Fantasticats, February 2002 Laurel Burch

The artwork presents a striking visual composition centered around a large, stylized heart shape. The hearts form dominates the canvas, its black interior sharply contrasting with the vibrant, layered colors that define its outer edges. These hues shift from deep blues and purples at the bottom to pinks, oranges, and yellows towards the top, creating a sense of upward movement and visual energy. A textured gold border frames the entire piece, adding an element of opulence and drawing attention to the central motif.
Within the heart’s dark core, numerous small silhouettes are discernible – they appear to be feline figures, densely packed together. This creates a feeling of both intimacy and potential confinement within the symbolic space of the heart.
Perched atop the heart is a creature that blends feline and avian characteristics. It possesses the head and ears of a cat, rendered in shades of yellow and orange, but also features prominent wings with detailed feathering. The animal’s posture suggests a sense of guardianship or perhaps even an attempt to escape from within the hearts confines. A handwritten inscription, I love you, appears near the creature’s lower body, adding a layer of personal sentimentality to the work.
The overall effect is one of playful surrealism. The combination of familiar forms – the heart, the cat, the wings – is reconfigured into an unexpected and fantastical arrangement. The vibrant color palette and stylized rendering contribute to a sense of whimsy and dreamlike quality. Subtly, the piece explores themes of love, protection, and perhaps even longing or entrapment, using symbolic imagery to convey complex emotions in a visually arresting manner. The density of figures within the heart suggests a community or shared experience, while the winged feline hints at aspirations for freedom or transcendence.