Pets Galleries

Pet Portraits on Canvas : A little background about me... My husband and I accidentally got into cat rescue last year as the result of a stray giving birth to two litters of kittens in our yard only two months apart. We were able to catch the mother and 8 of her 10 kittens; I started taking photos of them to assist in finding new homes for their potential adoptions. One thing led to another and now my husband is the cat adoption stand manager for our local Humane Society. We also provide temporary foster homes for strays; at any given time, we have between 10 and 25 cats in our care! Thank goodness we have a separate space for them in our vintage travel trailer next to our home, as our 3 permanent kitties would probably object rather loudly. ;-) We believe in giving back, so 10% of all items sold is donated to the Henrico County Humane Society. Here's what you can expect if you decide to use my pet portrait services: Portraits are created from your personal pet photographs. Provided photos can be e-mailed but must meet certain requirements for a successful portrait. Ideally your photo should be sharp and well-lit, preferably without flash to avoid red-eye. Close-ups of your pet's face have an advantage over distance shots to show fur and expression details. Choosing the very best photo of your pet is strongly recommended. File size should be at least 1 megapixel, as anything less will translate as grainy. Don't have a photo in digital format? No problem. Just take it to any photo processing center and have it scanned onto CD as a high-resolution JPEG. Then it will be ready for e-mailing. Once your photo has been received, I go to work recreating it in a soft painting style, and then provide a proof by e-mail for your review. Turnaround time is typically 3 weeks from start to finish for canvas prints. Canvases are printed on chunky 1.5" frames with black paper backing and a sawtooth hanger. No need to frame -- they are ready to be displayed when you receive them. Costs for a canvas print from your photo are as follows: 10x10 is $100 10x13 is $125 Custom sizes from 6x6 up to 40x60 are also available Background removal is additional $25 per hour. Pet portraits are a great way to create lasting memories of your favorite furry family member. They also make unique gifts for every animal lover. If you're interested in having me create a custom portrait from your photos -- or even have me take the photos (a sitting fee applies) -- then send an e-mail to heavens2@aol.com and provide more specifics about what you have in mind. By the way, portraits aren't limited to 4-legged creatures. :-) Nearly any subject will work... flowers, wedding portraits, babies, houses, etc. Thank you for previewing my work! :-) "Working from a picture preserves their character which a traditional painting might not." ~ Judy Coleman

Pet Portraits on Canvas

07/09/08 Kittens : Mama-San (pictured first) gave birth to two litters of kittens in our yard in 2008 -- only two months apart! We managed to catch both her and 8 of her 10 kittens. She's still with us; the rest have have all found new permanent homes, including Greycoat, who we added to our family. :-)

07/09/08 Kittens

Mama-San (pictured first) gave birth to two litters of kittens in our ...

Updated: Apr 26, 2009 12:10pm PST

09/24/08 Kittens : UPDATED 11/23/08 On Wednesday September 24th, 2008 two volunteers from a local cat rescue group spent the afternoon trying to trap these 5 sweethearts and their rail-thin mother. They were living in squalid conditions in various crawl spaces beneath crumbling homes near downtown. All of them have since been adopted to wonderful homes in the area, with the exception of Audrey, the solid black kitten, who we hope will find her new parents soon.

09/24/08 Kittens

UPDATED 11/23/08 On Wednesday September 24th, 2008 two volunteers f ...

Updated: Oct 04, 2008 6:30pm PST

Callie : Adopted at the Short Pump Petsmart on Saturday, September 13th, 2008.

Callie

Adopted at the Short Pump Petsmart on Saturday, September 13th, 2008.

Updated: Sep 15, 2008 12:55pm PST

Christopher Columbus : Christopher is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Siamese who unexpectedly took up residence in our yard last November. Like his brother Marco Polo, he's a fearless explorer, extremely intelligent, and has quite a sense of humor. He's also fast as lightning! He was adopted at the Short Pump Petco on Saturday, April 18th, 2009.

Christopher Columbus

Christopher is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful S ...

Updated: Sep 09, 2008 1:22pm PST

Cleo :

Cleo

Updated: Dec 05, 2008 2:56pm PST

Daisy : While on vacation in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia 10 years ago, a stray kitten showed up at the door of the house we were renting. It was a cold and rainy October night when she first appeared, and so we took pity on her by letting her come in out of the damp night air. She immediately made a beeline for the refrigerator, knowing that's where the goodies were kept. We put up flyers at the local market but no one claimed her. At the end of our week-long vacation, we brought home our new family member and she's been with us ever since. Named after my stubbornly independent grandmother who had a true mind of her own, Daisy is the epitome of a stereotypical feline. Curious, headstrong, persnickety, and yet affectionate and sweet... but make no mistake, it has to be on her terms. :-)

Daisy

While on vacation in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia 10 years ago, a stray ...

Updated: Sep 15, 2008 12:54pm PST

Ebony : Ebony is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Siamese who unexpectedly took up residence in our yard last November. She's a sweet and very affectionate calico, who shows an emotional maturity beyond her age. Her name comes from her solid black nose; her sister Ivory has a white nose. Otherwise, it would've been difficult to tell them apart. Adopted at the Short Pump Petsmart on Friday, September 12th, 2008 by the same family who adopted Christopher.

Ebony

Ebony is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Siamese ...

Updated: Sep 18, 2008 6:59pm PST

Furball : Furball is your typical all-black kitty, except she's small for her age. She has a very sweet temperment, that is until she's in the presence of another cat, and then she goes ballistic!

Furball

Furball is your typical all-black kitty, except she's small for her ag ...

Updated: Feb 07, 2009 7:45am PST

Greycoat : Greycoat is one of Mama-San's son's, born in her first litter in April of 2008. He's positively enormous and practically takes up the entire living room floor whenever he stretches! Extremely easy-going, he's best friends with McFlurry.

Greycoat

Greycoat is one of Mama-San's son's, born in her first litter in April ...

Updated: Mar 14, 2009 8:34pm PST

Harry : Harry was a birthday present from me to my husband Mark several years ago. This gorgeously luscious cat had been shuffled from home to home a number of times and finally wound up at our next door neighbor's vet, who took him in until a permanent home could be found for him. Turns out he needed to eat literally every 2-3 hours, even during the wee hours of the morning, and I'm sure that got old after a while for his previous owners. Never have we met a more loving and affectionate cat than Harry. He was only with us for 4 years, dying from an enlarged heart - so appropriate that he'd have that condition. Even in that short time, he made quite a lasting impression.

Harry

Harry was a birthday present from me to my husband Mark several years ...

Updated: Sep 15, 2008 12:57pm PST

Marco Polo : Marco Polo is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Siamese who unexpectedly took up residence in our yard last November. Like his brother Christopher Columbus, he's a fearless explorer, extremely intelligent, and knows how to sleep the day away. Adopted on Friday, September 4th, 2008 by John (300m) and family from Newport News, VA.

Marco Polo

Marco Polo is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Si ...

Updated: Sep 06, 2008 11:26am PST

Ivory : Ivory is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Siamese who unexpectedly took up residence in our yard last November. She's a sweet and intelligent calico, who exhibits a proficiency at climbing. Her name comes from her solid white nose; her sister Ebony has a black nose. Otherwise, it would've been difficult to tell them apart. Adopted at the Short Pump Petsmart on Saturday, September 13th, 2008 by the same family who adopted Callie.

Ivory

Ivory is one of a litter of 6 kittens by Mama-San, a beautiful Siamese ...

Updated: Sep 18, 2008 6:58pm PST

Lucky : Lucky was adopted along with her brother Oliver by the most wonderful family from right here in town on Monday, September 29th, 2008.

Lucky

Lucky was adopted along with her brother Oliver by the most wonderful ...

Updated: Sep 27, 2008 2:47pm PST

McFlurry : McFlurry is the newest member of our family. She was found at the end of March wandering the drive-through area of McDonald's, looking for handouts and sunning herself on the mulch which surrounds the building. As tiny as she is -- no bigger than a kitten yet the vet insists she's at least six months old because she has all of her adult teeth -- it's a wonder she survived with all those cars coming and going. She's a feisty little thing, and stands her ground around our resident 10-year-old Daisy Puss. Her new big brother Greycoat, however, is her best bud. :-)

McFlurry

McFlurry is the newest member of our family. She was found at the end ...

Updated: Apr 06, 2009 6:51am PST

Mama-San : Mama-San appeared in our yard one day in February of 2007. She seemed too well groomed to have been a stray, but no one claimed her in response to our numerous inquiries around the area as to her ownership. Eventually she gave birth to two litters of kittens beneath a neighbor's shed: the first born in early April and the second on July 4th. A local cat rescue group assisted us in capturing both Mama-San and 8 of her 10 kittens. As a result, my husband and I now have become foster parents for stray and feral cats, socializing them until they're ready for adoption. It's hard to let them go when the time comes!

Mama-San

Mama-San appeared in our yard one day in February of 2007. She seemed ...

Updated: Sep 01, 2009 8:25am PST

Miss Petunia : Adopted on Friday, September 5th, 2008 by John (300m) and family from Newport News, VA.

Miss Petunia

Adopted on Friday, September 5th, 2008 by John (300m) and family from ...

Updated: Sep 09, 2008 1:33pm PST

Missy : Missy is one of two cats belonging to my mother; the other is Sis of whom I've yet to get a decent photo. Missy is the troublemaker and Sis is the sweetie.

Missy

Missy is one of two cats belonging to my mother; the other is Sis of w ...

Updated: Sep 15, 2008 12:58pm PST

Oliver : Oliver was adopted along with his sister Lucky by the most wonderful family from right here in town on Monday, September 29th, 2008.

Oliver

Oliver was adopted along with his sister Lucky by the most wonderful f ...

Updated: Sep 27, 2008 2:48pm PST

Rocky Raccoon : Adopted at the Short Pump Petsmart on Friday, September 12th, 2008.

Rocky Raccoon

Adopted at the Short Pump Petsmart on Friday, September 12th, 2008.

Updated: Sep 18, 2008 6:56pm PST

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The Daily Kitten

Updated: Apr 25, 2009 10:32am PST

Thisbe : Thisbe had the softest silkiest fur you could possibly imagine, far better than any mink coat. She and her brother Pyramus (named by my husband for two Shakespeare characters from "A Midsummer Night's Dream") were a joy, with each displaying uniquely different personalities. Thisbe was the petite sweetheart while Pyramus was the lumbering and gluttonous fat cat. They died within a few years of each other, both succumbing to cancer.

Thisbe

Thisbe had the softest silkiest fur you could possibly imagine, far be ...

Updated: Sep 15, 2008 12:56pm PST

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Pat Ferrell

Updated: Oct 21, 2009 8:13pm PST

Pet Portraits Brochure : "Working from a picture preserves their character which a traditional painting might not." ~ Judy Coleman

Pet Portraits Brochure