“Daby”

by Deby Brandt

This cat was kind of inspired

by the art on train cars.

Deby created a Grand Cat for

the 2015 Whiskers ’n Wags

Jubilee. She loves all kinds of

art that there is in the world.

“CAT (A Jive Musician)”

by Mardi Heaberlin

“Hepcat” - a word used to describe a

cool person from the 1940s who under-

stands and speaks “jivetalk.” “Rise and

Shine” is a famous jive phrase from

that era. Mardi says, “My cat Charlie

inspires all of my Grand Cat pieces.

Every morning Charlie says ‘Rise and

Shine’ by scratching the walls, purring

really loud and gently licking my ears.

He might as well be blowing a trumpet

each morning to say, ‘Rise and

Shine.’”

Mardi is a longtime supporter of

FCCRSNC and has created multiple

Grand Cats for the Whiskers ’n Wags

Jubilee over the years.

“The Dragon Catcher”

by Leonard Mahoney

Caught in mid-flight, this frisky huntress

reaches for her summer prey in the late of

the afternoon. Her intense eyes, open paws

and leaping balance demonstrate her total

commitment to her quest. Imagine her

mewing as she brings her prize up the

garden path, through the backdoor, and with

great and glorious pride releases the still-

live “Dragon” into your home. This lime-

stone painted paper maché sculpture uses all

the material from the original Grand Cat

form. It includes aged cedar wood as its

base and copper tube/wire/sheet for the

plants and dragonfly.

Len Mahoney is an engineering by trade,

and cat lover/artist at heart. He is an ardent

supporter of FCCRSNC.

“Treasure” by Ashley Boothe

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and this Grand Cat is a purrfect

example. “Treasure” is a tough alley cat that had the

fortune of being fed daily by a kind caretaker who also

trapped, neutered and returned him to his familiar

domain.

Ashley has been an avid cat lover her entire life and

enjoyed flexing her artistic muscles to help FCCRSNC.

“Lory Twilight”

by Michael Ryan

“Lory Twilight” is the

physical manifestation of a

Front Range sunset. She is

fleeting, yet permanent - a

constant reminder of the

cycles of the earth.

Michael J. Ryan is a

painter in Fort Collins,

Colo. He specializes in

large-scale, impressionist

landscapes. His paintings

are collected throughout

the United States.

“The Quilted Cat”

by Katie Ferguson

This Grand Cat is covered in a

variety of colorful flannel

squares. It is all pulled togeth-

er by the Sharpie stitching,

and carefully placed pins and

buttons. The face is designed

using metallic sequins, more

pins, and a few glass beads.

Katie is a college sophomore

studying speech pathology at

Maryville University. She has

always loved exercising her

creative side through

multimedia art.

“Scraps” by Barb Huff

Scraps says, “I was pieced together

with love by my young girl who didn’t have much and made me by hand from pieces of old clothes,

pillow cases or anything she could get her hands on. The more I was

loved, the more it showed with the additional patches that were added for the worn spots. She even made

a replacement eye for me after I lost one. Years went by and I was accidentally packed in a suitcase

full of all of the same things I was made of. Now that I am found

again, can I come home with you?”

Barb says, “For the Grand Cat event this year I wanted to combine

my love of cats, painting and sewing in one project. So, I made ‘Scraps.’”

“Painting Away the

Music”

by Beth-Holly

Beth-Holly says, “After

researching the ‘hepcat jive’

era, my vision exploded

with color. As an artist, I

just assumed the cat would

be the same.”

“Painting is the window to

the soul. My window is

always open - I am grateful

to be able to express and

share my creativity,”

Beth-Holly says.

“Jazzy Kitty”

by Ellen Frommhold

“Jazzy Kitty” depicts the WWII

years of the 1930s and 1940s when

people needed to lift their spirits

with music and dancing. There was

hepcat jive back then and we still

have it now. You can watch your

own kitties dance! One of the best

things they do is lift your spirits!

Kindness to animals is like our

kindness to each other.

Ellen has loved cats and art and

music all of her life. She loves to

work with quality materials and

portray brightness and fun!

“Stardust”

by Alison Foshee

“Stardust” confirms your suspicions

that a cat can truly be the center of

your universe.

Alison has an MFA in printmaking

from the San Francisco Art Institute

and lives in Portland, Ore. She

creates dichotomies between

man-made objects and natural forms

to reveal the hidden metaphors in

the functional origins of everyday

materials.

“MEW-SIC”

by Judy Jackson

Judy says, “‘MEW-SIC’ was inspired

by my love of cats, music and the full

moon. It was so much fun to combine

all three! Look at the happy cats (on

the back, too) and ‘retain your sense

of wonder about all things.’”

Judy is a longtime supporter of

FCCRSNC and has created multiple

Grand Cats for the Whisker ’n Wags

Jubilee over the years.

“Hugo”

by Leigh Kuehn

Hugo comes to you from the far reaches

of Romania in a mountain village outside

of Transylvania. Known as a gargoyle,

chimera or grotesque, his job was to ward

off evil spirits and protect those who

dwell inside. After centuries of braving

the cold, harsh winters, Hugo decided to

whet his taste for adventure. His travels

landed him in Fort Collins, where he

hopes to find work, but out of the rain

and wind. Perhaps he could provide you

with company on a sunporch, in the

glow of a warm beam?

Leigh is a returning artist who is now

studying Interior Design.

“FCCR-16”

by Dyana Wyeno

FCCR-16 comes from the

Cat Eye Nebula and has

traveled a great distance to

be a companion droid to an

adventurous soul. Are you

the one he has been

searching for?

Dyana is a mixed media

artist who enjoys a challenge

and loves cats.

“The Fastest Cat Alive”

by Bill & Tammy Keyes

Inspired by the hit TV show,

“The Flash,” “The Fastest Cat

Alive” will race into your heart.

Made with found materials,

jewelry findings, textiles,

and acrylic paint.

Bill is a Johnstown writer and art-

ist. He wrote “The Widening

Gyre,” a Steampunk book set in

the 19th century that never was.

Tammy sews costumes for herself

and family in her spare time.

She also does cross-stitch and

scrap booking.

“Handsome Hairy

the Hipster”

by Ann Martinez

He jives and has arrived and is

ready to bust a moby. So be

cool ‘n wig out to this

HepCat’s tap 45s.

Ann says, “I absolutely adore

cats! My kitties T-bone, Mr. Gato

and Queen Bee were a big help in

creating ‘Hairy’ the Grand Cat.

I’m a graphic designer and artist

who is very happy to have the

opportunity to help in this year’s

HepCat Jive ... meeoow!

“Estes”

by Jon Sanders

Jon says, “I drew my

inspiration from my trips

to Estes Park during the

spring sunsets.”

Jon Sanders and his wife,

Cami, own Sanders Ink

Studio, a family-based

tattoo studio in Fort

Collins, where they are

both artists.

“Louie the Bourbon Street

Blues Cat ”

by Barb Lloyd

Louie is a mixed media sculpture made

of coat hangers, aluminum foil, plaster

mesh, sculptor's stone and of course ...

the stunning cat blank that inspires us

every year. Louie’s custom made yellow

zoot suit is the smallest outfit that I have

ever sewn.

Barb says, “Art has been a lifelong

passion, hobby, and profession. This was

my sixth Grand Cat. Each year it is fun

and challenging to take the basic cat

form, learn the upcoming event theme

and see what comes out the other side.”

“Angel”

by Sara Kemp

Sara’s Grand Cat is a

replication of her current

kitty, Porsha, who is

her little angel.

This Grand Cat is for all

the people who have lost

a loving cat.

Sara is a vet tech at

FCCRSNC and has a

huge passion for helping

the animals in our

community.

“Sunshine”

by Jason Hardung

Jason says, “Clouds and cats are

two of my favorite things.”

Jason started painting five years

ago to deal with crippling anxie-

ty. He is self-taught and works

mostly in acrylics. He has shown

his work in galleries, bars and

coffee shops in Fort Collins and

Cheyenne. Someday he hopes to

have a longer bio.

“Kitty Tat”

by Debbie DeLong

“KittyTat” is tattooed

with Zentangle inspired

art. The original paper

maché was preserved to

provide an antique and

worn look.

Debbie is a longtime

volunteer and supporter of

FCCRSNC. She dabbles

in many types of mixed

media arts.

“Mademoiselle Mew-sicalle”

by Jan Jones

1940s Mew-sic Awards’ “Mademoiselle” scratched and clawed

her way from alley cat to MEW-sical marvel. She sang oPUR-

Ra, played many MEW-sical instruments, and chose vaudeville

to express her flamboyant talents. She chased the era of the

roaring ‘20s, swing bands, jazz, blues, and hip hop. What a

feline phenomenon. She won the 1940s Mew-sical Award.

Jan is a local Erie, Colo.,

artist who works with mixed

media and multimedia art.

“Curious Cub”

by Suzanne Royer

This playful mountain lion kitten

reminds us that there is still a little

lion inside each and every housecat.

Materials for the sculpture include

paper maché, Sculpey clay, wood,

metal, and fabric.

Suzanne is a talented, longtime

contributing artist and lifetime cat

lover who enjoys portraying cats in

fanciful ways.

“Edwin”

by Mandy Brandt