Upsala Ekeby, 1969-70, 17cm tall

The living room of my home in England contained a jaunty, Provencal yellow wallpaper, something which was slightly off-putting to my American senses… until winter rolled around, with its endless gray skies and daily five (!) hours of the saddest excuse for daylight you will ever see. THAT was when that I realized why the yellow was there — it was the perfect tonic which allowed one to survive all the dreariness and make it to spring. Seeing that it is 21 degrees outside and snow is on the ground, it therefore seems only appropriate to feature this wonderful feline, designed by the prolific and talented Upsala Ekeby artist Dorothy Clough. With his jaunty yellow coat, assertive stripes and je ne sais quoi expression, he isn’t taking winter lying down! It is a feeling I share… but alas, one my own cat does not.