For Pet Painter, Art and Advocacy Come Full Circle

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. But when it comes to capturing your pup’s quirky personality or mischievous ways, a hand-painted portrait says even more. The evidence is Kathryn Finney, an artist and illustrator who uses broad brushstrokes and a vivid color palette to bring to life what people love most about their pets.

From a dog’s inquisitive eyes to a permanent grin, it’s obvious that Finney studies each of her canine subjects closely before picking up a paintbrush in the studio situated in her Iowa backyard.

“Every day I can interpret for someone what will become a portrait of their dog that they will have forever,” she said. “I really get into the story and the color.”

Finney’s study begins when she is commissioned by a pet owner, typically one in search of a special way to remember an aging or deceased dog. While she prefers to meet her subjects, Finney said she can usually get a good feel for a dog’s personality and obvious traits, like color, markings and size, through digital photos, videos and written profiles of the pup.

“I ask for pictures of the dog’s face so I can see eyes especially,” explained Finney, who added that an owner once supplied her with an overwhelming 178 photos. “I concentrate on eyes because they are the area of storytelling.”

From there, Finney begins an oil painting on a canvas no smaller than 18 by 24 inches, employing a signature style of wide brushstrokes and pops of blue and orange to accentuate a dog’s markings and expression.

With degrees in both fine art and graphic design, and 12 years working as an art director in the magazine industry before starting her own graphic design and illustration company, Finney’s talent as a pet portraitist was discovered while she was working on picture books for children. Using her daughter Madison as the subject of her illustrations, what really stood out was the family’s dog painted into the background. From there, Finney started creating very large-scale pet portraits and selling prints at air fairs.

“It’s a very creative process because people give me a free hand,” said Finney, explaining that what really sets her work apart from pet photography is her use of color. “What I enjoy is that my clientele trusts me.”

Despite a strained economy, Finney said there’s still a strong—and growing—market for fine art like her portraits, which start at $400 and range in size from 18 inches to four to five feet.

“A lot of people in this digital atmosphere still like tangible paintings,” she explained. “It’s very exciting to get an affordable piece of art that they have commissioned—and one that features a family member.”

But her brush doesn’t stop there. Finney has painted items for a Home for Life charity event and donates a portion of all proceeds from her dog paintings and prints to Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism research and advocacy organization.

“The dog paintings seemed like a natural way to give back,” said Finney, whose 12-year-old son Arthur is autistic. “It’s very fulfilling to give back to the autism research that has been so beneficial in our lives,” she continued. “Every day we see what’s happening—the biomedical and the therapeutic. It’s all a circle.”

Her own dog, an 11-year-old Great Pyrenees named Harry, also never fails to inspire her. “He’s a great model,” she said.

Finney will participate in the New York City Marathon this fall with the Autism Speaks team, as it is her goal to complete one race each year for the cause. She is also working with a local human services agency teaching a six-week painting class for autistic adults. In the future, she hopes to work more with autistic youth by introducing art into their lives as a form of expression.

“I really enjoy what I’m doing,” she said. “It’s so fulfilling. This is my path.”

If you’re interested in one of Finney’s one-of-a-kind keepsakes, you can browse the artist’s online gallery and contact her to arrange a sitting for your pup. Finney’s calendar is currently booked eight to 10 weeks out, so if you’re thinking about a holiday gift, don’t delay. Portraits, which take 8 to 16 hours to complete, require a $200 deposit and start at $400 plus tax and shipping.