It’s been 20 years since I began Painting a Dog a Day, the daily pet portrait project that went viral before virality was even an internet thing. It positioned my signature loose and personality packed style at the forefront of pet portraiture at a time when consumers were first purchasing online products. My unique-at-the-time model of partnering with animal centric non profits, helping tell their story while also raising much needed funds for operating expenses, was adapted by many other small business owners. And the practice of painting daily continues to serve me well 25 years into my journey as a professional artist.
Last month my online pet portrait workshop opened to great acclaim - we had a countdown to the first day and the students got immediately to work - I can’t stop beaming over what they are creating, it is amazing!
Shifting from independent work alongside gallery and teaching commitments to portraiture requires a serious mental shift (which is one of the reasons I moved on from portraiture, to focus on more complex pieces), but it was important to me to return to the portraiture this anniversary year. So I opened my 2026 calendar for a limited number of portraits like Guster’s (above). These are custom pieces done in acrylic with museum quality materials, worked from your photo references, distinctively and recognizably my own style.
Let me know if you are interested in adding an original painting featuring your loved family member to your home. It would be my honor to do so, and there are just a few spots left.
Extra special thanks to my returning collector for the privilege of painting Guster for his family.
Creativity documents our voices and builds community, something profoundly important right now. How can you help elevate and keep artists’ voices alive? It’s simple:
engage with your favorite artist via social media
share what they are creating with your friends
take a course and hone your own voice
purchase original art or reproductions (see below)
fill their tip jar (let’s be real, it’s all about Treats for Blue, the studio dog)
Your support keeps the arts alive, which means future generations will understand our perspectives long after we are gone. Thank you.

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