A PASSION FOR PAINTING PET PORTRAITS LEADS TO A PASSION FOR RESCUING.
Just last year over 9000 dogs and cats entered the city animal services in my town. What can we do to make a difference?
Over the last few years I have been getting more requests or commissions for dog portraits. Dogs are my best friends and I have plenty of them in my life, so the opportunity to paint dogs is an exciting artistic challenge for me. I have always enjoyed drawing and painting animals, My own pets, and photos in magazines have served as subjects. I never took it seriously, then one day, 10 years ago I took a photo of my 5-month-old rottweiler and realized it sparked a desire to really put my skills to the test.
The process of painting my dog Gunther, set the process of portrait painting into motion for me. I realized that what makes a painting a success, to be cherished, is the ability to capture the essence of the dog, their personality to be exact.
I currently am the caregiver of 6 dogs. Each wandered into my life and made themselves at home. They knew a good thing when they found it, and I am a sucker. Why do I have 6 dogs? Well, friendships with dogs started very early for me. My first pets were Great Danes, I appeared in their lives, and they adopted me. Since then, I am the one adopting all the dogs in my life.
Today I am known in my neighborhood as the Dog Whisperer. When there is a dog on the loose my neighbors call me to come help catch the dog. It turns out this has worked against me... Or has it? I’m up to my knees in fur on some days, always a broom in hand, I can tell you it’s a full time job keeping a tidy house and both dogs and family content. I can say for sure my passion certainly has helped many dogs.
Here in the mid south, USA, there is a huge problem with abandoned and neglected cats and dogs. These poor animals run through my neighborhood on a weekly basis. It’s hard to know if they were dumped around the corner or wandered in from miles away. They tend to be frantic, often malnourished, and likely suffering from some parasitical skin invasion. In other words, they’ve been neglected for a period of time, and possibly completely abandoned and wandering for a while. The ones who are frantic and will not let anyone approach them, have recently been dumped in my observations. They are searching for their owner, they are confused, and very scared. The ones who wag their tails and come up to you are in the stage of giving up and are seeking our help. The Chart below gives the statistics for my area, and the reason why I have rescued so many dogs over the years. NINE to be exact. Notice the poster gives data for 2022, I can tell you the situation is much worse today.
Between 2000 and 2024 I have rescued and adopted nine dogs, but many more have come through my home an have been successfully re homed. In 2010 through 2013 I rescued 4 dogs, while living in the Memphis area, In 2013 Memphis had an intake rate to the animal facility of 6805 dogs and cats. In 2016, I rescued 2 more dogs, I was up to 6 dogs total in my home at that time. The total number of intakes for 2016, was 5056. By 2020, 3 of my dogs died, one from cancer, one from old age (13 years) and the last was euthanized. He was a rescue who had been through so much abuse that he was dangerous to the rest of the pack with constant vicious attack behavior. I had no choice. Our Bull mastiff, Henri, who literally climbed into our car one day while pumping gas at a station, died a few days before Christmas of 2022 he was 14 years old, a very long life for a Bull Mastiff. In 2024 my most recent rescue entered our home in January, a little pocket pit we fondly call Gidget. She was most likely dumped a few days before a winter storm hit that would shut down many businesses and schools for 5 days. Yep, I had no choice, I had to bring her in out of the elements. The last year I could find statistics was 2022 with over 9000 animals brought into the shelters in just that year. Please realize too!!!! That these numbers do not account for all the animals that end up in private rescue facilities, or by people like me who take the animal in off the streets and end up keeping them
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For this post, I Just looked at the intake numbers for 3 of the years when I actively rescued a new dog going back to 2013. Just in those 3 years 20,861 cats and dogs entered the system.
SO HERE IS MY IDEA
Since I have been creating more and more pet portraits for clients. I would love to make my work really count. I would love to make pet portraits and the earnings from those portraits either go to help a rescue, your city animal shelter, or donated to a Vet who will use it to care for a sick pet in which the owners cannot afford the treatment.
Here is my process for creating a pet portrait. I ask that you take as many snap shots of your fur baby, catch them in an activity or a pose that is endearing to you.
The photo has to have good lighting, so I can see details, it has to be in good focus, and clearly show your pet’s facial features.
I take these photos and will either use the perfect shot, or create an image that incorporates the best of these photos.
Prices will vary depending on size and materials, for example an 18”x24” would cost between 100.00, to 150.00. 75% of the cost, will go to a rescue you pick or to one in my city. Depending on how donations work and taxes, you will receive the record and confirmation of your donation. I want to keep the cost affordable.
If this resonates with you, if you know of others that might be interested, please take the time to send this on to others, or restack it!
Thanks again for checking out my art.
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I L💗VE THIS IDEA!
I think you can post the article now (sorry I’m really bad at tech 😻)