Almost a year ago, I said goodbye to my 14-year-old Gorgeous Little Angel, Toffee. As her anniversary approaches, I found myself sitting with her memory more deeply.
Before she passed, I took photographs. I thought they would be enough. But when I looked at them later, something felt missing. They brought back moments — but not her presence.
There is a difference between remembering and feeling.
When I finally gathered the courage to paint her, almost one year down the line, I was nervous. I didn’t want to simply recreate an image. I wanted to feel her again.
So I sat with her memory. I let the feeling guide the brush instead of technique alone. And something shifted.
As she began to appear on the canvas, it felt like she was right there — her softness, her spark, her quiet companionship. Not just a picture, but her essence. When the painting was finished, she almost leapt off the canvas.
For the first time, I felt warmth instead of only loss when I looked at her.
That experience changed the way I see portraiture.
A painted portrait can hold something a photograph cannot — time, attention, intention, and the subtle depth that comes from slowing down and truly seeing.
Soon after, I painted two border collies for my sister. Seeing her reaction confirmed what I had discovered: these portraits are not only about likeness. They are about relationship, shared years and the love that does not disappear.
As an artist who works intuitively and with deep sensitivity, I now offer dog portraits created with presence and care — whether to celebrate a beloved companion who is still by your side, or to honour one whose memory lives on.
If this story resonates with you, you are warmly invited to explore my dog portrait commissions or get in touch. Email: info@evamariahuntart.com
With love
PS: Not ready for a commission?
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