cute cat by catmasutra: Zen Cat

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The Zen Art of Cat Living

Stop, be still, and float away with the Catmasutra cat through a vast thought that becomes an entire universe. Experience Zen and enjoy meditative serenity of these cat art paintings and collectibles! “A lotus for you, a Buddha to be” is the quintessential essence behind this karmic cat art collection. It is the purrfect way to send good karma and goodwill to friends and love ones, especially animal and cat lovers. This collection arises out of the cat art exhibition by Paul Koh aptly named “The Enlightened Series”, and was first showcased at Artoholic gallery. This cat art collection was one of the artist’s most satisfying series as it coincides with his own desire to get away from the daily grind of work, to slow things down and experience life at its own pace.

The secret to the cat, is that it is ever two things at once (which is the source of many a mystery). It is in-between, a bridge that triggers our most innate intuition - a place where we can find true sanctuary, untouched by the physical world. Another mode of transport to this in-between world is of course, art. “Cats in art” is the perfect way to traverse this new universe!

Cats are self-contained creatures, imperious, definite and uncompromising. Having a “time-out” with the cat on its own accord is especially rewarding. Waking up in the morning and looking out of the window with your two cats doing the same is unbelievably blissful. Everything that we do with a cat, if we slow down and pay attention, has an ethereal quality simply because the cat does what it desires at all times, no matter what we want it to do.

The cat mirrors our civilized selves and our inherent intuitive animal nature. Indeed, cats remind us of that part in us which is wild and unpredictable. It reminds us of something that we’ve lost in our modern and urbanized environment. It reminds us of our freedom to just be.

The independent individualist, free-spirited nature of the cats is what inspires the Catmasutra cat paintings, not withstanding the many positions that a cat take in its sleeping positions! And that’s not mentioning the way it stretches itself as if to relax every single sinew in its body! This essential nature of the cat is captured in the “wide-eyes-shut” and “ear-to-ear” grin of the Catmasutra cat paintings. It is a portraiture of the artist’s two cats that encapsulates the childlike innocence cum devil-may-care bravado spirit that the artist aspires to

Some of the notable cat paintings include the 5 elements series, which depict the catmaSutra cat representing Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood in Chinese thought. “Everything moves and changes - that is the universal truth. We are all living in a constant process of beginnings and endings. Every moment, if we stay still enough, is a letting go of the old and a rebirth of the new. It's unstoppable, from our breath to feelings, thoughts to mental images. They arise and fall away, sometimes naturally, and sometimes we try to hold on to things that have already ended. Either way, there is always an opportunity to learn something new.” That is typical of the artist’s musings in this cat art series which revolves around finding the perfect balance in this journey called life.

Another interesting set is the three cat art paintings denoting the proverbial principle of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” The catmaSutra cats (which seems able to multiply itself at will or as the artist muses, there is a catmaSutra cat in every one of us) have taken over the place of the three wise monkeys (a pictorial maxim most likely originated from the known symbols of Kōshin faith, a Japanese folk religion with Chinese Taoism origins and ancient Shinto influence), and have comfortably snuggled into the flower and leaf of the lotus plant, covering their eyes, ears, and mouth. These cat art pieces are also known as “morning cat”, “afternoon cat”, and “evening cat”.

These two sets of car paintings make perfect cat art collectibles and are a delight to behold. Together they exude peace, bliss, and a kind of quiet happiness that radiates from inside. The lotus flower is also a recurring theme in Paul’s cat art paintings, as it is one of the most ancient and deepest symbols of our planet. The lotus flower grows in muddy water and yet rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night, it closes and disappears underwater, only to rise and open again at dawn. The lotus reminds us that we can rise to the occasion, and similarly by looking at Paul’s cat art paintings and collectibles (especially from this collection), we can even for a moment, achieve purity of heart and mind, as well as peace and happiness!

cute cat by catmasutra

10/26/10

Zen Cat

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