Why pet portraits and fine art?
Growing up in a household filled with pets, I’ve always loved animals. If you’d have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have answered a vet or an RSPCA officer…but during school all that changed when I discovered I had a natural flair for art and creativity. I also loved the sciences, so I decided to pursue my two passions, art and psychology. I studied a joint degree at the University of Reading and graduated in 2020. Shortly after, I had an idea to combine my love for art and animals when I created my first coloured pencil pet portrait drawing - this was unknowingly the start of my business!
This first portrait was of our family dog (Nico, the Scottish Deerhound), I gave it as a Christmas present to my family which bought great joy to everyone. When Nico later passed away, this portrait became even more special. Now proudly hanging up in the living room, it is a way for the family to remember his unique look and personality. He will stay forever in our memories in the form of a one-of-a-kind artwork that will be cherished for a lifetime.
It was a natural transition for me to provide this joy and comfort to pet owners all around the world by offering custom pet portrait commissions. Many, many pet portraits later I have refined my skill level to capture the essence of each individual pet and enhanced my process to provide a service I am truly proud of. Check out my pet portrait gallery by clicking here.
At the beginning of 2022, I came across an art competition called ‘sketch for survival’ - this initiative run by ‘Explorers Against Extinction’ aims to raise money for endangered animals and fund conservation projects worldwide. I immediately got to work, spending over 50 hours hand crafting my most detailed coloured pencil portrait drawing to date, of a Sumatran orangutan. Out of 3000 entries I became a finalist…selected for an exhibition, my drawing was then auctioned for charity, raising £390. This is the moment I realised my art could both bring joy to people and make a difference to the animals I depict.
At the end of the year, my art business was recognised by Theo Paphitis (Dragons Den) for my sustainability values, winning ‘Small Business Sunday’. I had the opportunity to meet Theo which was inspirational. Read more about awards and publications by clicking here.
Feeling inspired, 2023 was the year I branched into wildlife paintings, an opportunity to think bigger, be bolder and spark conversations. I created a collection of large-scale animal artworks, from lions, tigers and wolves…the world is filled with beautiful animals and I can’t wait to share their beauty with you through my artwork.
To top off a great year, I recently moved into a cozy new art studio in Berkshire, a place to dedicate to my creativity.
I have big plans for 2024…I hope you can join me, thank you for your support.
To brighten your day with artwork, follow me across social media @jenniferstarnesart
Love,
Jennifer
