A staple of surrealism is juxtaposition. Which means placing unexpected visual elements side by side. However, I also like playing with juxtaposing a subjects’ intended uses or characteristics. Observing my cat has become a favorite new pastime of mine. Minus a very few hours of daily activity, there is a whole lot of laziness going on. This idea came about as a result of that observation — the contrast of the relaxed feline lifestyle with that of a driver of industry. I had great fun with this, and so it may become the first in a new series of intimate animal portraits. [http://www.paulbondart.com/paintings/description/portrait-of-a-19th-century-industrialist/]