The Cat Who Believed in Home.

Can a cat be a teacher? In this newsletter/blog, I hope to answer that, as well as share my process for painting the portrait of a beloved friend....

Dear Friends,

This is a story of being lost and then found. It's the story of one cat’s unwavering belief that he was meant to be loved and have a home. 

This is the story of Einstein the Kitty.

Halloween night years ago, a cat darted into our house, weaving between the legs of trick-or-treaters. I assumed he was someone’s escaped pet and put him back outside.

When the doorbell rang again, that same cat slipped inside. Again, I ushered him out. But as the last trick-or-treaters left, it hit me: that cat was lost. It had asked me for help, and I’d turned him away.

I rushed outside, but there was no sign of him. By now, it was dark and getting cold. I peered into the bushes, calling to him, telling him I was sorry. 

Still no sign.

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When I painted Einstein's portrait, I didn't have any one photo that would work for a reference. I created a reference photo by digitally stitching together multiple images. I transferred the composite to the wooden board using a grid system—drawing a grid on both the image and the surface and matching each square as I drew.

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With my whole heart, I sent out a plea—please come back.

As if waiting for me to ask nicely, the cat emerged from the shadows. I gathered him to me and just held him.

With two cats, two dogs, two guinea pigs, and a pet rat already, I couldn’t release him in the house, and so the cat camped out in our garage while we searched for his people. I set him up in a cozy bed and a pet-safe heating pad, and when I sat with him, he would greet me with joy, his tail quivering like a rattle. He had the biggest nose I’d ever seen on a cat, and the sweetest disposition.

We eventually found who had him last, and that someone had dumped him. 

He had no people.

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Paintings come alive when you play with contrast. Because I used cool colors for Einstein, the undercoat was warm. The rule “Warm over Cool, Cool over Warm” works wonders for enlivening a painting or drawing. As you can see, things look rough for a while! There's often a point where I think I've ruined the painting. That's when I crank up my soundtrack, go into painting-zen mode, and keep painting. Einstein's "soundtrack" was “Roll On My Friend” by Pharis and Jason Romero.

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Suddeny, my choice to take him in had new significance, especially as a brutal cold front had settled over the area which he probably wouldn’t have survived. For the little cat, my change of heart had life or death consequences.

Taking him to a shelter was out of the question. He had trusted me to help him—it was up to me to find him his forever home—which proved to be both far away and very close to home.

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Finally, the painting starts to resemble Einstein.At this point, I do a lot of standing back and squinting to see how everything is working.  If something looks off and I can't tell what it is, I turn the painting upside down and check the painting against my reference photo. Here, I see that Einstein's nose and chin need adjusting. The background also needs help. I do more squinting, more "zen-painting" and keep painting until Einstein emerges.

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My sister and brother-in-law in the Northwest decided to adopt him.

Now there was the small matter of flying him across the continent. A ticket was bought, and a roomy travel crate. When the little cat—named “Einstein” by his new family—climbed into his crate, ready for his flight west to his new life, he showed no fear or hesitation. It was as if he knew he was flying home. Over the years, Einstein the Kitty became a beloved member of the family. When we would fly west for visits, I loved seeing him living the life he'd worked so hard for.

Einstein took his final journey a few years ago—but he left behind hearts made brighter by him. By his resilience, his determination, his extraordinarily enormous nose, and his tail that shook with joy.

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Einstein the Kitty

"The traveller does wonder how long he will walk.

The lonely one does wonder how long he will wait

And it's roll on my friend...And it’s roll on my friend. 

I return to you once more when your wait is done..."

Roll On My Friend, by Pharis & Jason Romero

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Can a lost, abandoned cat be your teacher? Einstein was mine. He taught me that good things come to those who don’t give up—and who know they are worthy of love and home. He taught me to listen, to respond to a cry for help with my whole heart. He taught me that miracles happen and that prayers are answered—even the prayers of little kitties.

Love never dies—it just transforms. It keeps growing and growing, gathering strength as it rolls along. Roll on, my friend.

With love,

Andrea

P.S. Painting feels like sacred space to me—it often feels like something moves through my hand and onto the canvas while I simply watch. This state of being, of oneness, is often called a “flow state.” When do you feel it? Is it when you garden? Care for animals? Spend time with your children? When you're doing a sport, or creative work? Being in flow is a skill that can be cultivated. If you’ve never felt it before, just keep “rolling on,” and eventually joy will find you. It always does.

For help with finding inner peace and finding “flow,” click the link to download 10 STEPS TO INNER PEACE. Don’t worry—if you’re already subscribed to my newsletter/blog when you hit the button, you won’t be subscribed twice, but you will get the download. 

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Writer | Artist | Energy Medicine Practitioner

I am available for motivational speaking, classroom & online presentations, 1:1 coaching, and podcasts. To book me, please email me at andrea@torreybalsara.com or visit my website. Thank you!