Once Upon a Time
A few years ago, one of my dear friends lost her beloved dog. She was so sad about the loss of her sweet Pepper and it broke my heart to see her grieve.
I was moved to paint a portrait of Pepper, but since I had no formal art training, I was worried that it would look stupid and she would hate it and be even more sad. But then I came to the conclusion that I had to share the painting with her because it might help her with her grief the way the beautiful photo of my mother taken by one of her friends helps me with mine.
Although I had been dabbling in mixed media for a few years, I had difficulty making the vision in my head a reality on canvas. I went through several drafts. I struggled with capturing the highlights on her fur and the expression in her eyes. But finally I created a painting that I felt good about giving.
There were tears and hugs and happy memories; it was a celebration the love she shared with her dog. I knew then that painting pet portraits was a gift I needed to share with others.
Life is both difficult and easy, ugly and beautiful. When we get stuck in the pain, seeing the beauty, wonder, and love all around us brings us back to joy. It is deeply satisfying to bring joy and delight to pet lovers all over the world with my art.