About me
I am an artist and animal lover who has been depicting four-legged creatures my whole life, beginning with drawings of my childhood dogs. My professional career has been in art museums and arts administration, but I have studied art for many years at schools including the Art Institute of Chicago, the School of Visual Arts, American University, and the Visual Studies Workshop. In addition to painting, I also make illustrated children's books.
I live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with Buster, a mischievous and joyful dog. Buster and I are certified as a pet therapy team and volunteer for a program called A Fair Shake for Youth, which helps New York City kids build empathy and self-esteem and works to reduce bullying.
Commission a painting
Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet.
—Colette
If you love your cat or dog, you will love seeing their portrait on a wall of your home. Their images evoke the intense attachment you feel toward them. But portraits also make wonderful presents for birthdays, Christmas or Hanukkah, graduations, and Mother's or Father's Day. They are also valued as memorials for a beloved departed pet. Please contact me if you're interested in having me make a painting of your pet.
My goal for every portrait I paint is to capture the essential nature of your pet—his or her spirit or soul. If you live in the New York City area, I'd like to come to your home or a nearby park and spend time getting to know your animal. I'll take photos while we visit and involve you in the selection of images to use for the painting. If this isn't possible, I'm happy to work with preexisting photos. I work in oil or acrylic paint on canvas or wooden panel and generally keep the format small to create intimate portraits. Prices are available on request and vary based on size and the complexity of the composition.