OT ARTISTS WELCOMES STUDIO MASCOT, CLAW-ED MONET

By JoAnn Frekot

OT Artists is happy to announce the addition of our mascot, Claw-ed Monet, to our studio.  Welcome!  Here is an abbreviated version of an interview with Claw-ed.

Meet Claw-ed Monet

JoAnn (JF):  Claw-ed, welcome to the studio.  How is it going with OT Artists?

Claw-ed Monet (CW):  It's what you would call on-the-job training.  One minute I was in Katharine Gotham's garage, minding my own business, and the next thing you know, I 'm tossed onto this couch in the OT Artists studio.

JF:  What is your first impression of your new home?

Tom McGregor and Claw-ed
patched things up

CW:  Well, it's OK.  The people seem nice enough, though this Tom McGregor guy and I got off on the wrong foot.

JF:  Oh?  What happened?

CW:  He wouldn't share his lunch with me.  It was all a misunderstanding...I thought he was eating tuna salad but it turned out it was just vegetables.  BOR-ing.  

Anyway, we talked it through and now we're good.  In fact I think he's my best friend in the studio, at least until I make some more friends.  

JF:  What is your role as the studio mascot?

CW:  Hell if I know.  Sometimes people hold me on their lap, especially on Wednesday nights after Life Drawing.  (Let's just say wine is a part of the scene).  Anyway, I think my main job is to add some glamour and class to the joint.

JF:  What have you been up to lately?

Endless Summer, at F.O.K. Studios
through August 15, 2025

CW:  I viewed the current exhibit, "Endless Summer," by some OT Artists, showing on the third floor.  I must say, I was favorably impressed.

JF:  How so?

CW:  Well, duh.  Have you even seen it?  Don't you have some paintings in the exhibit?

JF:  Yes, I do.  Can you tell me some things you liked about "Endless Summer?"

CW:  For one thing, speaking as a cat, I think I know something about "endless"...as in, you know, cats have nine lives.  So I felt I could definitely relate to the sense of, what would you call it, feeling like the good times will just keep on coming?  

JF:  Great.  Were there any paintings in the exhibit that especially spoke to you and that sense of the good times of summer?

CW:  Besides all of them?  

Wildflowers
Christine Tierney

Well, fine, I can name a few.  

Wildflowers, by Christine Tierney...I just want to get my paws in those flowers and knock the vase over, you know?  The flowers and the vase, they look so real.  I'm dreaming about the mess I could make...broken glass, flowers all over the place.  It'd be epic.

Round the Bend
Vera J Kent

And look at Vera J Kent's "Round the Bend."  Can't you just see me on top of that gate, bagging a bird or two from that perch?  My adrenaline rushes every time I think about it.  I can practically hear the little "tweet tweets" in the tree branches right before I pounce!

Cattails
Claire Z Stokes

And no decent cat worthy of their species would ever turn their nose up at Claire Stokes' painting entitled, "Cattails." 

Get it?  Cat - tails? 

I mean, come on.  It's brilliant. Don't tell me I need to explain this to you.  

JF:  No, I think we're good, Claw-ed.  

Thank you so much for sharing a little about yourself.  I know our followers will look forward to getting to know you a bit more in the future.  

CW:  Yeah, no problem.  Just do me a favor...spread the word around about bringing in some tuna fish.  I get a little catty without it (ha ha).