Finally! I’m getting a chance to share with you some of the SURPRISE gifts that I created for customers for the holidays. Since these custom oil paintings were surprises, I couldn’t let you in on the excitement of their creation, but now I can.
Carlos – The Best Gift
The first surprise was a gift “for the boss who has everything”. But the gift-giver knew that her boss loved his dog, so she decided to surprise him with a custom oil painting.
The dog is a handsome black German Shepherd named Carlos, as you can see.
Apparently it was a hit! The boss said that it was “the best gift he had ever been given”.
Sounds like a happy ending for both the gift-giver and the boss!
Carlos – The Photo
This is the photo of Carlos that I used to create the oil painting of the handsome Carlos! The picture made it easy to capture his personality.
Annie – A Very Special Place
Annie holds a very special place in the heart of her family. She is a lovely poodle who was a rescue.
Annie’s mom wanted a portrait of Annie for her son and daughter-in-law. It was going to be an extremely tough Christmas for the family as they had lost their husband and father earlier in the year and the portrait of their fur family member – Annie – was to be a very special gift.
When her son and daughter-in-law opened the painting, she said they were speechless. The daughter-in-law said it was the best Christmas present ever and the son took smartphone photos of the painting to send to friends.
Annie’s mom said that the painting definitely made Christmas easier this year. She told me that, at that moment, Annie was lying on the sofa next to the painting and I had captured her perfectly.
Another happy customer!
Annie – The Photo
Another example of some of the challenges of creating custom oil paintings from photos. This is the photo of Annie that I used to create her painting.
Rudy and Gloria – A Touching Picture
The last surprise gift painting I had the pleasure of creating this Christmas was a portrait of Rudy and Gloria. Originally, this was to be a portrait of Gloria, the smaller dog, as a surprise for the customer’s husband.
However, Rudy and Gloria’s mom decided she wanted a larger painting to include both dogs.
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Rudy and Gloria – A Poignant Gift
As it turns out, her decision was a blessing. Just after New Years, Rudy, the Lab, crossed the rainbow bridge. The finished painting, according to the customer, is a great comfort to both of them.
Often, people realize as their beloved fur family member’s age, they want to capture that special relationship in a custom painting, sometimes using photos from their pet’s younger years.
As you can see, portraits of beloved pets or loved ones can make wonderful gifts, no matter the occasion. As a reminder, Valentine’s Day is coming!
If you would like your own custom painting – as a gift of for yourself – just complete this form. If you have any questions, just contact me via email or call me at (214) 405-1834.
And a big THANK YOU for reading my blog!