WOKINGHAM’S mystery artist has made headline news as the nation asks: Who is Catsy?
In recent weeks, a trail of cats have appeared around Woosehill as the anonymous artist paints a series of feline friends around town.
Now, his work has been featured on national television and in a national newspaper.
Two weeks ago, Catsy’s art appeared on Jeremy Vine On 5 where show host Angellica Bell and columnist Owen Jones asked who the mysterious painter could be.
His work has also been featured on BBC News, CBBC Newsround, and in the i newspaper.
“It’s snowballed quite a bit. It’s insane,” Catsy said. “I still can’t get my head around it, and it’s all thanks to Wokingham.Today’s previous article.
“I didn’t expect it to go much further than the local paper, so this is beyond anything I could have dreamt of.”
Over the past week, Catsy has also been adding extra features to his artwork as he takes his project to the next level.
The mystery artist is hiding 10 canvases around town over the coming week for residents to take home.
“People messaged me saying they absolutely loved [the cats] and they wanted one to take home,” he explains.
“I thought it would be nice for people to walk along the street and find a little canvas to keep.”
Catsy has also brought some new furry friends into the mix, by painting a series of mice alongside some of the cats.
Trails of paw prints have also been spotted around Woosehill.
“It was my goddaughter’s idea to put mice with them,” he says. “The googly eyes often end up looking down, so I thought I’d give them something to look at.
“I’m also planning out a few more designs including different poses, to keep it interesting for people.”
The artist says he plans to continue creating designs around Woosehill following a string of “heartwarming” responses from the community.
“They’re bringing people together,” he says. “People have messaged me saying they were having a rough time and seeing the cat made them smile.
“I believe if you can make someone smile, you’ve had a great day.”
Catsy is still encouraging residents to look him up on Facebook and tag any future cats they spot when out and about.
To find out more, visit: www.facebook.com/catsywokingham