Ryn Gargulinski

Creativity on Fire

cat art

Meet Harvey the Hell Cat: Art Therapy Project

He’s flattened. He’s wincing. His wide eyes are filled with fear. Heck, he even has a fear portal located keenly above his solar plexus where fear can be pumped in or sucked out, depending on the mood of the day.

He’s Harvey the Hell Cat, and he’s one creepy creature indeed (who happens to look smashing on my living room wall).

While Harvey the Hell Cat may seem like a peppy enough project to be done for fun, he was actually the result of yet another intriguing art therapy topic from Tucson’s Dr. B.

  • Topic: Emotional Turmoil
  • Result: Harvey the Hell Cat, a kooky critter crafted out of papier-mache-like clay then painted with dark colors. Additional details include eyes made from a metal washer and nut, sheet-metal teeth, and the aforementioned fear portal framed by gold and blue hues.
art therapy emotional turmoil

Why a flattened cat?

Flattened cats have a strong link to my past emotional turmoil, one of which was the star of an incident back in Brooklyn. When my then-boyfriend’s cat was dying, the cat waited until I came home one day to perform his final dying ceremony. It came complete with a swan song.

He crawled into the center of the room, laid on his side, and let out the loudest, most distressing extended cat yeowl I’ve ever heard in my life. I tried comforting him as he continued, until taking his very last breath.

I still get goosebumps thinking about it, especially what I called in a poem “his glazed eye filled with fear.”

Fear of death has kicked up plenty of emotional turmoil in me over the years, although I’m learning to deal with it by reaffirming my belief that yes, our souls live onward and no, I won’t come back as a picnic table.

Is Harvey the Hell Cat for sale?

You bet!

While I cannot part with the original Harvey the Hell Cat, I’d be delighted to make you one of your very own, using any colors you wish. Order now at the rynski etsy shop.

Enjoy!

Custom Kitty Cat Sign: Pick Your Color, Your Text, Your Size

If your kitty cat has a mind of his own – and what cat doesn’t?! – you may want to forewarn your fellows with this handy dandy Beware of Cat sign.

Pick the color and size for your custom cat sign, with the standard sizes and prices below:

Prices depend on sizes:

  • $49 for LG sign approx. 18 by 14 inches
  • $44 for MED sign approx. 16 by 12 inches
  • $39 for SM sign approx. 14 by 10 inches

I’ve done cats in the standard orange and grey as well as pukey green, neat-o blue and with text that says “Beware of Elmo.”

This order form is for the large sign, approx. 16 wide by 18 high. Please specify if you want a different size and I can set up a custom order form!

Specs.

Kooky kitty cat is made out of sheet metal and weather-resistant. Filed edges for safety. Wire loop for easy hanging. Scares dogs upon viewing (maybe).

For more info or to add details to your order, email ryngargulinski@hotmail.com

Order one now on Etsy.

Spoiled Pets Signs: Pick from Spoiled Dogs, Cats, Rats or Create Your Own Custom Sign!

Are there any spoiled pets in the house?
The answer from many is “You bet!” and these darling signs let the world know it.

A spoiled pet is a happy pet – as my two dogs could tell you! We have our own “Spoiled Dogs Live Here” wooden sign my mom (their grandma) bought us from a craft fair in Michigan.

I have since used the idea to create a metal version that works in your home, office, yard – or wherever your pets like to sleep, eat or tread.

The Spoiled Cats Live Here example was created for a dear friend with three of her own very sweet and pampered kitties. That particular sign is already taken, but I can make one the same color, size and design or go for a totally different shape and pet.

How about Spoiled Dogs on a bone-shaped sign?
Or Spoiled Rabbits on a carrot-shaped sign?
Or Spoiled Chinchillas on a heart?

The world is yours when it comes to Ryndustries signs. We dig custom orders!

Spoiled pet sign specs.

Pet signs are made out of sheet metal with filed edges for safety and wire loop for easy hanging. Weather-resistant paint and clear coat seal the deal.

Prices depend on size:

  • $39 for spoiled pet sign approx. 16 by 8 inches
  • $33 for spoiled pet sign approx. 14 by 6 inches
  • $27 for spoiled pet sign approx. 12 by 5 inches

Please indicate sign shape, color and text when ordering. Email ryngargulinski@hotmail.com with any questions or your info.

Get one now! Heck, get three now!

Order this beauties on Etsy.

Cat Meow: Upcycled Cat Collage from Harry Belafonte Album Cover

Capture you or your friend’s love of cats with this captivating collage made from a Harry Belafonte album cover.

The Cat Meow College is part of a series of art created for the Bookmans Green Fest upcycled art contest. Artists were asked to come up with works using discarded books, CDs, record albums and other miscellaneous debris from the store’s recycle bin.

For some reason there were several Harry Belafonte albums in there. We know he would be proud of the masterpieces he has become.

The total collage set stands at five: Bumblebee Buzz, Moo Cow, Cat Meow, Dog Bark and Snake Hiss. The only one that did not use a Belafonte front or back album cover as the base was Moo Cow, which instead used the soundtrack album of some musical I have since forgotten.

Paint, CD parts, glue, lettering from book covers complete the handmade works, each containing a lot of creativity and a little bit of love.

It’s hard to love a Calypso face too much, after all.

Each collage comes framed in a special record album frame, metal with a clear, thick plastic front, which fits the exact dimensions of the album size of 12 inches square.

Buy now on Etsy.