DURER'S CAT by artist Annette Hassell

Acrylic on linen, 9” x 12”, framed to 10.25” x 13.25”

The third image is a Durer self portrait that Annette used as reference for the hat and for the background.

This is Gus Gus. I first met Gus Gus back in New Orleans. I had moved back there after Katrina, and I was having a bit of a rough time of it.
One day, as I was hanging around in my apartment, I could have sworn that I heard a faint, insistent mewing coming from my porch. Gus Gus was there, staring at me through the glass of my French door and talking up a storm. I’m allergic to cats, but Gus Gus won me over with his dreamsicle good looks and his charming manner. I let him in and he hung around for a bit, but then he wanted to leave and I reluctantly let him go. He was back the next day, this time pawing at the glass panes and again, mewing up a storm. This went on almost daily. I found out that Gus Gus lived with a bunch of cats-including 2 brothers- just about a block away from me. He was well taken care of, but still insisted on coming to visit. Sometimes he would bring one of his brothers with him. One time he brought a lady friend. I was always glad to see him. I looked forward to his visits and found that his presence cheered me up-a lot.
Gus Gus went over the rainbow bridge years ago. I like to think that wherever he is, there are no constraints on time or space, leaving him free to drop in whenever he wants on whomever he wants . I picture him soothing Einstein, or amusing the Gershwins, or, in this case, inspiring one of my favorite artists, Albrecht Durer, by being the excellent, cheering company that he was when I knew him.