My pet portraiture is a celebration of animals and the deep emotional bonds they share with us. Rather than aiming for strict realism, I focus on capturing presence — the warmth in a gaze, the tilt of a head, the quiet loyalty that lives in familiar eyes. Each portrait is an exploration of affection, companionship, and the unspoken love that animals give so freely.
I am drawn to energetic mark-making and the raw, tactile quality of pastels, allowing texture and movement to remain visible in the finished work. Layered strokes, broken colour, and expressive lines mirror the vitality of the animals themselves, preserving a sense of immediacy and life. I embrace the imperfect, instinctive nature of the medium as a way to keep the work honest and emotionally direct.
Through this approach, my portraits honour not just what an animal looks like, but who they are — capturing spirit, devotion, and the enduring connection between animals and the people who love them.

Through dynamic marks and layered gestures, I aim to convey spirit and presence. Rather than striving for a highly polished finish, the portraits retain visible layers and gestural strokes, allowing the process to remain part of the image. This is an ongoing exploration of how portraiture can feel alive, responsive, and grounded in mark-making, celebrating the raw qualities of soft pastel.