I have often been asked how I paint my pet portraits.  I always paint in oils, my personal preferred medium, and insist on using a very clear photograph.  Lighting is important, but what is most necessary is a strong image of your pet's eyes.  We view their souls throu...

As most of you know, I have concentrated my artistic talents on pets of the 4 legged type, being mostly dogs and cats.  Today, I attempt to enter the equestrian arena 

This is the the beginning of SPARTAN.  After a careful colored pencil study, I am blending a barn...

Rocco is finished.  She is a Belgium Shepherd that recently passed away.  Losing your pet is often harder than losing an actual family member.  To many of us , our 4 legged companions are with us many more minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, than any human comp...

I am still working on this portrait.  I find it necessary to NOT look at a painting for a day or two once I think it is complete.  In doing this, I can more easily see and correct any mistakes that I have made.  This is an oil on canvas, 11x14.  Almost ready to go home...

Once I paint the background, I bond with the animal by painting the eyes and surrounding features.  To me, this is the most important part of the painting.  If I can connect with the soul of the dog, and the eyes ARE the windows to our souls, then I can complete the pa...

I always try to paint the background of my portraits prior to jumping into the actual animal.  I find this important because we want the background to be just what it is, the grounding for the back of the painting.  If you attempt to add the background as a later thoug...

Our 4 legged family members , unfortunately, don't live as long as we would prefer.  It is said that they don't live so long is because they are born loving unconditionally, and owners, sadly, take decades to learn this.  What a blessing they own.  What a blessing WE o...

Started sketching Dixie and Luna - will begin to apply paint soon!

f you have a dog who has made you laugh, 

brightened your life, 

silently accepted your tears without judgement, 

snuggled with you, 

forgiven your faults and loved you anyway, 

you are one of the lucky ones!...

Once I begin my painting, I always begin with your pet's eyes.  It's where we all connect.  When painting the eyes, first examine the colors, highlights, shadows.  The darkest part of the eye will be the pupil and the out rim of the iris.  This is true on both dogs and...