Recently Noah, my dingo, passed away and I wanted to commission a portrait to honour and remember him by.

I was very particular about what I wanted. I didn’t want a typical portrait piece featuring soley a close up of a pet. I wanted Noah represented where he was happiest and at peace, at one with nature. We walked at sunrise, often stopping to sit on hilltops to take the view in. Noah took great interest in watching the roos hopping round in the valleys below. I wanted the portrait to achieve a balance between featuring Noah and the back ground - that each was to be magnificent in their own right and neither to overwhelm the other. I wanted the memory of the times we sat on all those hills together caught up in the painting. Rhea quickly understood what I was after and sent a quick photoshop image through. After a few tweaks we had a plan.

I ways always kept up to date with the painting progress and given opportunity to provide feedback often, not that any feedback was needed as Rhea executed the plan flawlessly.

Finally, the portrait arrived. Although I had seen image of it on my phone, I was quite unprepared for the reality of it. If I had not seen it being painted in stages, I would have sworn it was printed from a photo. It is just so perfectly precise as to Noah’s features. Rhea really does have an incredible skill to be able to transfer an image like that. I am amazed by his fur. I expect to be able to touch the painting and feel it, it looks so real. The way that he stood, the curve of his muscles, the fall of his fur, the expression on his face. It’s all perfectly there, down to his shadow.

I love that Rhea kept to the brief. While Noah is prominent he doesn’t overwhelm the whole painting. The backdrop is just as magnificent as he is. That sunrise is just superb. The mist in the valley is magical. I can feel the wind waving through the grass and catch the scent of the flowers.

For the past few days I have walked past this portrait many times. For the first time since Noah’s passing I’m no longer sad to see his image, caught up the emptiness of the loss. Instead I’m drawn into the memory of all the happy times we spent together on hill tops, watching the world spread out before us wake up and come to life. For a brief moment I’m back with my boy. This is not just a portrait, it’s a way to stay connected. I am blessed to have found Rhea and will treasure this artwork always.

I didn’t think it was possible for me to love my sister dog “Lucy” anymore than I do, but then I saw one of these amazing pet portraits and it’s like i fell in love with her all over again but this time in painted form. Xxxx

Commissioned Rhea to paint my 2 family dogs for my Mother and WOW! She did an incredible job, the level of detail was out of this world!! Would highly recommend this talented lady.