In 2016, a litter of kittens was found in the backyard of one of Gabriella’s peers. She met the babies and was immediately enamored by the runt of the litter; Zion. Zion was adopted out, and the two were separated. Years later, the owner reported they were not keeping Zion; She was hiding from them and was not interested in playing. Gabriella and Zion were reunited that week, and have been inseparable since. Today, Zion is a happy, cuddly cat. To Gabriella that is, to others she's... tolerant.
A Great Pyrenees, Luna was left at the pound after her breeder could not sell her. Luna is deeply annoyed by people who point out that “Luna” is now a popular dog name, as she was named prior to the craze, and not to mention that the name actually suits her. (She’s big, beautiful, and white- just like the moon, duh.) While she may look cute and fluffy, try not to approach her in public- Luna has appointed herself as Gabriella’s bodyguard, and takes her job *very* seriously.
He is as mischievous as he is mysterious. Originally mistaken for a squirrel, Stevie was discovered eating out of a trash can. Stevie was only a kitten, and had to be lured out of the bushes with a piece of cheese, a treat he now notoriously goes feral for. A beautiful chocolatey boy, Stevie has a very rare coat color. (If you had an expensive brown kitten that went missing - we’re not giving him back) Stevie enjoys sitting on shoulders, drooling, bird watching, and overall being a menace.
Born to a feral cat, Ducky had a serious respiratory infection when Gabriella and her husband took her home- making her squeak like a Rubber Ducky. She has since fully recovered, but hasn’t gotten any less nasty. The smallest of the bunch, Ducky has an over abundance of sass and personality. She has notoriously loud purrs, and does it every chance she gets. When at the vet, they consistently struggle to hear her heart and lungs over her purring. Truly one of the cutest cats in existence.
Ducky’s MUCH bigger brother. So much bigger, the vet was convinced Gabriella and Dillon were confused, and they had brought two kittens of different parents. Only five months old, Zorro is almost as big as Stevie, and his parents live in fear of the size he will eventually be. From being born to a feral cat and living outside for the first few months of his life- Zorro accumulated to the indoor cat life extraordinarily fast- demanding to be held and snuggled the very first night he spent inside.
Drooly, happy, neurotic, afraid of thunder, and just the dreamiest eyes you’ve ever seen. Rosie would wag her tail with such vigor her whole body would wag with it. She hated strangers, but had so much love to give in her oddly proportioned body. Loved by everyone who met her, she left the world way too soon.
She lived a very short life, but she brought her parents so much happiness in the short time she was with them. Curious, happy, and affectionate. Her favorite show was Love Island UK.
Gabriella Koyfman is an Atlanta based painter and illustrator. Her work expresses child-like imagination, humor, and nostalgia. She explores this through the personification of animals, creating a home filled with bitter sweetness and humor. She draws inspiration from media, critters, and her current monsters: Zion, Luna, Stevie, Zorro, and Rubber Ducky.
She graduated with her BFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design (Atlanta) in 2020 (A totally not stressful year, where nothing of note happened).
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including The Lanzarote Arts Festival in Spain, The Elk Grove Fine Arts Center in California, and several shows hosted by SCAD including Open Studio Night (Atlanta, 2018 - 2019) and Animal Farm (Savannah). She enjoys public speaking and has given artist talks on a volunteer basis for local high schools, as well as interactive live painting demonstrations.