I have known Murphy’s human family for a long time. Joe is one of my favorite artists in Canton, and Gail is the inspiration behind many of the creative fine arts programs throughout the schools in Stark County, OH. I was honored when Gail asked me to paint Murphy’s portrait for Joe’s Christmas present.

I was not able to complete it before Christmas, but Joe was thrilled to watch the process of the portrait being painted on Facebook.

This was not an easy portrait to paint. I immediately was drawn to a photo of Murphy that they supplied that had him peering out from under a blanket.

Abstracting the folds of the blanket in a way that was consistent with the abstraction of the face proved to be quite a challenge, though.

The colors in the photo were not part of my typical palette either, so some color abstractions were necessary too.

It took me longer than usual to complete the painting, but the end result was worth the time, I think. Joe and Gail were very pleased. (See work in progress photos here.)

I often paint my own cats, but it was a true pleasure to paint another artist’s cat. I hope Murphy likes his portrait!

Interested in a custom portrait of your pet? Find out how here!