It’s a tale of love—or at least, of inspirational sparks between artist and muse. Photographer and musician David Platt purchased a toy for his cat. “Chew-toy” was a hit with the kitty, who soon burnished it to a well-gnawed state. Then, as David tells it: “…one day when I was getting ready for work, I caught a glimpse of Chew-toy huddled in the corner, and it spoke to me.” What came out of that glance-across-a-crowded room is a surprising series of portraits of a cat’s toy: in vibrant, saturated colors; in black and white; in repose; in profile; in various bound positions. Andrew Wyeth had his Helga. And David has Chew-toy. May art always spring from the most unexpected, bitten-down source.
