Dogs
By Julia Williams
“Like a kid on Christmas morning” doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt waiting for the Fedex guy to show up with a package the other day. I got up extra early, because I knew I’d have to sign for the package and I didn’t want to be in the shower when he arrived. Overkill, yes – but I wasn’t taking any chances on missing this delivery! As it happened, he didn’t arrive until nearly 4 p.m., and by then I was ready to crawl out of my skin. Have I mentioned that patience is not one of my virtues? LOL.
I carefully opened the big box so as not to damage the precious cargo within. One look…and I was smitten. My smile was so wide I could have eaten a banana sideways. Maybe even two bananas! So what was in there that had me so ecstatic?
It was a painting of my sweet girl kitty, Annabelle, and it was even more beautiful than I knew it would be! This was something I’d wanted to do for some time. My relationship with Annabelle is just so extraordinary that I wanted something to treasure forever. She’s almost ten years old, and though I hope to have at least ten more years with this special one-in-a-million kitty, we just never know how long we’ll have with those we hold dear.
I’ve never loved a cat so deeply and completely as Annabelle, and I’ve never felt so loved in return. I wanted a way to honor the beauty of our unique relationship while she’s here, as well as a way to keep her memory alive once she’s gone. To be sure, she will live in my heart for all time, but I think this painting will be a wonderful way to keep the connection strong.
I chose artist Sue Hains after seeing a photo on Facebook of another pet portrait she’d done. It was of Gwen Cooper’s Homer the Blind Wonder Cat, and it perfectly captured his personality. I looked at the other portraits of cats, dogs, horses and birds on Sue's website, and I just knew she would do a great job. We exchanged several emails and then I had the difficult task of deciding which photo to send Sue. In the end, I chose one that I loved for the sweet, soft expression on Belle’s face.
Like any good artist, Sue paints from her heart. She seemed as genuinely excited to paint Annabelle as I would be to receive the painting. Sue is super easy to work with, and I had no doubt she would be able to do Annabelle justice. I was not wrong. I am simply over the moon with my painting!
About Pet Portrait Artist Sue Hains
Sue Hains of Artisan Surfaces offers lifelike pet and animal portraits painted in a photo realistic style. Before beginning to paint, Sue consults with the client on the choice of photo, the background and other important details that help her capture a pet’s personality. Sue provides a digital image of the work in progress for approval, and will work with you to make sure you’ll be completely satisfied with the finished art.
The final unframed artwork is painted on black styrene, which has a smooth finish to allow for realistic detail. After receiving a protective finish, the painting is carefully padded and shipped to you. You can see a gallery of Sue’s custom pet portraits on her website.
As I said, I adore my painting and couldn’t be more pleased with it. If you’ve ever thought about getting a painting of your pet, I highly recommend Sue Hains. If you need further enticement, Sue would like to extend a special offer to our readers. Just mention the CANIDAE RPO blog when you contact Sue, and you’ll receive a 10% discount on your pet’s portrait!
Read more articles by Julia Williams
- Meet Quint, The Painting Cat!
By Julia Williams I’ve profiled many talented felines here over the years, including therapy cats, photographer kitties, cat burglars, bestselling author cats and even a TV newsCATster. Today it is my great pleasure to introduce you to another...
- Paintings Of Animal Heroes
Freddy By Sue Hains In the winter of 2009 - 2010, I was commissioned to paint a picture of Freddy, an FBI dog who had been killed in service. In preparation for working on the portrait, I was sent a photo of Freddy but required other pictures of Belgian...
- A Letter To My Cat
By Julia Williams Recently while browsing on Amazon I came across an interesting book titled A Letter to My Dog: Notes to Our Best Friends. It’s essentially a collection of heartfelt letters that pet owners, including some celebrities, have written...
- A Tribute To Annabelle, My Furry Valentine
By Julia Williams Each of my three cats is affectionate in their own way, but there’s just something incredibly special about Annabelle. I felt a connection with her the moment I rescued the tiny bedraggled kitten from the jaws of death. These last...
- Why Do We Love Some Pets More Than Others?
By Julia Williams I’m not fond of all of the hoopla that surrounds Valentine’s Day. I ignore the stores’ nonstop pleas to “spend, spend, spend” to show my love, because I know I’ve already done that, many times throughout the year. This day...
Dogs
A Pet Portrait? Priceless!!
 |
| My painting! |
“Like a kid on Christmas morning” doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt waiting for the Fedex guy to show up with a package the other day. I got up extra early, because I knew I’d have to sign for the package and I didn’t want to be in the shower when he arrived. Overkill, yes – but I wasn’t taking any chances on missing this delivery! As it happened, he didn’t arrive until nearly 4 p.m., and by then I was ready to crawl out of my skin. Have I mentioned that patience is not one of my virtues? LOL.
I carefully opened the big box so as not to damage the precious cargo within. One look…and I was smitten. My smile was so wide I could have eaten a banana sideways. Maybe even two bananas! So what was in there that had me so ecstatic?
It was a painting of my sweet girl kitty, Annabelle, and it was even more beautiful than I knew it would be! This was something I’d wanted to do for some time. My relationship with Annabelle is just so extraordinary that I wanted something to treasure forever. She’s almost ten years old, and though I hope to have at least ten more years with this special one-in-a-million kitty, we just never know how long we’ll have with those we hold dear.
 |
| The photo Sue used |
I chose artist Sue Hains after seeing a photo on Facebook of another pet portrait she’d done. It was of Gwen Cooper’s Homer the Blind Wonder Cat, and it perfectly captured his personality. I looked at the other portraits of cats, dogs, horses and birds on Sue's website, and I just knew she would do a great job. We exchanged several emails and then I had the difficult task of deciding which photo to send Sue. In the end, I chose one that I loved for the sweet, soft expression on Belle’s face.
Like any good artist, Sue paints from her heart. She seemed as genuinely excited to paint Annabelle as I would be to receive the painting. Sue is super easy to work with, and I had no doubt she would be able to do Annabelle justice. I was not wrong. I am simply over the moon with my painting!
About Pet Portrait Artist Sue Hains
Sue Hains of Artisan Surfaces offers lifelike pet and animal portraits painted in a photo realistic style. Before beginning to paint, Sue consults with the client on the choice of photo, the background and other important details that help her capture a pet’s personality. Sue provides a digital image of the work in progress for approval, and will work with you to make sure you’ll be completely satisfied with the finished art.
The final unframed artwork is painted on black styrene, which has a smooth finish to allow for realistic detail. After receiving a protective finish, the painting is carefully padded and shipped to you. You can see a gallery of Sue’s custom pet portraits on her website.
As I said, I adore my painting and couldn’t be more pleased with it. If you’ve ever thought about getting a painting of your pet, I highly recommend Sue Hains. If you need further enticement, Sue would like to extend a special offer to our readers. Just mention the CANIDAE RPO blog when you contact Sue, and you’ll receive a 10% discount on your pet’s portrait!
Read more articles by Julia Williams
- Meet Quint, The Painting Cat!
By Julia Williams I’ve profiled many talented felines here over the years, including therapy cats, photographer kitties, cat burglars, bestselling author cats and even a TV newsCATster. Today it is my great pleasure to introduce you to another...
- Paintings Of Animal Heroes
Freddy By Sue Hains In the winter of 2009 - 2010, I was commissioned to paint a picture of Freddy, an FBI dog who had been killed in service. In preparation for working on the portrait, I was sent a photo of Freddy but required other pictures of Belgian...
- A Letter To My Cat
By Julia Williams Recently while browsing on Amazon I came across an interesting book titled A Letter to My Dog: Notes to Our Best Friends. It’s essentially a collection of heartfelt letters that pet owners, including some celebrities, have written...
- A Tribute To Annabelle, My Furry Valentine
By Julia Williams Each of my three cats is affectionate in their own way, but there’s just something incredibly special about Annabelle. I felt a connection with her the moment I rescued the tiny bedraggled kitten from the jaws of death. These last...
- Why Do We Love Some Pets More Than Others?
By Julia Williams I’m not fond of all of the hoopla that surrounds Valentine’s Day. I ignore the stores’ nonstop pleas to “spend, spend, spend” to show my love, because I know I’ve already done that, many times throughout the year. This day...