It takes a LOT of effort to create the perfect pet portrait. And it’s not just the effort from myself, it’s also the additional “stuff” that I ask the client to do. Since’s it’s always my goal to over-exceed expectations, I thought I would share with you my story about a recent commission.

Reading time – approx 1 min, viewing time – endless!

Meet a magnificent Tonkinese, Koko.

koko 2

koko 1

Koko’s owner, Ann, walked into my Noosa Gallery, and was really taken with the vibrancy and “heart” of my paintings and shortly after commissioned me to create a masterpiece of her beloved Tonkinese, Koko.

So we started chatting via mobile, and my first task for me is to glean as much information about the pet and the owner. I asked Ann to do some homework (which she found easy) and that was to give me a wee essay about her beloved pet.

From there, the magic starts…. I mean, I reckon any good painter can paint a painting to look like a photograph. I strive for much much more than this…

Koko SketchSo here’s the start…. notes, emails, recorded messages and translating all of this onto a canvas!

It’s not just a matter of painting a picture to look like the photograph – There is so much more to it.

The magic put into the canvas comes from the heart and the intention. This is always what I strive for!

So the next step was to present this sketch to Ann, and she loved it. But as I am finishing this first piece, I just had a niggling feeling that I could do more. I mean, Ann made some comments during our conversations like “I just love her eyes” and “I love how she always looks up at me”….

Well, I always strive for the extraordinary and I decided to create TWO paintings so Ann could choose ONE. And here they are…. Which one was her fav??

Tracey Keller Pet Potrait Koko 1
Well…. Neither Ann or myself could decide on the favourite…. SOOO we then shared it with the masses on Facebook, and here are some of the responses:

Screen Shot 2018 09 06 at 1 57 20 PM

Even on Facebook and Instagram, the results were virtually even…

In the end, she chooses both paintings. Wow…. Certainly not my intention, but certainly cool huh?

“Tracey. You are amazing. Thank you so much for your dedication, your energy, your passion, your commitment to making the painting so special, all the endless calls back and forth to check in on my thoughts, colours, shape, etc. It has been such an incredible process that I have so enjoyed, and I absolutely adore both of them! And Koko says prrr! xx”

It STILL never ceases to amaze me how by simply pushing paint around, I can create so many smiles. I fully believe that the world needs more people to create, to relax and create smiles. Pay it forward, keep smiling and be extraordinary ok?

Big hugs!

tracey xx e1534394639509