Funky Pet Portraits

In art school, I had the opportunity to meet some extraordinary new people. I also had the rare opportunity of experiencing my art training with my best friend at my side, Katie Sonnichsen, who has been a neighbour and friend since my early adolesence.

Today, Katie is actually a firefighter, working in Markham, a region just outside of Toronto, which is quite a change from the artistic path she has pursued her entire life, including having worked at some of the best illustration and animation studios in Toronto.

But it seems you can't take the art out of the artist! Between fighting fires, Katie has found time to set up a small and very successful artistic venture painting "funky" portraits of her clients' pets. She has been profiled in various newspapers and television shows and the testimonials from her clients are always glowing. Her website, funkypetportraits.com, showcases numerous examples of her excellent pet portraits, which range in price from $50 to $300, depending on the size of canvas that is chosen by the client. Below are some examples of Katie's work. To contact Katie, visit her site.

The 'funk' element of Katie's pet portraits can be found in her use of vivid, vibrant background colours and the names of the pets written on the canvas.

Katie has an amazing talent for creating realistic elements in her work, from the shine on the fur to the sparkle in the eyes.
No pet is off limits: cats, dogs and rabbits too! She's also done hampsters and mice. She has yet to do a reptile or fish.

Here is Katie, being funky!