For the Love of a Beautiful Dog

Roy was a much loved family member. He had died in 2019 and left a big hole in the family’s heart.
I was approached to paint Roy early this year as a gift for the client’s husband. It is difficult to paint the soul of an animal you have not met and this was a particular challenge as most of the clearer photos of Roy were locked away. I had 5 photos of Roy which were full of memories for the client. It was wonderful to hear her talk about Roy with such love and sadness. However I was faced with an interesting task. The fortunate thing here was his pedigree. So, as per instructions, of his love of beaches and life in general, I began the task of creating Roy from research and client memories.
For those of us who do such commissions, it is the final acceptance by the client that is powerful. I am so pleased to say that it was very well received. The client has given permission for me to post her response.
“We can’t help but keep looking (staring) at Roy’s portrait. It brings so much joy and also a bit of sadness that we have lost our beautiful boy. Gerry, you have captured him beautifully.”