Illustration: Christmas Card by Donna Massa 2005
Pookie was named after the character Pookie Adam’s brilliantly played by Liza Minnelli in the 1969 film “The Sterile Cuckoo.” I adored and cherished that film along with the theme song “Come Saturday Morning” by The Sandpipers. The film had a lasting impression on me especially Liza’s character Pookie Adams.
If you’ve ever seen a Scottish Fold or owned one the breed is not as sophisticated as other breeds. What I mean be this is, they are not as high strung. Scottish Folds are mellow and make wonderful loving and gentle pets. They are smaller in size and have a personality all their own. They are smart and train well making excellent indoor cats. Because of their naturally folded ears they are so adorable to look at you cannot resist holding them. Some Scottish Fold breeds do not have the life span of regular domestic cats. My Pookie only lived for ten years, however her untimely death was at the hands of an inexperienced veterinarian who failed to order a blood panel test before surgery. Pookie was not ready to experience an operation putting her at risk for organ failure. I was not aware that blood tests are needed before any form of surgery on any animal, this is something pet owners should be aware of. She went in for a simple procedure on a troubled back tooth and was sent home never to recover. She passed away within twenty four hours and I was devastated and heart broken.
During Pookie’s life she instinctively knew when the season of Christmas was coming. It could have been her instinctive ability to smell and feel the change in the air, and watch the snow falling. The first time I put up a real Frazier Fur Pine tree, and watered it she loved the smell. She would sit patiently in a chair facing the tree and watch me rap around the lights, and trim the entire tree. I put a soft festive skirt under the tree, and waited for dusk. When I turned on the colored lights her big, round, sky blue eyes light up. She jumped off the chair, and nestled herself under the tree and slept there all night. She loved the lights on the tree, and I knew she knew every year after her first experience she would innately know when it was Christmas. It was literally her time to shine enjoying the lights, and sleeping under the Christmas tree until it was time to take it down.
Because of her untimely death, this unexpected event left me grieving for months, so much so, I wanted to do something in her honor, and that wanted to create an illustrative Christmas Card in her memory. The ironic part of this story is, because of this one Christmas card it propelled me to go back to my roots as a Fine Art illustrator. I made a transition in my career from a former Fashion designer to a freelance illustrator. From that moment on I never stoped illustrating to as we speak.
I believe it is through her spirit that gave me the inspiration, and internal drive to become a Fine Art hand illustrator…😽
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