Jan 18, 2024

Heloísa Nora: Purrfectly Imperfect Poorly Drawn Cats

Meet Heloísa Nora aka Poorly Drawn Cats.

What’s better than cats? Cats drawn poorly, of course! Meet Heloísa Nora, the meowstro behind the renowned account Poorly Drawn Cats, as she transforms feline cuteness into an art form. Hailing from the quaint landscapes of southern Brazil, Heloísa’s remedy for the pangs of law studies solitude in 2016 blossomed into a delightful menagerie of mischievous characters.

Hi Heloísa! Please tell us about you.

I’m from a small town in the South region of Brazil. In 2016, I moved out of my parent’s house to study law in a city that had universities (Curitiba) and started drawing cats to feel a little less lonely after that change, and that changed my life — now I’m surrounded by people who love my art, and I’m so grateful for that.

My love for drawing goes way back to my childhood. My mom was always supportive, buying me art supplies and enrolling me in art classes. I was that creative kid who wouldn’t stop getting “Can you draw me?” questions. Over the years, it has evolved into requests like, “Can you draw my cat?” — a shift that I’ve come to absolutely love.

Growing up, I was surrounded by nature, finding joy in the presence of chickens, cows, horses, and adorable little ducks. While I’ve always had a strong connection with animals, my affection for cats has held a particularly special place in my heart. They mean everything to me!

Your drawings capture the whimsy and charm of cats so well. Can you share a particular cat encounter that has inspired one of your drawings?

Surely, my sweet Pandora left us last year. She meant the world to me, and she was always so expressive! She had a little pink nose that would get red while having zoomies. As for internet cats that inspired me, probably the Grumpy Cat! I remember that the first time I saw the internet, she was everywhere!

Tell us about your cats.

Well, I had two babies that are no longer with us. Polenta and Pandora. Pandora was my first cat and my grumpy little baby. Polenta was the sweetest little thing! She was already sick when we got her — she was inside a tire, and she was so tiny. I miss both so much that I always get a little emotional talking about them. I’m planning to get a tattoo of them this year! Probably riding a bike because they were the coolest cats ever.

You also volunteer at the Crazy Cat Gang. Do you get to name those rescue cats? If so, any fun names?

I got the opportunity to name some of the foster cats I got! My favorite ones were Kiki and Jiji! There was also Lombriga (the Portuguese word for worm) that I’ll never forget.

If you could collaborate with any famous cat (real or fictional) for a special art project, who would it be, and what kind of masterpiece do you envision creating together?

Lately, all the cats that I love answer or follow me, and I’m so grateful for that! Like Uni, Mr. Fishtopher and Mr. Lover, Raymond, Khaleesi, Paul, Sarge, and Benny (I probably forgot some; I’m so sorry, friends)!

I would love to collaborate with Luna (the Crunchy Cat) because she has the best expressions ever! I can even think of some poorly drawn animations.

We thank Heloísa for sharing her story with us. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and visit her website.

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