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Groove
My pal Donna commissioned me to paint a portrait of her beloved friend Karen. This portrait of Karen will always remind me of the beauty of companionship. Karen was diagnosed with ALS several years ago and Donna could not have been a greater source of support and love. Through the thick of it, Donna and Karen traveled to doctors across the country for treatment- and knowing Donna- she turned a stressful time into moments that also had laughter. You were so loved Karen, RIP.
Donna DiStefano said, "Julia‘s work is amazing and truly one of a kind. She is simply the best! She not only captured the personality of Webster and Bug but she was also able to paint their spirit. Her paintings are so realistic one would think they were photographs. I have purchased two as gifts and look forward to having portraits of my pets done by Julia in the near future!"
I just got to meet Pepper for the first time after painting her for a while and she was just as adorable, sweet, and gentle as I pictured!! Pepper is a 3 yr old terrier mix who is extremely playful, loves being off-leash, and finds happiness in her backyard or at the beach! I could tell that Pepper and her parents were so bonded. Pepper is a terrier mix who is about 3 years old, we’ve had her since she was about 10 weeks. She is extremely playful, goofy and full of personality. She is REALLY great at telling us what she wants with a couple of boofs, and she typically gets what she wants! Pepper’s happy place is in our yard, watching squirrels or at the beach playing in the water. But she also loves playing inside with our cat, Memo. She definitely inherited some feline tendencies from Memo. When Pepper isn’t playing she likes to be as close to people as possible, always on someone’s lap or curled up at our feet. She’s very affectionate to humans and has never met a person she didn’t love!
Caitlin Schooley shared, "We couldn’t be happier with our portrait! Working with Julia from start to finish was absolutely wonderful. She took the time to learn about our dog’s personality and guide us through selecting the best photo to use. It made such a big difference; she really captured our dog’s fun and playful spirit. Our new painting is a treasure we’ll have forever!"
I felt so honored to paint this portrait of Caroline and Greg. Caroline holds such a strong presence with an expression inspiring wonder and beauty, and Greg matches her energy. In receiving this commission, I once again experienced beautiful relationships: Molly’s thoughtfulness to gift this painting to Caroline as a graduation gift, and in conversation with Caroline speaking of her love for her sweetheart cat. I feel so very fortunate to meet these people and witness the love that they share with their pet companions.
Caroline Mark said, "It's almost hard to put into words how much I love this portrait. It is one of the most beautiful and thoughtful gifts I've ever received. I can't believe how much it looks like me and my regal cat, Greg. It nearly feels like I'm looking at the real Greg again when I look at this painting. I treasure this keepsake of my beloved cat."
I just love having such a personal piece of art in my home. Julia's artwork of Bailey is not only adorable and technically accurate, but it also perfectly captures Bailey's personality and charm. I will treasure it forever.
Cheryl Musselman
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