George, a Frenchie Rescue.

George, a puppy mill rescue, is one lucky boy!

George, a young Frenchie, is now living a much improved life with his family.

Unfortunately, that was not always the case.

The client said that when she first saw George, he was skinny and underfed. He had lived his first months as a puppy on concrete, never having seen or touched grass. You can tell from the reference photo that he is now well-loved and rolling in the grass is one of his favourite activities. Who could blame him?

George, just turned one recently, and the photo I was sent to use as a reference (along with many other photos) had him decked out in birthday regalia. However, the client did not want his birthday hat and scarf included in the portrait. She also wanted a beige or grey background. The final portrait shows George with his blue collar and a grey background. (first published in July, 2022)

This Frenchie is the perfect family pet.

The client writes that George is “Easily the most social dog I’ve ever met, he loves people and he loves other dogs. George can’t walk past any human without giving them a nice big lick: everyone gets love from him. He is very cuddly with anyone. A fanatic of balls, George will play fetch for hours if you continue throwing the ball. When he does finally get settled, he’s got the typical loud snoring of a French bulldog, just to make sure we know he’s still around.”

After I painted George’s portrait, I photographed the 8 x 10 gallery wrapped canvas outdoors with the grass and the trees in the background (header photo).

The client sent me a photo of George and another portrait I had painted for her, of her dog Tommy who recently passed away. 

She writes: “The timing of putting both of them on my wall was impeccable. Thank you so much for what you do. Even more special now that I’ve lost one. The painting of Tommy is identical to what he looks like and brings all the great memories we had with him rushing right back.”

Pet loss and memorial portraits.

It is heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet. Our pets add so much joy to our lives…and one very sad day.

Many clients have contacted me over the years to tell me of the loss of their fur babies, and that the portrait I have painted allows them to heal after that loss. Just seeing the pet painted on canvas brings back so many memories.

Here is a small sample of the memorial portraits I have painted for clients. I paint on wood slices big and small, on glass ornaments, on paper, on repurposed cedar boards...and my art work is available at various price points.

Some portraits are more colourful and contemporary (Mildred) while others are more traditional, always following the client's wishes.

Contact me if you wish to have your pet portrait painted by me. I accept a limited number of commissions but would be pleased to answer your questions or to add you to my waiting list for fall.