I’ve actually known about We Three Cats for quite a while (since 2008 when I asked for permission to use some of the images) and I’ve always wanted to write a post about the site’s extraordinarily talented painter/writer/illustrator/photographer, Jackie Morris. It’s taken me this long to write because I’ve had an impossible time paring down what I want to mention (and despite the length of this post, I really did pare it down!) and maybe a little because We Three Cats is like an amazing secret door to another place where the air and the light and the people and the animals are just different enough from my every day life to be magical. And you’re just not supposed to go blabbing about secret doors, right? But then, I want you to also know about this place (the coast of Wales) and Jackie (be sure to read her alternative biographies too) and her 5 cats (which were until very recently 6) and her 3 dogs and her neighbor, Mr. Griffith and his cat. I hope you’ll take a good long look at Jackie’s world. You should probably brew a pot of tea.
Sometimes the ginger kitties write the posts and every-now-and-then the dogs write. I usually can’t stand it when people write through the voice of their cat or dog because the animal ends up sounding dimwitted and lacking any dignity, but Jackie really captures the way I imagine our animals see the world. Maybe the furred ones really are writing the posts. Whoever is writing, it is often exquisite and is just as often quite funny.
Here are some of my favorites:
- Traditions remembered.
- Conversations between cat and dog.
- Secrets between cats.
- Magic circus cat—walks tightrope and removes own head
- Sometimes it’s hard to know who’s who when you have so many ginger cats.
- It’s a very big landscape for a very small pup.
- A hot day and a confab among the furred ones on what to do about the new pup, Rosie.
The ginger cats, the dogs, & Jackie talk long walks around their corner of the world and Jackie takes amazing photos of what they see. Her photographs are beautiful—sometimes stunning, sometimes touching, sometimes fascinating.
She has illustrated and/or written many children’s books. Her newest book, Ice Bear, comes out this Fall. Another recent one is about Snow Leopards.
Jackie asked if I’d consider linking to the cat toys for sale (of course!) from the The Snow Leopard Trust—the mice are really cute and you’ll be helping support Snow Leopard conservation and impoverished people sharing the same environment. There are small felted mice & discounted misfit mice. If you live in Western Washington, you can visit their Seattle store. You can also help by supporting the Snow Leopard Conservancy.
She has an interesting blog about her work called Drawing A Line In Time. And you can purchase Jackie’s art from her Facebook page and her website. If you’re in the UK, you can see her work at Imagine Gallery in Long Melford, Suffolk.
These are some of my favorites:
Thank you for this most beautiful post. I have enjoyed Jackie Morris’ generous sharings of her world since first learning of her in 2008.I don’t go there often enough, get too busy, forget, etc., so I value the reminder of this beloved treasure. When I look at the photos she takes of her animals on their walks, I feel able to inhale a truly full breath of that crystalline air! I have a dear friend who has become acquainted with Jackie through her blog and I adore knowing about that bridge of friendship between the arid flat land of west Texas and the beauty Jackie shows us of her home in Wales.
Thanks so much for this. The cats will be thrilled. They are always telling me that they are more famous than me! And we haven’t walked together for a few weeks now so maybe today would be a good time to walk slowly and talk to the cats.