This item is a fiber artwork that has been silkscreened with stitching and buttons added, and measures 33"x21". The star of this piece is the ubiquitous Maneki Neko (Bekoning Cat) with his paw raised in the tradional manner, and here he has been artfully set off by hand-stitching of his silhouette. The Japanese Maneki Neko has been playfully moved to Kauai where he is semi-hidden in the Garden Island foliage with the brilliant Hawaiian sun overhead. Hence, he is now an Aloha Cat!

Maneki Neko (meaning "beckoning cat") is the name for Japanese Fortune Cats. A Japanese cultural icon, it is regarded as a symbol of good luck, prosperity and success. It is traditionally a Japanese Bobtail cat, usually seated—with one upright paw.

Wendy Kim Messier earned an MFA in Visual Design and began her career as a graphic designer before branching out into textiles. Graphics, fiber sculpture, wearables, and furnishings come full circle to provide a varied livelihood and an imaginative lifestyle.

 "There are two parts to my work. The part that goes to a gallery and the part that goes to market. Works for exhibition are personal expressions complete in its form. By contrast, clothing is a product, broadly created for a customer who buys, wears and completes the process. The ideal outcome for me is when art and commerce are in sync and support each other."