The famous cats that have amused visitors to the Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival are back this year after a brief respite – a bit be-smudged with paint, but wide-eyed and cheerful as always. The cats appear on posters, souvenirs and collateral advertising material to promote the 18th annual festival, scheduled for July 12-13 in downtown Los Altos.
The cat art is a favorite of Los Altos festival-goers, and certainly a favorite subject for Los Altos resident Jim M’Guinness. “There was a departure in theme art for last year’s festival, much to my chagrin and that of the cats,” M’Guinness said. “I thought maybe I’d have to peddle my pet project in Los Gatos.” (Los Gatos is Spanish for “the cats.”)
M’Guinness illustrates song books, cook books, and gardening books for Klutz Press and has a whimsical approach to his animal characters. The first model for his cat poster was his own Siamese. This year the cat is a tabby, sometimes accompanied by a little mouse with running shoes, symbolizing the addition of the fitness celebration and the 10K run and 5k run/walk which will make their debut at the Festival this year.
The cat poster is $10 and will be available prior to the festival at the Los Altos Village Association office, and at souvenir booths during festival weekend.
Also available is a new Nathaniel Mather poster, published as a commemorative work by the impressionist artist who illustrated posters for the festival from 1992-94. Mather, the first owner of Los Altos FastFrame, has created a new piece, “The Rose,” a serene image of an antique table with wine bottles, flowers, fruits, and a flute against the backdrop of beautiful rolling hills.
Mather is a former Los Altos resident who now lives in Michigan. This original oil, priced at $3,800, is on display in the FastFrame window. The commemorative poster, priced at $15 unframed or $85 framed, is also available at FastFrame for this price until Aug. 30, and will be sold during the festival at the Los Altos Village Association souvenir booths.
