A Very Long Wait for Mischa.

A thirty year long wait for Mischa.

Last fall, I received an email for a pet portrait of Mischa to be given as a Christmas gift from the client to her husband. Mischa is a very special dog (as all dogs are): the email specified that various reasons prevented the family from having a dog for thirty long years.

Clients often share their pet stories with me. No two stories are alike and I have heard many funny and some heartbreaking tales over time. Right from the first emails, I knew that Mischa is indeed a well-loved family member in this couple’s household.

Mischa’s personality.

Mischa looks like a “stuffed animal” and is “very protective of our young grandchildren,” wrote Mischa's owner. She does have a "mischievous, stubborn streak now and then but is always loving and playful".

I received several photos of Mischa and chose this one as my reference.

The client described Mischa's coat as brown/caramel. The background should “match the brown colour of our dog” and the portrait would hang in the office. Other information/requests included a red flower to be attached to her collar and her name appearing somewhere in the portrait.

Over the month of November, I worked on Mischa, fine tuning the portrait until the client was happy with the end result. Although she had wanted the white patch on Mischa’s chest added, it was too far down to be included in this portrait.

The client opted to have Mischa’s medallion painted under the flower as her name appears on it, rather than to have the name added at the bottom of the portrait as she initially requested.

Finally, early in December, I met the client at a local mall where she picked up the portrait.

Client feedback is appreciated throughout the process.

As with all my commissions, since I have not seen the furry companion whose portrait I am painting, I consult frequently to find out if I am capturing an accurate representation of the pet. This is true whether the painting is whimsical or more realistic.

I will not sell a portrait until the client is completely satisfied.

Shortly after Christmas, I received this email –

We celebrated with our family last night. I wanted to let you know that my husband was delighted to receive the portrait of Mischa. He said it was one of the best presents he ever got from me.

Thanks again for doing such an amazing portrait of our dog Mischa. (L.L.)

Custom Pet Portraits - various formats and styles: all hand-painted.

If you would like your pet painted by me, visit the Custom Pet Portraits page for ideas, and the Pet Portrait Price List to view current prices.

Please contact me if you have any questions. You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram.

Below are some of the portraits I completed in 2021 with a few more yet to be published.  I am, as always, very grateful to for the trust you have placed in my abilities to bring your pet's portrait to life.

As we transition into 2022, I am trying to remain optimistic but it's not easy.

I am happy to see the end of 2021 because it wasn't the best of years with broken bones and much illness in the family. Just when I thought the worst was over, Omicron spread its tentacles over the world and closer to home.

However, there is much promise in new beginnings - 2022 can be a year full of possibilities, abundance, generosity, better health, and just making the world a safe, kind, place for all of us.

All the best!

Louise