Did you know that I use supermodels for some of my paper sculpture reference materials? Yes, that’s right, and I would like to show you some of the most famous models you’ll see pop up in my work right here.

First, we have Molly. An adorable calico cat who looks more like a large kitten than an adult-sized cat who is about 10 years old. She is polydactyl and has extra toes on her front paws, which just adds to her cuteness. I call her my studio cat.

She loves to come and check up on me first thing in the morning and throughout the day. She also loves to distract me and insists I stop working and let her sit on my lap while she purrs loudly. Honestly, it’s always a nice distraction for both of us. When she’s not “assisting” at my desk, she keeps me company curled up in front of the fireplace or sitting by the windows.

Next up, we have Tube Socks, the biggest orange tabby in the group of supermodels. He got his name because when he was a kitten, the stripes on his front legs looked like he was wearing tube socks — those white gym socks with the colored bands at the top. The dark orange stripes on his legs have faded somewhat with age.

We have nicknamed him a puppy cat because he follows my husband around the house. At night, Tube Socks will meow and meow, until he hears us say, “Goodnight Tube Socks!” Then he curls up and goes to sleep. How cute is that?

Next we have Peanut and Cricket, orange cats, who, along with Tube Socks, are brothers. They live with my daughter in Los Angeles, now big-time city cats in Hollywood. Cricket most recently posed for my furry cat that will be included in my installation during the Paper Works show at The Mansion at Strathmore this summer.

I often refer to our cats when I need to check out their eyes, ears, facial features or stripe patterns. They’re great live reference materials when I need to paper sculpt a cat and get their tricky features just right. Our cats make really great models. Here’s just a few of the illustrations and paper sculptures where my supermodels were the inspiration. See if you can match the illustration to the cat.