Today 'Jamie Shelman' Saw

Today I am super excited to welcome Jamie Shelman to Today I Saw. I've been a fan of Jamie's art work ever since I saw her unique cat drawings through Pikaland, the illustration website, which Jamie is a contibutor for. I'm always impressed by how prolific Jamie is: if I'm not browsing one of her two shops, I find myself laughing out loud when looking her latest drawings on Flickr. Jamie is a very funny girl! You can check out her blog here. Jamie has kindly drawn her own (awesome) Today I Saw postcard and answered questions about her life and the things she sees. Take it away Jamie!

Could you tell us a little bit about your postcard and what you have chosen to draw?
I choose to draw the neighbors cat who forces his way into our room and demands to lay on the bed. to accommodate this we put down a sheet of plastic so his long black hairs don't create the instant nest that he sheds and leaves everywhere!

and have you decided who you'll send it to?
Someone we want to scare and disgust!

Jamie, please tell us what you see in the morning once you've got up.
I see bikes, tree branches and the cat that runs up to have breakfast with us every morning.

Your readers and I love your witty and clever drawings. Although they are often of cat and chick they have a very human element. Can you tell us anything you see that inspires your drawings?
Usually they capture our day to day activities or happenings, a transference of human thought and activity in cat form, I've always loved animals, cats especially, think I grew up carrying my cats around the house!

Jamie your cat drawings are my favourite cat drawings ever (I'm a cat lover). Do you have cats? If so, please tell us about them.
Every cat we've ever known has followed us like the pied piper and the rats, must be the spaghetti stink between our toes! The neighbors Nike has currently adopted us, could be the attention and stiff drinks we slip him ;D

Jamie, I remember when you ever so kindly sent me a bunch of your drawings after I sent you a postcard. I was delighted as I love snail mail and your art! Is snail mail a big part of your life? If so how.
I love snail mail! I love making things by hand and always have, receiving something physical made by someone else is still a rush! And I love receiving mail from all over the world!

Could you describe some of the things you see each day that you feel are important to you and your life?
My husband and best friend Tom! The giant trees outside our window, the birds and all the neighborhood cats :D

And finally, please tell us one thing you saw recently which stayed in your memory.
This amazing British family we saw at Eataly in NYC having coffee and their incredibly kind and thoughtful interactions with all those around them! Squeezing the arm of a father who was tending to his infant in a stroller (and obviously at pains juggling his child and coffee etc.) even bringing him the milk from the coffee bar, talking to the baby, such empathy, openness and kindness to all- something that seems so lacking of late and which the world desperately needs more of! (I thought that's it, we're moving to Britain!) :D

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Jamie, thank you so much for taking part. I really enjoyed your answers and hearing about which cats are in your life! I especially liked that a British couple had had such a positive effect on you. They must have been from Liverpool : ) Your drawing is brilliant as always! Thank you Jamie!