I was apprehensive about taking on pet portrait commissions, because initially it felt like a form of selling out. I was afraid it might inhibit my love for painting, but quite the opposite, it turned out to be great experience in multiple aspects.

It brings me great joy and pride to immortalize someones best friend, especially when given the rare opportunity to do so for a family member whose already moved on. Being trusted to portray something so special is a daunting task, & I cannot thank my partners enough for believing in me to do so.

Further, up until this phase I had only painted things from my own mind. This gave me tremendous wiggle-room, and the ability to stray from what I actually meant to do, and then convince myself that what I’d done was what I meant to do all along. Taking on pet portraits took this freedom away, and forced me to redo portions of projects multiple times until I actually got it right. These commissions forced me to actually explore my methodology of painting, learn proper planning patterns, make use of new techniques, and ultimately, tremendously helped me become a better artist.