth we have Nanaga Farm stall, which is so big by now that it's not a 'farm stall' anymore.

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  2. Linda NicklesMarch 23, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    This looks like a very special shop, Maire . . . cute and cozy. The owners should enjoy your sweet little rendering. Very nice!

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  3. SailorMarch 24, 2011 at 12:59 AM

    Sounds like you had a beautiful day out. Beautiful pictures.

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  4. UnknownMarch 24, 2011 at 1:57 AM

    What eye candy for me! I could spend hours here. Thank you for sharing these images and your painting is a real gem!

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  5. padmajaMarch 24, 2011 at 6:39 AM

    Your painting is very expressionistic and there is a feel of Matisse around..
    Very adorable artifacts indeed!

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  6. Marian FortunatiMarch 24, 2011 at 6:41 AM

    I'll bet those coffee house owners LOVE this little painting!! Wonderful!

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  7. Marie TheronMarch 24, 2011 at 8:04 AM

    Hi Vanessa, thanks for visiting! Shall we meet for coffee at Nanaga Farm if I visit PE some day?

    Hi Linda, it really is a nice place to spend time, as the town outside the door is not very nice. (I always forget to tell owners that I painted something! Funny, it never occurs to me, I am very bad at marketing my work!)

    Thank you Sailor, we enjoyed it!

    Sheila, your comments are always so enthusiastic, it makes my day!

    padmaja, that is a compliment, especially as I notice now that in my hurry I got the orange wall all wrong!

    Thank you, Marian. It was such a rushed painting as I spent most of the week on the little girls which you can see on Fb.

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  8. Buick Air Conditioner CompressorMarch 24, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    I have gone through your post and found some information which is quite important for me.
    So, please keep it up with your these kind of posts.

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  9. Autumn LeavesMarch 25, 2011 at 12:54 AM

    I love the sketchy feel to this little oil painting, Marie. And the story along with it is just fabulous. I love hearing of your daily life and all the adventures and new things you notice. And to find you have your own ceramic kitty at home? A perfect end to the story!

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  10. Marie TheronMarch 25, 2011 at 9:06 AM

    Buick ACC,I love to meet my readers. Thank you for leaving a comment!

    Sherry, we love in a no-cat-zone because of the cute small wildlife here like ground-nesting birds, voles, etc. So the pretty and innocent porcelain cat will have to do! It was a gift from my parents many years ago.

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  11. AnonymousMarch 25, 2011 at 11:24 AM

    I love visiting shops like these. I must remember to visit them when I'm in that area again.

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  12. Marie TheronMarch 26, 2011 at 7:55 PM

    Ilse, make a note and who knows, you may see it in a completely different way!

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  13. Catherine JeffreyMarch 27, 2011 at 2:52 AM

    What a great little coffee shop with those green checked table cloths. And such a great story about the oil and black cat. love the little painting.
    Nice husband as well :-)

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  14. Mary Sheehan WinnMarch 28, 2011 at 1:12 AM

    Beautiful Marie.
    I must tell you that there's an ad on TV in which a women says that the South African Coast is the most beautiful place she's ever been and it always reminds me of you. Maybe next time I'll listen up and see what it's really about ;}

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  15. jsicignano2.blogspot.comMarch 28, 2011 at 3:08 AM

    Dear Marie,
    Every time I visit your blog it's like going on vacation. You give visitors to your blog a wonderful visual of places we have never scene.
    Love the shop and the painting you have done.
    Great job.

    All the best to you
    Joan

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  16. Barbara PaskMarch 29, 2011 at 3:32 AM

    What a sweet painting Marie, it must have been hard to choose one section to paint. They need to hang this painting in their shop.

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  17. Ruth AndreMarch 29, 2011 at 7:39 PM

    What a darling painting and thank-you for sharing your photos. What a treat.

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  18. cissyMarch 30, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    Hi Marie, Just discovered your blog, and am delighted to find you. Look forward to seeing more. The charming painting of the coffee shop makes me want to visit. Love the colors, so inviting.

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  19. ZÉ ROBERTOApril 10, 2011 at 4:13 AM

    Hi Marie!
    I loved their work, are very creative and very original.
    Visit my blog.
    Greetings from Brazil.
    Roberto

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  20. Celeste BerginApril 10, 2011 at 5:06 AM

    a very charming place..love your painting of it...and Black cats always make a wonderful "logo"

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  21. Marie TheronApril 10, 2011 at 5:49 PM

    Thank you, Catherine! We are fortunate to have so many coffee-shops with amazing themes! One can do a coffee-shop tour!

    Thank you, Mary! I will agree! Our coast is most beautiful and the weather very good too!

    Thank you very much, Joan! I am sorry that I missed these lovely comments and only found them today!

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  22. Marie TheronApril 10, 2011 at 5:57 PM

    Thank you, Barbara! I always forget to notify the shops that I have made a painting!

    I am glad you liked this painting, Ruth!

    Thank you, Cissy!Welcome to my blog!

    Jose, I am happy to meet an artist from Brazil! Will visit!

    Thank you, Celeste! When you said that cats make good logo's I remembered a lovely cat done by Gwen John (1876 - 1939).

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