I paint lots of dog and cat portraits and enjoy them all. The only portraits I find challenging at times are those of pets who have passed away.

The challenge does not come from the person requesting the portrait, it’s the pressure I put on myself. I always want to capture more than the photo. I’m super careful to look at a number of pictures and ask questions about the dog or cat to get a better sense of their personality. I guess more than anything, I want the painting to bring back fond memories of that four legged family member.

I just finished two portraits like this and am looking forward to delivering them soon. Meet Tia and Lilly – two amazing little dogs…

Tia - Acrylic on Canvas 8x8 inches

Lilly - Acrylic on wood 8x8 inches

Dealing with the loss of a pet is hard and everyone goes through it differently. I read this book after I lost my cat and it helped me with a lot of the issues I was facing. I am not affiliated with this book or author in any way, I just thought it was a worthwhile read (click on the image below):