I feel compelled to write about my cousin’s art and how brilliant he was at paying attention to detail. My cousin Jimmy Terry has passed. He was a great person who left many loving memories and an awesome son behind. He was also creative and left behind many works of art.

Jimmy Terry is an amazing artist. He created a beautiful picture of a cat with a halo on its head. The picture has many details that I ponder deeply upon. I myself have a great talent of drawing, and I find much joy in analyzing the creativity of others. Yet, this picture really has some powerful annotations and structures in design.

     “I first find myself staring at the halo encircling the hair above the cat’s head. There is also a smaller halo that can symbolize man’s level of Godhood in spirituality under the main halo that is the holy anointing under God’s divine spirituality.”

 I admire how the artist styled the hair to extend up and through the lower halo but not above the higher halo. This means that the artist approves mankind’s love of physical self and style that often penetrates our spiritual being. He also left an opening for the penetration inside the lower halo, unlike the upper halo that is full within. This also gives respect and authority to the upper halo of God.

The artist also chose a great design for the cat’s left ear. He illustrated an earring loop at the top with four piercings going downward. This detail makes me think of many different cultures in society. To many people, the hoop earring symbolizes sexual behavior. The other open piercings in the ear make me think of teen rebel behavior and/or demonic cults. I think the artist placed these details on the animal’s ear cartilage to symbolize that our physical is always pierced and pinched with influences from the world. Because the other ear doesn’t have any piercings, I reference this to the belief that the devil is on one shoulder and an angel is on the other.

     The eye is also a masterpiece. The left eye is open wide, looking straight forward and deliberate. Inside the eye is a red droplet that I believe to be a tear. The fact that its red makes me think that it’s blood. This detail brings sad emotions to me. The statement “Blood in my eye” is often said when people see no way out of a situation or when they see the destruction of humanity ever present in their perspective. Those empathetic people often wish to see better days, longing for humanity to do better as a whole.

I find it interesting that there is red eyeliner on the eyelid. This detail causes me to question the gender of the cat. The makeup appears extra. I think the artist was expressing disdain for new modern women overemphasizing their eyebrows today. These slanted, dark eyebrows have taken the present world by storm. Sadly, it only makes a woman look mischievous and angry.

Below the eye is a fur detail or a tattooed letter “Z.” I find this interesting because many people today find it impressive to mark their faces, exemplifying their true emotions to everyone they encounter. Many people today have tears, which symbolize they either committed murder or are grieving a death. Others in some cultures write mission statements on their faces.

     I can’t make the detail out fully, yet I see many things: a sideways coiled snake, the letter “Z,” or stroke detail to add a layer to the cheekbone. The mark could possibly mean “The end has come” if it is the last letter in the alphabet. However, it could simply be shading.

I find it amazing that the artist chose to let hanging hair cover the right eye. I immediately thought of the “all-seeing eye” that is on every dollar. My mind traveled down a sad road of international bankers, central bankers, big brother cameras, and monopolizing social platforms suddenly able to block you and erase you without deliberation or consequence. I conclude that we are living blind to allow such organizations to develop.

     Shaking my head, lowering my eyes, I noticed the mouth of the cat. There are no whiskers, making the art more human to me. There are no teeth, displaying humility. I’m confused about whether it is really a cat or a dog. The deep glare has me thinking the image could possibly be a Yorkshire terrier, but I’ll assume it’s a cat. The lips are fixed with a look of determination, not anger or sadness. Just a look of expelling to the viewer, “You know already what I’m about to say.”

Observing the body, I see two wings extended outward. I refuse to say that this is the cat’s fur. I think that those are wings of an angelic figure. The middle torso and lower body appear to be a robe.

I’m suddenly enraptured into a heavenly sphere of thinking. I’m feeling a great euphoria that the artist has taken me to. The picture gives me hope that even though our minds and conscious endure so much in society, we are still heavenly bodies. I feel enlightened with a certain knowledge that this artist relayed to me. He knows how I feel and that I too believe in a better place, a peaceful place where our final form can move at the speed of light and wear similar robes that don’t create false stereotypes and pride.

     I love the illustration. The picture further motivates me to believe that we, including animals, have an eternal soul. Animals should not be slaughtered for oil or food.

I recently read how cats can sense a bad energy or spirit and often protect its owner at night, thus sleeping in the bed with you. This art has given me a layer of protection indeed, displaying telepathy that humanity is going to be okay because the artist and I realize that the greatest commandment is “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”