Conquering Perfectionism with Paint

There are few things in life that bring as much universal joy to people of all walks of life as animals. Pets are strange creatures; they live in the house with us and can’t talk to us, but we love them unconditionally. My own life is full of animals, from chickens to horses to a pack of dogs. We celebrate their birthdays, enjoy their shenanigans, and mourn their passing. Animals are a staple of our lives. I haven’t yet met a dog I didn’t fall in love with instantly.

Because life doesn’t allow me to adopt every homeless dog, I found that painting portraits for my friends and family of their beloved furry friends let me be involved in the lives of endless animals without the commitment - and I get paid to boot!

I never thought I was much of an artist, and strangely, after nearly three years of painting countless pets, I still don’t. I nearly always fear that I will not do as well as the receiver deserves, or that painting won’t look like the animal. In many ways, doing these realistic paintings help me to fight my tendency towards perfectionism, a difficult, self-imposed cross to bear that I think may relate to (especially my Type A friends)

The analyst in me loves the process, the steps to how the paintings come alive. The artist in me loves the surprises as they do. Eyes peer out at me as I’m working on ears. Teeth and lolling tongues bring life to dog smiles. Tiny strokes give fur texture and provide whiskers to cats. At holiday time, draw pulls on my hutch war covered in drying portraits of furry companions, ready to grace Christmas trees.

I absolutely love seeing all the adorable faces. I love even more knowing that people care about their pets so much that they are willing to pay to have a portrait painted of them. A local dog walking business orders portraits for her clients. A local insurance rep gets portraits done as gifts for her clients. And while no one would mistake my paintings for photographs, what people do tell me is that I captured the spirit and personality of their pet. Mischievous looks, sleepy eyes, and wide grins all embody the true personality of pets, and they are especially fun to paint because like people, every animal is an individual.

I’m most honored to paint portraits in memory of much loved members of the family who have passed away. As a pet home, I know the heartbreak, and empty that place they can leave behind. To be gifted with the honor of memorializing this pet is certainly one I take very seriously; I can feel the owner’s grief, but also the love they still hold for their animal. My favorite is when my friend lost her black lab, and I surprised her with a portrait of Guinney.

Life is full of joys and sorrows. We cannot change that, but we can make life more beautiful and touching for the people around us. We can embrace the relationships in life that may be less conventional and celebrate our best friends. Painting portraits lets me do that for others, but also brings me closer to my own pets, because I notice all their little details and oddities. I wear the small portraits of my own pets on the lapels of my jackets.

Embrace your animals. Embrace what makes you happy. Don’t let your own expectations of perfection stop you from trying. I don’t believe I’m an artist; I sometimes find myself in a sort of “painters block,” paralyzed byf the possibility of mistakes. But the important take away is that you can always erase, sand down, or add color. Mistakes are inevitable; but being crippled by them doesn't have to be.