'Pete the Cat' Retrospective

opened a retrospective of paintings by Pete the Cat creator James Dean on Saturday night at the gallery in Decatur.

Dean showed some of the first pencil drawings of the black rescue cat who inspired the skinny feline who became Pete the Cat in his paintings.

The Seen Gallery's Facebook page said,

This is our 10th year in business and  James has been with us since the beginning.  It is only fitting that this year we present a retrospective of James' work spanning the time which he has been a full time artist..and perhaps before.  James Dean's art has sold in more than ninety galleries and shops across the United States. He has devoted his paintings to Pete the Cat for ten years and has turned his natural love for cats into his life's work.

James published his first adult book, The Misadventures of Pete the Cat, a history of his art work, in 2006. He illustrated his first self-published children's book, Pete the Cat I Love my White Shoes in 2008, and the follow-up book, Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes, in 2011.  A third book,  Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, just premiered and hit number 1 on the New York Times best Seller List.  And.. a special book for Christmas is on its way. 

The show will run through July 26.