Dean, James
Pete the Cat: The Higher Power of Blue
The road to the arts was a bit circuitous for James Dean. Born 1957 in Fort Payne, Alabama, James Dean took his first steps on that path as he watched his father–a self-taught artist–carefully reproduce masterpieces as a pastime. Little James took his cue and focused on the classics of his childhood including Disney and Peanuts. When he reached high school, music took center stage but the young man had a vivid example of the challenges of making a living in the arts and decided to major in electrical engineering. After earning his degree, the engineer could not ignore the siren call of the arts and decided to become a full-time artist.
There’s no denying that Pete the Cat has struck a chord with so many that he is in danger of starting a symphony. Everyone–regardless of age, gender, geography, and cool factor, no sooner sees Pete the Cat than they are immediately a fan. “I wish I knew why Pete has been so loved,” remarks Pete the Cat creator James Dean. “I know that I have loved all my cats and especially the little black kitten I named Pete.” Dean muses that “Maybe some of the love I feel for my cats comes through in the art–my work is very honest in that way.”
In spite of Pete’s fame, James Dean never aspired to be a niche artist. “I did not really want to paint my cat and become labeled as a ‘cat artist,'” he explains. “I really wanted to do art that I felt good about and not just paint something because I thought it might sell.” Pete was actually a bit of a catalyst for James Dean and now he is glad he decided to make a painting of his cats. “It is a joy,” he simply states.
Pete the Cat has lived so many lives beyond the usual nine that he has now become immortal. “I remember things that Pete did while he lived and those continue to inspire me,” Dean confides. “Pete would try to drink my coffee in the mornings. He would stick his nose in my cup.” That memory became the first “cartoon” image of Pete as the artist imagined that Pete could hold a coffee cup in his paw. Dean confirms that “Pete drinking coffee is still one of my favorite subjects.” Today, the artist lives with five cats who constantly provide fresh inspiration.
But how did Pete become blue? Dean acknowledges that the original Pete was actually black. “I did not want a black cat because I thought they were bad luck. How wrong I was!” And why blue? “Blue is my favorite color and so I made Pete midnight blue.” The author notes that one quality of the color blue is that you can see your own cat in the painting. “Pete becomes more universal.” He slyly adds that, “I also find it interesting that people who do not really think they like cats tell me they like Pete!”
In one of his newer books, Pete the Cat and the New Guy, Pete makes a new friend who happens to be a platypus. “Platypus was an idea that my wife Kimberly was thinking about,” says the author. “She was actually thinking of making a book about a platypus character and I talked her into letting me use her idea for Pete’s friend.”
Everybody wants to be Pete’s friend. An especially creative teacher librarian recently sent James Dean a video of her teen special needs class reading I Love my White Shoes. “I started crying almost immediately as I watched the video and I cried through the whole thing.” Best of all, Dean and the students got to meet each other when he visited the high school in May. “The love that teachers give to children is amazing–teachers are wonderful!” exclaims the author.
Teachers and librarians are wonderful just like blue cats named Pete.
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