For the last few years I have had the pleasure of painting portraits of people’s pets! I started off mostly painting cats in clothing, but this has since expanded, and I would be extremely happy to paint any animal you might have, whether nude or dressed in extravagant clothes. Perhaps your animal has a secret identity - do they strut about the house with the prowess of a military leader or look upon you with the eyes of an Olympian deity? From Queens to Star Trek officers, I have brought a number of characters to life!
I love painting pets because I understand how important they are to their owners - they are cherished members of the family! I feel very grateful to be part of that very special relationship and to bring joy to pet owners through a lovingly executed portrait. I aim to capture an animal’s appearance and personality as closely as possible, and to make my portraits fun and unique.
If you have a beloved pet that you would like to see on paper or canvas, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! You can reach me at emily.angharad[!at]gmail.com or via the Contact page. The price of portraits varies depending on the size and complexity of the piece, but generally ranges from 150 to 400 Canadian dollars per animal. All we would need to get started is some photos of your pet, the more and the higher quality the better! It would be a pleasure to work with you!
Here’s what one lovely client had to say, and you can read more testimonials by clicking on the handsome pets below:
“Emily is so great to work with - she's professional, friendly, and very dedicated. I've ordered several artworks from her, and everything has always arrived in a very timely manner, and with a personal touch. The quality of her work is superb. My favourite piece is the cat portrait she made for us - it now has a prime spot in our living room. Emily captured BB's character beautifully, and we plan to ask her to draw our new cat CC as well!"
Mightily he lies, lyre in paws, oozing godly beauty.
The lovely rescue dog Chili lies in front of a background that makes subtle reference to his name.
Here’s what Chili’s owner had to say about his portrait:
“Thank you so much for the wonderful portrait of Chili! Such a lovely surprise and one of the best birthday presents I have gotten for a while. You captured him so well, right down to his front left paw being white, and his wrinkles, and expression!”
The beautiful tortoiseshell cat Ivy is quite aptly a big fan of plants!
Ivy’s owner very kindly shared some information about the portrait:
“I commissioned a portrait of our cat Ivy from Emily. The portrait was intended as a gift for my husband. Working with Emily was a pleasure from beginning to end. She requested multiple photos of Ivy and detailed information about my wishes for the design and showed me the painting in various stages. This really made me feel that I was truly involved in the whole process and that Emily really listened to my wishes and ideas. Still, the finished portrait exceeded my expectations by far. She perfectly captured Ivy’s expression and the portrait overall is of high quality and beautifully done. My husband was blown way when he first saw the painting! I would recommend Emily to anybody who is looking for a beautifully personalized portrait of their pet.”
Petra, Ballston Spa, NY, 6/8/19
Dax, Napoleon and a fancy man got together for a school portrait.
Here’s what their lovely owners had to say:
“We could not be more pleased with our cat portrait. It absolutely captures the personalities of our three cats, and holds pride of place on our walls. Our favourite thing to do is show it off to friends, and we're pretty sure we've become at least 40% cooler since it was delivered.
Emily is also great to work with. She asks just the right questions, shares her progress, solicits feedback, and skillfully incorporates it. She set perfect expectations for timelines, charged a very fair price, and our custom work of art arrived in perfect condition thanks to the superb care taken in packing.
I've recommended Emily's pet portraits to a number of friends, all of whom report full satisfaction. And I'm excited to recommend them to you too.”
Magnificently she sit on her thrown, adorned with furs and jewels.
Cindi’s owner kindly shared some information about Cindy and her portrait:
“More than a painting: I found Cindi the cat when I was 19. She was in a cat rescue in the Florida keys that was so crowded that she was living in a chicken coop with a bunch of other cats. When I brought her home I had no idea how old she was. She was skinny and had missing fur. I had her for over ten years. She helped me through successes and failures; love and losses; happy moments and sad ones. Though we never lived in a palace that cat was destined to be queen. When she passed away Emily painted her epitaph and it’s stunning. I wake up and see her in her royal glory every morning and am grateful for the years we had together. It’s more than just a painting, it’s a decade of memories with a dear friend.“
Olivia and Dainty gaze on from a sea of blue.
Here’s what their owner had to say about the portrait:
“I commissioned a portrait of my lovely two fluffy cats, Olivia and Dainty. Immediately it's striking that you are dealing with an animal lover as well as an artist. Emily was keen to work on potential suggestions, get information about the cats. I got regular updates as the portrait was being developed.
When it was done- wow. What a fantastic portrait of two lovely cats. It made me feel fantastic- and really happy.”
Twinksiebella was a very fine cat indeed. And a kind one too, making time to sit for a portrait despite her hectic schedule at the Palace of Versailles. A poor orphan cat who began life without a rag to her name, Twinksiebella soon showed me the true meaning of sophistication. Sadly no longer with us, she looks upon us now through the feathers of her grand rococo hat.
I have been lucky enough to paint Dax the chief science officer on Deep Space Nine twice!
This pirate captain will bring terror to the seas and leave no mouse unscarred.
The Captain’s owner kindly shared some information about the portrait:
“My cat The Captain is a big grey tabby with a serious face and no more than half a brain. Someone like that just needs a portrait done, you know? I had never hired someone for custom artwork before, and really wasn’t sure “how things are done”. Emily was always up to listen to my ideas and brainstorm together, but also stuck to her guns when she knew an idea of mine wouldn’t aesthetically work. She showed some scans of work in progress to give me a chance to give input, although I didn’t need to! In the end the work didn’t take long at all, arrived in perfect shape, and was extremely reasonably priced. The Captain’s likeness now hangs at the top of our stairway, looking down judgmentally on anyone who enters the front door. Needless to say, I absolutely love it. I heartily recommend Emily to anyone else who’s in the market!“
I was very excited when Chili’s owners got in touch asking for another portrait, of their beloved dog Maggie who sadly passed away some years ago. Maggie was a lovely, sweet Border Collie who loved to join in on family aventures. One of the wonderful things about painting pets is that the process of looking through old photos brings back all sorts of memories for the pet owners. Maggie's owners remembered fondly how the family would take her out to a bird sanctuary and throw a ball for her in a hay field. The image painted here is a combination of different photos the owner provided, with the background created from reference photos of hay fields. Maggie passionately loved her squeaky balls, so I had to add a couple of those into the composition too.
Lady, also known as The Very Best Cat, was a fan of sitting on her owner's converse shoes. This painting was commissioned for Lady's owner after Lady sadly passed away. I was moved to hear that the painting brought a tear to Lady’s owner’s eyes.
This painting was commissioned as a gift for the proud owners of the greyhounds Alfie and Estée. I always feel very honoured to be asked to paint pets, because I know how much they mean to their owners. But during the painting process, this commission took on an even deeper meaning. Extremely sadly, Alfie was diagnosed with bone cancer, and he died shortly after the painting was completed. I felt very privileged to be able honour his memory in this way.
Sadly no longer with us, Maddy was a floppy, joyful dog, not unlike the summer flowers drapped over her head. Here she happily lies on a bed of bright green grass.
Maddy’s owner shared some kind words:
“The painting arrived yesterday and it is even more beautiful than I expected. My husband and daughter loved it. We were all so moved by how you captured our beloved Maddy!”
