The Story Behind Joey's Portrait
Ben first came to us for a pencil portrait many years ago, and over time he and Marisa have built up a small collection of our work — so it always means a great deal when they return. Joey was their newest arrival, a young Beagle full of energy and mischief, and Ben wanted to mark the occasion with something in oils to suit Joey's exuberant character.
The timing of the commission was particularly touching. It was 2021, during the quieter months of lockdown, and Joey had brought a real brightness to their household. Ben described him with enormous affection: huge ears still growing into themselves, an unstoppable wiggly tail, and above all that wide, open-mouthed smile that stopped you in your tracks.
Joey's collar carries a tag with a penguin on it, and his name is a nod to the character from Friends — although Ben also has a theory that he's secretly named after Joe Elliott, the lead singer of Def Leppard. Either way, Nicholas made sure both the penguin tag and the collar were carefully included in the painting.
