It’s all about vibrant watercolors when it comes to the cat paintings by Honolulu-based artist Linda Bachrach. With a studio on the beach across from Diamond Head, Hawaii’s most famous volcanic crater, Bachrach works alongside the scenic ocean views while counting Asian aesthetics and her love for cats as inspiration for her abstract artwork.
After moving to her current hometown from San Francisco 13 years ago to study at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Bachrach has taken part in local art organizations and previously served as the president of the Hawaii Watercolor Society.
With a background in landscape painting and calligraphy, Bachrach hand paints each piece with water-soluble materials ranging from Japanese ink sticks to Gansai mineral paints, sourced locally and from Japan (where she travels to for a month out of every year).
“I love to paint cats in a loose, expressive style to capture each of their attitudes and personalities,” Bachrach tells InStyle.com. “Most are imaginative in color and shape with a special mischievous look in their eye. These wonderful creatures always bring smiles to the faces of all who see them.”
For the past five years, Bachrach has been selling artwork via Etsy. Take a look through her online shop—fittingly named HawaiiCats—and you’ll find her original artwork as well as matted prints and ceramic pendants of her designs.
Plus, each piece includes a charming name matched with a fun story. We can’t get enough of Haleiwa Cats (shown at top) which refers to the tie-dye colors of shaved ice cream, popular within the small city of Haleiwa, on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii.
Ready to brighten up your home? Shop the kitty paintings (starting at $18) from HawaiiCats at etsy.com/shop/hawaiicats