All personality. Painted in bold color.
Classic acrylic pet portraits by Kay Potter: bright, bold, cheerful, and unmistakably your pet. More than 100 pets painted so far.
It's all about who they are
You know the look. The head tilt when you say "walk." The tongue that never quite goes back in. The serious stare from the end of the couch. That's what Kay paints.
Every Classic Pet Portrait starts with personality. Kay studies your photos for the little things you love most, then brings them to life in big, confident brushstrokes and a background color picked to suit them. The result is cheerful, full of energy and very much your pet.
"She captured our wonderful lab perfectly."
The gift that gets a reaction
Pet portraits are one of the best gifts you can give. People laugh, tear up and hang them right away. They're a favorite for birthdays, holidays and new puppies, and a meaningful way to honor a pet who's gone.
"Best gift ever."
"Captured the soul and essence of our dog."
Adding to the pack
Already have one of Kay's pet portraits? Send her a photo of the first one with your order, and she'll choose colors and a background that work alongside it, so the two look like they belong on the same wall.
Pricing
Painted in acrylic.
- 8×10: $450
- 12×16: $550
- 16×20: $650
A 50% retainer books your portrait and puts you next in line.
Get Started
How it works
Pick your size.
Share your photos. Check with Kay about how to share your photos and how many to send, especially the ones that show who your pet really is.
Kay paints. Your retainer saves your place in line, and timing depends on how many portraits are ahead of yours. Need it by a certain date? Include the date in your inquiry and Kay will tell you honestly whether she can make it.
It comes home to you. Delivery options are chosen at checkout.
FAQ
Natural light, eye level, good resolution. Daylight is your friend: near a window, or outside on an overcast day, and no flash, which flattens the color. Get down to your pet's level so their face is straight on and their expression is clear. Send the original file rather than a screenshot or a photo of a photo, so I have the resolution to work from.
Up to 20. You don't have to pick just one, and that's the part I'd love you to stop worrying about. Send a batch and I'll find the portrait in it. Often it's two or three of them together: the posture from one, the eyes from another. The more I can see, the more of your pet ends up in the painting.
Yes. You don't need one perfect photograph. Send me everything you have, including the old snapshots, the blurry phone pictures, and the ones where they're half turned away. I can usually pull a true portrait out of the collection. If you're not sure what will work, send it anyway and we'll sort it out together.
Absolutely. Dogs and cats are the usual, but I'm glad to paint any animal. If you have something unusual in mind, send a note and a photo through the inquiry form and we'll talk it through.
In feeling, yes. I don't color-match to the existing painting. I paint each portrait fresh, then choose a palette and background that sit well beside the one you already own, so the two look like they belong on the same wall. Send a photo of the first one with your order and I'll work from that.
Not in a Classic Pet Portrait. These are one pet per painting. If you're dreaming of two together, or a whole crew, send a note through the general inquiry form and I'll tell you what's possible.
Tell me the colors you don't want. That's genuinely the most useful thing you can give me. Beyond that, I'll choose a palette and background to suit your pet. The order form asks a few questions that help me get this right.
Yes, if you'd like one. I offer a floater frame for an additional cost, and you choose it at checkout.
I paint on wood panels, 1/8 inch thick. They're rigid and durable, the surface stays flat, and they're easier to frame than a stretched canvas. Wood panel is also what painters worked on for centuries before canvas. This is a piece built to be handed down.
Send me a note through the inquiry form and include the date you need it by. My queue sets the timing, so I'd rather look at the calendar than guess. I'll tell you honestly whether your date is possible, and what the closest date is if it isn't. Asking early gives us the most room.
Yes, and surprise gifts are my favorite kind of commission. If you can't ask the recipient for photos, we can sleuth. If their social profiles are public, I can usually find enough pictures to paint from, and you can do the same from your side. If everything is private, we'll find another way in: a friend, a family member, the group chat with the good dog pictures.
Yes. If the portrait is a gift, I can wrap it for you. Mention it in your inquiry and I'll take care of it.
No, and that's on purpose. I don't offer changes once a portrait is painted. Have a look through the gallery before you order, so you know exactly what my work is like in person. Then the first time you see your painting is when you open the box, and that's a different experience than a picture on a phone. A painting carries more than a screen can show you.
More pet portraits
Loading pet portraits…