Cat Bachman Discusses Her 10th Dan's Papers Cover

Beloved Dan’s Papers cover artist and Southampton resident Cat Bachman hits a big milestone this week with her 10th cover! Here, Bachman talks about her cover painting, “Fish on Ice,” her brilliant imagination, influences and her unique, whimsical way of looking at the world.

A Chat with Cat Bachman

Tell me about this piece. It feels a bit different than a lot of your others, at least the winter theme.

The cover image, “Fish on Ice” is a bit different. It is a snow scene! My seaside characters are typically cast basking in the summer sun. But that doesn’t mean they hibernate. Winter on the East End is a magical time for them too, full of things to do. I painted Molly Perch and her small fry, Polly, on a frigid afternoon. I watched them glide effortlessly across Town Pond, which had frozen over. Except for the soft swoosh of their blades, not a sound could be heard. Matching earmuffs and Burberry scarves kept them warm. They didn’t seem to notice me. Behind them, the steel blue colors of the sky and ice created a singular focus: The simple expression of love and joy between mother and child on a frosty day.

Were these fish and other sea characters something you’ve drawn since childhood? Who were your art heroes?

As a child, I always spun tales. They were not the fish tales I paint today. But rather stories and drawings of imaginary creatures, some beautiful, mythical, and fairy-tale-like, others somewhat macabre. I was in awe of the Golden Age illustrators, John Bauer, Warwick Goble, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, to name a few. I was mesmerized by the colors of Maxfield Parrish. I didn’t care much for playing with dolls, but would, instead, spend endless hours at the library, combing old books for their color plates. Those enchanting full page illustrations inspired me to look at the world differently. As I grew older, I found the campy horror and dark humor of Edward Gorey and Charles Addams irresistible. Their gothic oddballs delighted me. Monsters can be funny too. Nowadays there are so many heroes. Gerhard Richter and and Flora Yukhnovich are two of them.

How do your characters come about in your mind? How do you then transfer the image onto the canvas?

I cannot say exactly how my characters come to mind. They just do. Sometimes they appear by thinking about them. Other times, they are just there. I watch them unfold in my mind’s eye. Unlike a dream, I have control over the images. I can make them do what I want. I can change their color, their form, their activity. I can move them around until I determine the best composition. Once the vision, the mental concept, is fine-tuned and I am feeling manic in an artsy way, I know it is ready to be poured onto the canvas. That is when the hard work begins, the actual execution of the physical form. Many hours of disciplined drawing, paint layering, and patience go into each piece.

Is there always a story attached to the characters that reside in your imagination?

It’s the age-old chicken or the egg conundrum, as far as which comes first, the image or the story. But for me, there is always a narrative attached to the picture, an adventure taking place in my head. Inspiration is everywhere. Sometimes it is there just to observe and enjoy, as not everything ends up on the canvas. Case in point: Three large boulders huddle together under a tall white pine outside my studio window. They look like three tired old men. I call them the conversationalists. I cannot look at them without “hearing” their glory days chatter. They are an ongoing source of amusement for me. Think about that next time you see a row of rocks.

You’ve made a real name for yourself with these paintings. Do you ever create other types of art or fantasize about trying different media (like maybe sculptures of your characters)?

My fish paintings are a joy to create. As fun-loving Hamptonites, they are living the good life! I have several new ones in the works that I am excited about, including a series of whimsical birds. In addition to these, I paint abstracts.. When the mood strikes, even a gothic oddball. I’ve sculpted a myriad of figurines and ornaments in the past, including trolls, pumpkinheads, and Belsnickles, using paper clay. Perhaps one day I will sculpt some sea creatures.

Do you have any shows or projects underway or coming up soon?

I have a piece in Guild Hall’s 85th Artist Members Exhibition which runs through January 5. I’ll also be participating in the Southampton Artist’s Association’s Winter Show at the Cultural Center in February.

Anything you’d like to add?

As always, I want to thank you and Dan’s Papers for featuring my work on the cover, my 10th one! And, to everyone on the East End, wishing you a safe and festive holiday season!

To see more of Cat Bachman’s artwork, follow @catbachman on Instagram and check out her website, catbachman.com