2010 Paws for Charity Art Book Project

A portrait of my little girl Makai in a coffee table book? How awesome is that?!?

I’m excited to finally announce that one of my portraits is being featured in the 2010 Paws for Charity Art Book! A portrait I did of my own pit bull, Makai, was selected from over 300 submissions and appears in the book along with 64 other pet portraits and photographs from 7 countries! Out of the 64 featured, only 21 are portrait artists and I am so happy to be one of them!

This wonderful project celebrates our connection with our pets while raising funds for a human cause: breast cancer.  All proceeds  will be donated to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade. According to the Paws for Charity website, this charity was chosen for two main reasons:
1. The Avon Foundation supports breast cancer programs worldwide…in 50 countries.
2. This charity has the “Humane Charity” seal of approval.

Paws for Charity was started in 2006 by Sara Harley of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Paws for Charity Book project was started in 2009 to combine her two passions: raising money for breast cancer (her mom died of breast cancer when she was 21) and her love of animals. “Animals bring us such great joy, in good times and in bad.  I created this book to celebrate our bonds with our pets, and to raise money for an important cause.” -Sara

Since its inception in 2006, Paws for Charity has raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer charities.

I am thrilled and honored to be a part of this amazing project. I hope that you take a few minutes to go to blurb.com to check out the book. I just ordered my copy and will be posting pictures as soon as it comes in. You can preview the book (see Makai on page 9!) and you can purchase it as a softcover, hardcover with dust jacket or as a hardcover with image wrap.  Remember, all proceeds go to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade.

Portrait of Makai, featured in the Paws for Charity Art Book

Pit Bull Awareness Day

I recently worked with the Virginia Beach SPCA to create the advertising poster for Bring on the Bull’s, a local Community Awareness & Adoption Event for Bull Breeds. It will be this Saturday, October 3 at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. This event is the local celebration of National Pit Bull Awareness Day, which is on October 24.

The National Pit Bull Awareness campaign is a nationwide effort to bring positive awareness to the American Pit Bull Terrier.

In early 2007, Bless the Bullys introduced the idea of a national “pit bull awareness day,” and it took off like wildfire.  Devoted pit bull advocates jumped on the opportunity to participate in the first of its kind nationwide initiative to bring about positive pit bull media attention together on one day.

Launch of The Kiwi Tree!

In addition to my pet portraits, I am also co-owner of The Kiwi Tree, a new online boutique that recently launched with our first line of specialty greeting cards. We came up with a few dog cards (below) and I used my portrait illustration style to execute the designs. The cards, along with many others, can be purchased online on our  website. Make sure to take a few minutes to check out our blog, too. We post once a week and the content is sure to entertain!

The perfect way to use your tax refund

If you’ve been thinking about getting a portrait done of your dog, cat, horse, bird, (insert your pet here), now’s the time…