Pet Portraits Reviews and Testimonials – Hear from Our Happy Clients

"I have shared the photo with my wife and the verdict is that you have done an amazing job - thank you! I am sure it looks even better in the flesh! I hope Nicholas enjoyed doing it. I am sure my daughter will be thrilled with it. Kind regards, Craig"

"Hello Melanie and Nicholas,
Here is a photo of Samantha's amazing portrait, framed. The painting has remained a much loved and admired image of mom's beloved pet. She has had friends over to her apartment just to see your stunning work. You can see how beautiful the painting looks... and mom is so proud of it. More importantly, the painting is so life-like, that it also gives her comfort to be able to see Samantha as she remembers her.
Thank you for all of the emails and of course for your incredible artwork.
Wishing you all the best...
Kim Hinkle"

"Melanie!
Marisa LOVED LOVED LOVED her Joey portrait. She can't stop showing anyone she can show, she loves how Classic it is. And I think our choice of going with a painting this time was the right thing, she comments often that Joey is a unique soul and his portrait is also unique when next to our others (not to diminish how much she loves them all of course). It is so beautiful and was a highlight of our otherwise VERY mellow holiday. Hope you are well. Talk soon! BEN"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
My parcel has just arrived. Thank you so much, the portrait is simply beautiful and captures little Paddy so well (in fact I think it may be bigger than he actually was!). Enclosed a photo of myself with both paintings. Please pass on my thanks to Nicholas – he has done such a beautiful job – he has such talent.
Thanks again Melanie – it's so lovely to know that my Bobby and Paddy will always be with me.
Sharon x"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
I am attaching a video and photo of Gordon opening his present and his initial reaction says it all. It's a great success and well worth the wait! Thank you both so much for the time, patience, expert advice and talent which produced a little masterpiece that will give us all so much pleasure for years to come.
Very best wishes,
Gordon and Kirstie xx."

"Hi Melanie,
Simon gets to see his present! He was quiet at first, thought he didn't like it. He was quiet because he was so emotional. He LOVES the portrait, so please pass on our thanks to Nicholas.
Lisa x"

"Hello Melanie and Nicholas!!!
It would be impossible to convey to you my complete happiness, awe and gratitude for the truly magnificent painting my husband, Kevin, gave me for my 50th birthday. It not only captures my beloved dachshunds perfectly, but our home as well. Now I know that my dogs will live forever and this time in my life has been captured so beautifully. It's SO beautiful!!
I am truly in awe of your talent, Nicholas, and so incredibly grateful to you for doing this work of art for me. I still can't believe it's mine and was made for me. It will be an heirloom for our children as it portrays our home and precious pets so perfectly. Check out the picture showing me and my family on Christmas Eve, my birthday, when I opened this amazing gift.
Thank you!!!
Kris Fitzpatrick"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
I am very happy to let you know that the portrait of Jake arrived safely! It looks ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS in our dining room!! We could not wait to unwrap it (very impressive packaging that completely protected it!) and hang it up last night. The frame is also gorgeous and fits perfectly with the portrait. The print is beautiful as well and will be perfect to take to France for our Wedding. Right now, I have it hanging up in my office at work – it's just perfect.Thank you both SO MUCH for the amazing work that you do. It has far exceeded our expectations and we could not be happier! We will definitely recommend you to others!
Warmest wishes,
Kim"

"Melanie and Nicholas - thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Simply put, it is just beautiful! And thank you for taking the photo with both of you in it! When looking at the painting, it occurred to me that you might not know what "kind" of dog Spyder is because it would be hard to tell from his picture......he is an Italian Greyhound. That means he is 16 pounds of attitude! Italian Greyhounds were the dogs of Italian royalty in the 17th century, and Spyder is quite aware of that - we call him H.R.H. But he is also the snuggliest dog you could ever want! We got a notice that his portrait should arrive on Wednesday. We can't wait to get it, and I will be sure to let you know when it has safely arrived. Karen"

"Dear Melanie and Nicholas,
Your beautifully packaged parcel has just arrived safely and we have Dudley up on the wall just where we had planned. He is absolutely stunning and we are thrilled! The frame has been a really good choice, perfect colours and not too heavy. We noticed how beautifully it has been finished even to the thoughtful addition of felt pads at the back. Again, very many thanks to you both for all your thoughtful care, attention and amazing talent which have combined to make this commission a huge success.
Best wishes to you both,
Gordon and Kirstie x"

"Hello Melanie and Nicholas,
Thank you again for all your attention and kindness culminating in putting up the photos of Ros with Barney/Zorro next to the portrait which hangs proudly in our house in France. When I look at the 'piece' on them, I'm still fascinated how Nicholas managed to develop the portrait so accurately in 'stages' and how lifelike it is... a comment which so many friends and family have made when they stayed with us. Very best of luck to you and we wish you both lots of future success... bye for now, but we will be 'popping in' from time to time to look at one of our favourite sites!
Best wishes.
Alan X"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
I could not be happier.. I'm working at the moment so I'm trying to keep my emotions at bay.. happy and tearful all at the same time.. stunning.. please thank Nicholas for me.. bringing my beautiful Purdy to life again... Purdy is always in my heart, and I miss her all the time. Watching her come to life in your painting, made me so happy.
Many thanks
Amanda and Alan."

"Today is Rob's 50th Birthday and he is absolutely delighted with the portrait of Sonny, it is like having him back again."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
Thank you so much!! This is AMAZING! They will be so thrilled :))
Jennifer"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
It truly is gorgeous, I'm so glad I found you!!
You were able to capture Puff and we both teared up when we opened it. It's a truly magnificent piece now hanging proudly in Jeff's office where Puff always used to be. I have enclosed a photo for you.
Thanks again for everything, the portrait is truly very special.
Kristin and Jeff X"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
I received the picture of Boomer a few weeks ago from my boyfriend, Kristian. It is by far the most beautiful picture I have seen! It is so accurate to how my dog looked like and looks so real that it makes me emotional every time I glance at it.
What an amazing gift that I will cherish for the rest of my life; I really don't think it will ever be topped. Thank you for helping us honour Boomer's life, he will always be missed and never forgotten.
Thank you,
Deepy Sidhu"

"Dear Melanie, Nicholas and Lily,
It has taken me many weeks to be able to email you a proper 'thank you' for Curly's portrait. As you know, we received the portrait just two weeks after the day marking the first anniversary of Curly's passing and receiving the portrait was extremely emotional. When I opened the package and saw Curly's face, so lovely and warm, I was immediately overcome with tears.
I thank you so very much for creating a stunning portrait of Curly. My family will cherish this portrait for the rest of our lives. You've also created a portrait which everyone who knew Curly, from our extended family of friends to the women who runs the rescue organization in California (The Brittany Foundation), that brought Curly into our life, can appreciate and admire forever.
I'm pleased to attached two photos of Curly's portrait in situ: one in which our dog, Sarah, was dignified and the other........well, you'll see. Please feel free to post either photo and this written gratitude on your website. Thank you, again, for giving us a lovely portrait of our Curly.
Sincerely,
Tracy Maguire
Camas, Washington"

"Dear Melanie and Nicholas
Thank you so much for the magnificent portrait that you painted of my precious Rottweiler, Tobi. It is all the more meaningful for me because my children conceived the idea of such a gift and conspired to get it for me for my birthday and also because Tobi died suddenly 4 and a half months ago.
I cannot compliment you enough for the portrait – I am so overawed at how well you have captured all the essential elements of my adored pet's face, bringing her 'back to life'. You and Nick both have an amazing gift with your abilities to capture the essence of people's precious animal family members.
Thank you again.
Sharon Eggers"

"The amazing photo above was taken by Claire, the recipient of the two cat portraits in oils that you can see displayed on the wall. Barbara and Barrie commissioned us when their daughter's cat Tia passed away suddenly. Claire loved the painting so much, Barrie commissioned a second oil painting for her other cat Bailey too. He is pictured above with the paintings!"

"Mum absolutely loves the painting! :) Here are some photos of the painting where it is at the moment. We aren't sure whether we're gonna keep it here or put it somewhere else in the house but thought I should send photos anyway :)"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
Just picked up the painting from the post office and it is really stunning ...thank you so much!
It looks fabulous.
Many thanks,
Best
Kate"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
The portrait captures the essential Tia to perfection. Nicholas, your work has not exceeded our expectations as our knowledge of your work has led to those expectations being very high in the first place. Thank you. Change not a jot or tittle. Claire will see, in the portrait, her Tia in all her wistful glory and that is how it should be.
Our highest regards,
Barbara and Barrie Trumper."

"He looks utterly gorgeous!!!! So amazing! What a gorgeous picture. Nick has captured him perfectly! Thank you so much for all of your help and work! It will make Katrine's Christmas!
Thanks again, best wishes
Maja xxx"

"Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding day special! Here are Bob and Lance with their portrait!
Happy Holidays!
Jennifer Finley and Bob Finley, Jr"

"Hi Melanie,
It is awesome… even better in the flesh. Derek and myself and everyone that has seen it think it is stunning. 'Truly a work of Art.' Many thanks. It was worth every penny. It was here for me arriving home. Very well packaged – took me ages to get into it, patience is not one of my virtues.. lol
Anyway once again many thanks. The portrait is now on the wall, I let the kitties have a look at it before it went up as you can see. Thank you once again.
Louise"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
Talked with Lisa, and she is amazed how the painting captured Groucho's likeness from that old photo! Kudos to you all! Please tell Nick it's perfect! My daughter Katrina says you really got the eyes just right! He looks great. We are going to present it on the 12th! Thanks so much for your wonderful work. Really happy with the fabulous painting!
Thank you!
Best,
Terralynn"

"The portrait looks stunning, again I cannot stop smiling! It is amazing the amount of detail Nick was able to capture. Looking close up it seems as if he painted every single hair and she is quite a hairy lady so I'm sure that was a huge task to undertake! He captured her personality and likeness perfectly. I have taken a picture of her sitting next to it, it looks like a mirror image since that is her usual sitting pose! Please tell Nicholas he did an awesome job and I cannot thank him enough!
Nicole Blanton"

"Melanie and Nicholas
Oh my goodness, Frankie's portrait is, well again, beyond my words to describe. It seems 3-dimensional, and the color is stunning. For the fifth time I am truly amazed at Nicholas' skill. You'd think I'd quit being 'blow away' by his talents... I am so thankful that I found you both! I have numerous people who want to see the oil once it's safely here. Again, please tell Nicholas how much we appreciate him and what he's brought to our home.
Gary and Barb"

"Frisbee's portrait arrived safe and sound. Very robust packaging! I saw, once again, what a very handsome boy my Frisbee was. Nicholas has captured him beautifully. The prominence of horse and rider and the muted background are absolutely perfect. Thank you.
All best wishes
Lynne xx."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
Leya looks exactly like she does in real life !!! My mum loves it so much. Thank YOU! It was a pleasure and the easiest process ever.
Best wishes and give Lily a cuddle from me!
Matilde, Leya and Jack xx"

"Thank you so much it means more than words can say. I will certainly recommend you to anyone that needs or wants a pet portrait. Or even ones that don't!
Debbie xx"

"Dear Melanie and Nicholas,
The very well packed parcel has just been delivered and next week we will get it framed and send picture of it completed hung in the lounge. Or with Leon.
Best regards,
Richard, Chantele and Leon."

"We are VERY happy with our Tobey portrait... Nicholas' talent has given us the chance to see him in our home at all times and maintain so many wonderful memories. Thank you again.
Our best wishes to you and Nicholas.
Chuck and Gaye"

"It looks great, Olivia will love it! Olivia isn't here until later so we haven't opened it yet – exciting!
Jane x"

"Oh Melanie.....
Just unwrapped the portrait.....I had a weep!!!!
It is absolutely beautiful.....you have captured the essence of his character....
My husband spotted the whisker first....and the name is perfect.
Thank you....will send a picture shortly. We have put him in our extension and will wait for some good light....after all he was a sunshine pussy cat!
Thank you he's now back with us
Cheers
Rebecca
x"

"You might be mistaken to think that the two photos below are identical… look again! Our wonderful recipient of two portraits posed to have photos taken with them both. Kevin commissioned me to draw their family cats Lucy and Leo which you can see on the left (or top image). They then adopted a third cat called Lily and felt that they should include her in a portrait along with Lucy and Leo."

"Erika very kindly posed with both portraits. Kevin said that the sun was so bright that day Erika had difficulty seeing the camera, which we can all understand, so it was difficult for her to look and smile at the same time, but she was delighted with the drawings and they are displayed proudly in their home."

"Hi Melanie, Picture came back faster than expected from the framers, but attempts at trying to get the cats in a photo with it have been unsuccessful! Here it is in situ. I'm really pleased with it; I wanted it to be of a 'significant' size and not look cramped. Many thanks.
Julie x"

"I absolutely LOVE it. I can't wait to see it in person.
As soon as I have it hung up, I will send an updated photo! Thank you!
Kim"

"Melanie, You have captured Freya wonderfully and having her captured in pencil is perfect. Please see the picture framed !! It's fair to say there were tears as expected. One happy person.
Best wishes, Phil Purssey"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
It’s so funny that today is my birthday and you have sent me this . It’s made me cry. It’s like he knew this would be a perfect birthday gift for me. We still miss him so much . It’s like yesterday he left us . I wish we could have him back . Happy tears I must say.
I love the drawing , thank you so much. I totally love it . It has captured everything about him .
Rachel."

"WOW
Unbelievable Melanie.
My big boy is back home.
That looks stunning, really breathtaking. What a magnificent thing you have done.
Took me 2 hrs and 45 mins to unwrap, well not quite. Immaculate.
Thank you so much,
Russell"
"Samantha was stunned, in awe, absolutely loves it. Took a photo and shared with the TriPawds group she is a member of immediately. I did the big reveal, had it covered with paper taped to the wall, stood her in front of it then removed the paper for maximum effect. It is PERFECT.
Russell"

"Hi Melanie! Looks amazing! My friend is going to LOVE it! It is perfect. Thank you so much! Just wanted to let you know we received the drawing yesterday and it is even more amazing in person that the pictures you had sent me! So impressive! I will be in touch with pictures after Christmas!"

"Hi Melanie, Finally have Belle framed. I like to keep pencils simple, and loved the natural wood of this frame. The pictures don't do it justice, the wood is warm colored and matches the tone of the pencil perfectly."

"Tracey drove a number of hours to our studio with her dog Moo to collect her portrait! View Moo's Pencil Portrait"

"Melanie! Marisa was SO surprised and THRILLED with her drawing of Blue! She agrees that it captures him brilliantly! Please know how very much your work is appreciated. She was showing snapshots of the drawing to family all day yesterday, it was amazing seeing their reactions. 'Oh those eyes,' 'wow even the flash on his nose'. You have an amazing gift. Thank you for sharing it with us. Best wishes"

"Thank you, we are really pleased with them. We have finally finished the desk unit with the pictures being centre of attention! Very best wishes. x x"

"Hi Melanie, Brodie arrived safely this afternoon. Dave is absolutely delighted with the picture. it's amazing how you have captured such a likeness. Thank you for all your help and it has been a pleasure working with you to produce such a lovely Birthday present. Kind regards to all."

"Zip's portrait arrived this past Monday and I just got it back form the frame shop this morning. Thank you again for your efforts and beautiful work."

"So excited to see Cherokee's portrait. Will give it to Caroline on Xmas day. Thank you again. I am in awe of your and Nicholas's talent. You are both so gifted and create wonderful portraits of people beloved pets. A big hug for you and little Lily. X"

"Hi Melanie, Annabel absolutely loves her present!
Thanks again for all your hard work!
Mr and Mrs Archer X"

"Hi Melanie, Both my husband and I are very very pleased with the portrait. It looks amazing. Thank You again for everything it has been well worth the wait xx"

"Dear Melanie, We have had the portrait framed and hung. Here is a picture of it with Rusty. Thanks so much. Best,"

"Hi Melanie, We finally picked the portrait up today and it now has pride of place in our lounge. Thank you again, Kind Regards"

"Thank you so much for your fabulous drawing of Mike. Last night I was thinking how much I miss him and this morning your drawing arrives. You have done a great job. Regards"

"I love it, it looks beautiful!"

"Dear Melanie, Oh I love it. Thank you so much for Emrik's portrait. It arrived yesterday afternoon. (Beautifully wrapped). It is lovely."

"Hi Melanie, Oh my goodness, my mom and sister are going to LOVE them. I'll try to get their reaction for you on Christmas day."

"My sister had been trying to get a pic of Rooney sitting by his framed portrait but he had the zoomies and wouldn't sit still! I posted the portrait on the Facebook groups. Everyone loves him!"

"It is absolutely beautiful and I am bereft of words to tell you how much this means to us. Jillian was all tears and it just feels like Dodge just walked in through our doors. All the emotions and memories came flooding back. Thank you and Nicholas for such a tremendous job. You have both been blessed with Gods Grace and your gift brings such meaning and joy and love into peoples lives. Thank you, thank you, thankyou. We are so grateful."

"Hi Melanie, She's so happy.... Hollie is in the living room above the TV looking over at the front door which is what she used to do, just waiting for someone to walk past for her to bark at! Haha :D Typical Tibetan Terrier!"

"Hi Melanie, My mother just received the portrait. She LOVES IT! It's amazing — she can't stop talking about it. And your card was so thoughtful Melanie! Thank you again!!"

"Melanie! Oh My Goodness, Marisa loved the Vera collage so very much! She loves it, she has been showing anyone who comes to the house. Honestly... it is perfect. Thank you SO much for your great work, and of course for working with me again. Thanks again so much. We both love it, and appreciate your talents so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"At last we visit our son and see the drawing of Mango taking pride of place on his wall."

"View Teasels Portrait and the lovely testimonial from Paula on Teasels page in my Pencil Portraits Gallery"

"Hi Melanie, Thanks so much for the portrait. I've attached some pictures of it framed up with old fence posts. I reckon it's spot on! Thanks again. Cheers,"

"Both Sara and I would love to thank you for the wonderful piece of artwork you have created capturing the beauty and souls of each Punky Bear and Sasha. The talent you possess is unbelievable, and the completed portrait is more than we could have ever asked for. Also, I want to thank you for your professionalism, quick responses to questions I had, as well as making this process enjoyable and so very rewarding. From Nashville, TN over the Atlantic to you, Sara, Sasha, Bear, Punky, and myself want to send you and your family much gratitude and appreciation for your hard work on this large project."

"Your masterpiece arrived and I can't tell you how thrilled I am with your work Melanie. Your work is second to NONE!!! You captured each of the dogs beautifully and I just know my friend is going to be left speechless. Patti, is a very dear friend of mine who has done so much for me during our friendship. I felt I could never reciprocate properly to her all she's done for me but now I know I've given her something she will love and cherish for a lifetime. I can't wait for her to see your work. Melanie, you are a very gifted artist and I must also compliment your packing and your presentation box. Have a wonderfully happy holiday season Melanie and again thank you so very much. Your website is beautiful and draws the viewer in by the stunning work you display in it. It caught my eye right away and I knew YOU were the artist I wanted to do my work. One of the wisest decisions I've ever made. I'm sending you a huge hug of thanks and good will. Xoxo"

"Thank you so much for this outstanding work. I was overwhelmed!"

"its fair to say there were tears as expected...and may I say beautifully wrapped ! .....You have made this a great experience at a sensitive time thank you x"

"We are delighted with the wonderful drawing you have done of Tosca and cannot wait to hang it next to the one of Monty. Many thanks and we will be in touch once she safely arrives here. Best wishes x"

"I am absolutely delighted with the portrait, Melanie! Nina (Norway)"

"I love it and I am sure that my husband will love it as well! I can't wait to present this to him on his special day. Thanks so much for your beautiful work. Still miss her so much and this really honors her gentle spirit. Hello Melanie, Jamie was very touched by the gift and your careful attention to detail. He couldn't be happier which makes me happy too! Here are a couple of images of the framed art work. Sorry for the glare and reflection in the glass. Thanks again and Take Care!"

"Dear Melanie, The picture looks absolutely beautiful, and I see what you mean about the frame which sets the picture off perfectly. I couldn't be more pleased, you've done amazing work and captured her expression extremely well. Once again many thanks and I will highly recommend you to any one else who is interested in having their pet portrait done. Take care and stay safe, Best wishes xx"

"Hi Melanie! We received the drawing of Brooklyn and Emma!!!!! It looks exactly like them....My husband loved it and made me take it to get it framed immediately so 'nothing would happen to it!' It was delivered on Wednesday of this week and I apologize for not letting you know sooner that we got it!!! We love it, thank you so much!!! I will definitely take a picture of it with Brooklyn and Emma and send it to you as soon as the frame is completed!!"

"Melanie, Thank you, It's perfect and exactly what I wanted. I can't wait to receive the drawing. Thank you so much for the drawing."

"I can't describe the emotions that came over my wife and I. Incredible and thank your husband as well, you are truly an amazing artist Thank you for the artwork of Sam. We received them today and brought tears to our eyes. Thank you for everything"

"Melanie, Thank you for the lovely portrait of my boys. I miss Rooney every day and you perfectly captured a special moment between them. ❤️ Sincerely"

"Lizabeth is a returning client. View a few of her portraits in my gallery including Holden here - Pencil Portrait"

"Craig emailed me a number of emails through the process, take a look at Kirby's page - Retriever Pencil Pet Portraits"

"Hi Melanie, Slightly belated response as it has taken a few days to get hold of the photos. The pencil drawing went down brilliantly. Jane Barrie was really thrilled – and had no idea something like this was on its way to her. I am attaching a picture of the presentation – although the picture was bubble wrapped, so you can't see it terribly well. Thanks for all your help."

"BREATHTAKING! Didn't go into office until today. The gentleman at the framing shop couldn't stop looking and bragging about your work. You are a very talented woman. Left one of your cards with them. I couldn't be more pleased, your work is superb. It's fabulous! Don't know what to say. Tonya will be in tears over this. You captured Daisy with a beautiful likeness. Couldn't be happier. Will recommend you. Hope to use your wonderful talent again."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
The portraits arrived in good order. Our housekeeper chose the smaller with which she is delighted, and we brought the larger with us to Montana where we are having it framed to hang at Camp Arrowhead our vacation home.
Best regards"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
We are absolutely thrilled with it! It is such a likeness to her, we can't get over just how well you've captured her. And such perfect timing that I was back in the country to collect it! My brother will love it! Thank you so much, it will be very much treasured as Milly is a very special dog – it couldn't be more perfect.
All the best"

"Melanie and Nicholas,
The portrait of Jessie is beautiful – and the most wonderful thing of all is that you have captured her personality in a really magical way – our brave little retriever with twinkling eyes and a heart of gold! She's just leaping off the canvas to us. You are both stars of the highest quality! I just can't thank you enough for everything – not least your kindness in helping me to sort things out, and your guidance and patience whilst we chose the background.
The framer was pleased to see it as much of his work does not consist of portraits of that quality. The framer and I chose the frame easily – he smiled when he saw those little bits of wood or whatever that you enclosed. I hope you like our choice. He's actually going to hang the portrait in his gallery for the day, and I'm going to take our friends in to see the pictures, and hopefully David will see Jessie up amongst them!!
Then I can tell him that it's sold – to him! The teashop are in on it too, and they are going to put a candle on the table etc. I have left your leaflet with details with him.
More news after tomorrow!!"

"Melanie,
I have received the portrait today and it has arrived safely. I am absolutely amazed at the likeness and from a short distance it still looks like a photo to me. I am not going to show Paul until Christmas Day as although he knows about it I still think he is going to be totally gobsmacked when he sees it.

I will definitely take a photo of it when it has been framed and send it to you for your website. I cannot thank you enough and hope you have a lovely Christmas and our best wishes for the New Year."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
The portrait arrived !!! It's magnificent. I cry every time I look at it because it's as though Ernie has come home again. We are so grateful for your talent, kindness and earnestness. These were the qualities that characterized Ernie, so it makes your painting that much more special to us."

"Dear Melanie,
She looks sooooo beautiful! You have captured Fel's character perfectly. It could not be any more perfect. It makes me cry and I can't wait to see the painting in person! I could not possibly explain what this piece of art means to me. It will be cherished always!

Thank you for all of the time you put into this Melanie, you are very gifted.
Much love"

"You and Nick have been a pleasure to work with. Your talent is amazing and you have been so accommodating to us.

I would say that you have excellent customer service but that sounds odd… like I was talking about Sears and that's not what I mean. You have been kind, thoughtful, and caring. Always ready to answer questions and make changes. I really tell everyone that you two are the very best at what you do. It is not easy to deal with people and you do it effortlessly.

I also appreciate your phone calls. What a personal touch!
Thank you so much, Nicholas and Melanie"

"Did not imagine it could be any better. Coal's portrait arrived today. Our copies were fabulous but the real thing is so life-like it is AMAZING!!!! Cannot thank you enough – we are ecstatic! I am bringing it to the framer tomorrow and will send you a picture when it is done.
Fondly"

"My daughter and I just looked at the portrait. FABULOUS!! Nicholas truly captured Coal. So excited. I cannot stop looking at it. Just love it!!!!!!"

"Dear Melanie,
I received my painting of Fel today! I was sooooo excited to see it! It is even more beautiful in person. I will always have her in my heart, but now I can see her every day also! Thank you for that!

I will take a picture and email you when I have it framed. I am going to enjoy it for a week before I take it to the frame shop! I will be in touch, thanks again.
Sincerely"

"Melanie,
Yes it was a great success thank you! Lindy plans to write to you separately. Unfortunately Chilli is still some way from a full recovery and although there are glimpses of the dog (puppy really) we had before, there is still a long way to go. Whatever the outcome, the portrait will be a terrific permanent memory.
Hope you are well and not working too hard!
Best regards"

"Melanie,
What a beautiful portrait of our dog, Reggie. You captured his best features, ears and the intelligence in his eyes, so well. We can hardly wait to get it and hang it up."

"Dear Melanie,
So I really couldn't wait until Sunday/Monday, so I took some time out and went to see some of my family, and showed some of my work colleagues the final photo of the painting. Got a number of useful comments back, so if you're ready I'll begin:
- Fantastic
- Unbelievable (in a good way)
- Perfect
- Is that a photo? Oh my god no, it's a painting!
- Oh a picture of a dog... hold on, that's Zeus, that's amazing!
- It's really good, don't change anything
- When will you get it? I can't wait to see it hung
And finally, from my sister – "That's really, really good… do you think I should get one done of Taz?""

"Melanie,
Well, words cannot describe how I feel when I look at his painting. It is beyond wonderful and is simply stunning. You even captured the little fuzzy hairs on his nose and his nose even looks wet. He looks as if you could reach out and touch him. Looking at his eyes, it almost looks as if I am truly looking into his eyes and can see his emotions and feelings. I am pleased if you cannot tell, and no, please don't change a thing. I can't wait till Christmas, my husband is going to be shocked to say the least.

Thank you very much, I will let you know my husband's reaction after Christmas."

"Hi Melanie,
Thanks so much for posting the stages of the Diva picture on your website. It looks absolutely amazing!!! And so much better even than the photo! I love how Classic you can see the facial features, which in the photo you can't, and the eyes have that special glow like all of your pictures that I like so much. I am looking forward to seeing the final image. Thank you so much for your update and many greetings and thanks to Nick too for his great work!
Best wishes"

"Hi Melanie,
Upon receipt of your email, I took the painting to our friends last night and they think it is absolutely wonderful. There were many tears and hugs etc. Thank you so much for the way that you have looked after us and for your patience. I am still amazed that you produced such brilliant results from the photos we sent. I will be recommending your website and you wherever possible. My friends intend to have the picture framed ASAP. When it is in place they will take a photo of it and send it to you.
Once again, many thanks for the lovely picture.
Kind regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Everything arrived safely. Thank you. I am sorry it took so long to let you know, but honestly, it's been much more difficult than I expected to have the portrait. It's been raking up all the feelings of loss and sadness. I suppose that means it's very good work. I'm waiting for the frame.
Thanks again"

"Hi Melanie,
I forwarded the picture and video to Ruth and David and then called them on the phone. The only comment that I got was ………………WOW!!! That is a very big compliment from them. I think the painting is beautiful.
Thank you very much. Can't wait for the finished article.
Kind regards"

"Hi Melanie,
We haven't spoken before but I'd like to thank you so much for the portrait. I can't believe how Nicholas has captured Ben and Jake – everything about them is so perfect."

"Melanie and Nicholas,
...The picture is really Zach! I looked at the boy himself and back to the picture and you have painted Zach. You really are amazing..."

"Melanie,
The portrait is really stunning. Max, Chloe and Yoshi are absolutely perfect — colouring, form, and expression. You have done an amazing job.
Paul loves the portrait and is excited about seeing it on one of our walls!"

"Hi Melanie,
IT'S HERE! It is even prettier than the photos online. Everything was in good order, we are ending up taking it to my brother's house in Sacramento. I'll send pics as soon as I get them on my PC. Thank you so much — I'm sure you will hear from our family in the future."

"Dear Melanie,
Your portraits of Patch and Sandy arrived today and I can't thank you enough. It is really beautiful and I know that Alan will treasure it very much. I don't know how you do it — but did you realise that Patch's eyes follow you when you move about the room and it's almost as if his face turns too?

I was thinking about a mahogany frame, as Alan's furniture is all mahogany, but if you have any better suggestions, please advise me. Once again, thank you so very much.
Regards"

"Hello Melanie,
Edward's picture is really wonderful — it's going to make a great Christmas present."

"Hi Melanie,
The portraits arrived yesterday and they are gorgeous!! Thanks so much – and thank Nicholas too. We're really very happy with them. It's been great working with you."

"We received the portrait yesterday. It looks amazing! We are so pleased with your work. We will send you a picture once we find the perfect frame for it.
Thank you again.
Take care"

"It is so fantastic, thank you so much. I can't wait to see it for real. I can't tell you how excited we are about this. Nelson is now a dad, so it's good to have a picture of the founder of a dynasty (we hope we will have his family forever, as he's been such a great little companion to us). I really look forward to getting it. Thank you SO much."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
Well, he arrived today — and I "daren't" (see how I'm picking up so quickly!) tell you that he sat on the porch for 2 hours! I work from home and get a lot of FedEx packages for work and they just drop them off. I heard the doorbell ring, but thinking it was them, I forgot about it. Anyhow, he was safe and sound :)

As for the portrait itself, I'm just speechless. He is beyond stunning. Just brilliant! There is not one thing I could alter. And I'm so glad I went up on the size — he is literally life-size, which I didn't realise he would be. It's like he's just sitting in the room with me. He's just beautiful — as beautiful as he was in real life — I could not be happier!!

I'm a big sap and of course cried, but they are happy tears. I'm just so thrilled to be able to have this wonderful memory of him to carry with me always. He was such a special boy — there is not a day that goes by I don't think about him — so to have this to see every day is just wonderful. It's just so very special.
I can't thank you enough, of course!!!! :)
So THANK YOU!!!"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
Cheyenne's portrait brings us joy every day. She is hung in a place that we see almost every moment that we are home. It has gotten easier to look at her and mostly the feelings are of joy and fond memories rather than sadness.

I want to tell you that our friend — who happened to also be her veterinarian — saw her portrait the other day. He told us that he always has people coming in who tell him that they can do portraits, so that he can recommend them to his clients (he has yet to find anyone that he would consider). When he took a look at Cheyenne he was speechless and said that it looked exactly like her. He said that this was the best that he has ever seen. Of course, I did give him your website just in case he wanted to give it out.

We absolutely love the painting and her expression is so lifelike — it is amazing. We miss her terribly, but seeing her every day is very comforting.
Thank you again for your extreme talent, professionalism, and help with the entire process.
Best Wishes"

"Hello,
The painting is just absolutely beautiful!!! I love it!! I also love that it's so different from Kali's portrait. Their personalities are so different, not to mention how different they are physically. I think I'm just going to hang it as is. I love the naturalness (if that's a word!) of it unframed — which is just like Roxie. She's a "no frills" kind of girl.

As soon as I get it hung, I'll send pictures. Plus, we've been having so much rain lately, I'd like to get a picture when it's nice and bright outside. Can't complain, though, because we desperately need the rain.

I just wish I could tell all your potential clients that if you think the final painting is amazing, the painting will absolutely blow you away. When you see the painting for the first time, you just have to sit back and say "Wow – Unbelievable!!"."

"My portrait has arrived and oh my god its beautiful!!!! I am so impressed with the detail that has been captured and the way the colours all work together its fantastic - thank you so much."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
What a busy season we've had. I finally had some time to go through some emails and realized I hadn't yet let you know that the painting arrived and it's beautiful. It's really a very real portrait of Remy, it looks just like him. Thank you both again for doing such a great job.
Take care"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
I just thought I'd let you know that the portrait went down an absolute treat! Lucy absolutely loved it and couldn't believe the detail that was achieved and just how much you had captured Flynn's very unique character. Lucy's family were even so impressed that they are considering getting a study of their dogs commissioned. So I just thought I should say thank you once again for the superb job that you and Nicholas did. Make sure to thank him for me.
Thanks again"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
We received the picture on Monday! We are so excited to see it in person once we get it framed! Thank you again for everything. We have very much appreciated the communication throughout this project.
Best wishes"

"Dear Melanie,
Have just received Minke's portrait – it is fabulous and exactly her. Please give Nicholas a hug and a kiss from me. Andrew, who is the art connoisseur, says it is so smooth it looks like a pastel.
Many many thanks to you both
Love"

"Dear Melanie and Nicholas,
Have received the portrait safely! It is fabulous, I am so pleased!!! I have shown it to the lady who gave me Poppet – who is quite artistic herself and she loves it. Thank you both so much – a perfect present for my 21st!"

"Hi Melanie,
He looks utterly gorgeous!!!! So amazing! What a gorgeous picture. Nick has captured him perfectly!
Thank you so much for all of your help and work! So excited to get him home in real life, it will make Katrine's Christmas!
Thanks again,
Best wishes"

"Hi Nicholas,
I will be recommending your work and will not hesitate to use you again. The portrait is a fantastic likeness of Tango and will bring me much pleasure as he is no longer with us.
Regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Amazing work! Better than I expected even. We love our horse and how he looks, but quite honestly Nick has made him look fancier than he is in real life. Thank you for making the reins work, they look very natural and flowing. We are actually finally moving into the house this Wednesday, weather permitting, and the portrait will be the perfect housewarming gift for us. I will also be in contact, Melanie, about doing our dog Moose in pencil in the future as we love your work as well.
Thanks and we'll talk soon.
Cheerfully"

"My portrait has arrived and oh my god its beautiful!!!! I am so impressed with the detail that has been captured and the way the colours all work together its fantastic - thank you so much."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
What a busy season we've had. I finally had some time to go through some emails and realized I hadn't yet let you know that the painting arrived and it's beautiful. It's really a very real portrait of Remy, it looks just like him. Thank you both again for doing such a great job.
Take care"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
I just thought I'd let you know that the portrait went down an absolute treat! Lucy absolutely loved it and couldn't believe the detail that was achieved and just how much you had captured Flynn's very unique character. Lucy's family were even so impressed that they are considering getting a study of their dogs commissioned. So I just thought I should say thank you once again for the superb job that you and Nicholas did. Make sure to thank him for me.
Thanks again"

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
We received the picture on Monday! We are so excited to see it in person once we get it framed! Thank you again for everything. We have very much appreciated the communication throughout this project.
Best wishes"

"Dear Melanie,
Have just received Minke's portrait – it is fabulous and exactly her. Please give Nicholas a hug and a kiss from me. Andrew, who is the art connoisseur, says it is so smooth it looks like a pastel.
Many many thanks to you both
Love"

"Dear Melanie and Nicholas,
Have received the portrait safely! It is fabulous, I am so pleased!!! I have shown it to the lady who gave me Poppet – who is quite artistic herself and she loves it. Thank you both so much – a perfect present for my 21st!"

"Hi Melanie,
He looks utterly gorgeous!!!! So amazing! What a gorgeous picture. Nick has captured him perfectly!
Thank you so much for all of your help and work! So excited to get him home in real life, it will make Katrine's Christmas!
Thanks again,
Best wishes"

"Hi Nicholas,
I will be recommending your work and will not hesitate to use you again. The portrait is a fantastic likeness of Tango and will bring me much pleasure as he is no longer with us.
Regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Amazing work! Better than I expected even. We love our horse and how he looks, but quite honestly Nick has made him look fancier than he is in real life. Thank you for making the reins work, they look very natural and flowing. We are actually finally moving into the house this Wednesday, weather permitting, and the portrait will be the perfect housewarming gift for us. I will also be in contact, Melanie, about doing our dog Moose in pencil in the future as we love your work as well.
Thanks and we'll talk soon.
Cheerfully"

"Hi Melanie,
She arrived safe and sound, has been hung and looks beautiful thank you. Maybe a little emotional when she emerged from the bubble wrap.

We might be in touch with a view to having one of your pencil drawings of Molly (a dog we lost a couple of years ago) commissioned in the New Year.
Regards"

"Dear Melanie,
Should you ever need a testimonial, we will be happy to provide the highest praise for your work. That painting is so wonderful, we were speechless when we saw it. (Not a common occurrence!!) With best wishes and thanks"

"Good Morning,
Here are pictures of Millie's portrait. We are so happy with how they look. You do beautiful work!"

"So it's a definite NO CHANGES ARE REQUIRED, so is that the painting finished? Please let me know as I am very excited. Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards"

"The portrait looks wonderful. Thanks so much.
I am so happy to have the painting by Christmas. Thanks again"

"Melanie, I have been travelling so I could not respond sooner; but the portrait arrived last Friday. It looks great. Thanks again for your beautiful work. I have already given your info to my co-workers. Happy holidays"

"Melanie: Just looked at it online – absolutely fantastic! That's my baby boy! Thanks so very much – I can't tell you how much this means to me."

"Chester's portrait came today. I am thrilled with it!! You did an absolutely fabulous job. It is breathtaking."

"Here are the pics of Jim opening his present. Feel free to post them on your website. We think we're going to hang it here at home, but we're interested in getting some prints of the portrait for Jim's office and my office at work. We will be in touch."

"Dear Melanie,
Have just looked on your site — we were both delighted to see all six stages of the painting of Abigail. You are truly a worker of miracles, as the depiction of her coat and the shape of her face are absolutely spot on!"

"Hello Melanie,
Looks good to me. I've been following the progress on your blog with interest and I'm pleased that you enjoyed working on Gina's portrait. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished portrait.
Regards"

"Hello Melanie,
Portrait arrived today. Absolutely superb! Very pleased, and impressed with the packaging too.
Thank you."

"Hi Melanie and Nick,
Good news and bad news — I gave Lin the painting, she loves it so much — the bad news, she keeps crying when she looks at it. Lol
Lin wants to email you both tomorrow, I will send you some pics ASAP.
Regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Claire loves the picture of her boys and can't thank you enough. It's a truly beautiful painting.
Thanking you"

"Thank you Melanie!! Once we get it framed and up I will definitely send you some pictures. I will let you know once we receive it as well."

"Thank you again for such a fabulous job!"

"Hi Melanie,
Thank you and Nick for a fabulous job on Asher's oil painting. We hung it in the hallway, so we look at it every day. Sorry not the best pic, it is from my phone."

"Hi Melanie,
I think it's stunning, Melanie, yes... that's my puppy. I don't foresee any changes, but if Martin has any comments, I'll forward them to you."

"Hey Melanie,
Martin thinks it's great! But most importantly, I love it. I know it's wonderful because I really can't look at it without crying... at least not yet. Let me know the next steps.
Thanks!"

"Hi Melanie,
Attached is the portrait framed. It looks amazing. I can almost hear him bark.
Thank you"

"My sister was home for a visit this past weekend and I showed her the portrait. She was floored!!! She said it is amazing that somebody can paint like that! She was helping decide where to hang it."

"Hi Melanie and Nick,
Thank you so much, I am sure my family will be delighted.
Best wishes"

"Dear Melanie,
Just a note to say how pleased I am with the picture of Ronnie, you have captured not just his image, but also his character! I would be also grateful if you would mind sending three more brochures — my colleagues were equally impressed.
Yours"

"Dear Melanie,
Just to say the painting was excellent and was very well received. I'm sure I'll be in contact soon to have one done of my new dogs. Many thanks again."

"Dear Melanie,
Just to let you know that there wasn't a dry eye in the house!
Yours with thanks"

"Dear Melanie,
This is just a short letter to thank you for painting a wonderful portrait of our dog, Kandy. I am very pleased with the outcome and the picture is so like her, I'm sure it will be a surprise on Christmas day.
Yours faithfully"

"Dear Melanie,
Just a short note to say thank you for a lovely painting.
Yours faithfully"

"Dear Melanie,
May I say again how thrilled we, and the family are. I'm sure my husband will be over the moon. Thanks once again."

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you for the drawing of Humphrey, which is a really good likeness. It will be greatly appreciated by our daughter-in-law. When our new Springer Tirion is old enough to stand still for a photograph, we will be in touch again.
Yours sincerely"

"Dear Melanie,
Picture received safe and sound, thank you. Cheque enclosed for balance. We are delighted with the portrait and impressed with the likeness. I strongly suspect one or two of us will be in touch in the New Year for pictures of our own pets — can you send some order forms please? Many thanks for an excellent job."

"Dear Melanie,
Thanks so much for the lovely painting. Please find enclosed the balance and a deposit for a painting of Fred, Tess and Lulu, for my mum and dad, Denny and Roberta. Merry Christmas."

"Dear Melanie,
As usual we are delighted with the drawing you did of my mother's horse. Please find enclosed a cheque for the remainder of the balance. Many thanks."

"Dear Melanie,
Just a note to say how pleased I am with the picture of Ronnie — you have captured not just his image, but also his character! Please find a cheque for the outstanding balance. I would also be grateful if you would mind sending three more brochures — my colleagues were equally impressed.
Yours"

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you for the portrait of Betsy. I am sorry to say that she died two months ago. The portrait is a lovely memorial to keep, as it is exactly like her. I have never known such a gentle dog before. Thank you for the hard work you put into the portrait to make it look so real.
Yours sincerely"

"Dear Melanie,
Just to say thank you so much for the portrait of Worzel that we have recently received. The likeness and detail is fantastic and we look forward to enjoying it for years to come. Thank you very much and keep up the excellent work."

"Dear Melanie,
The portrait was absolutely wonderful and liked very much by my sister.
Kind regards"

"Dear Melanie,
I would like to thank you for the beautiful portraits — you have captured the likeness exactly. I am sure they will bring a tear to the eye of my sister-in-law; they are a silver wedding present. Thank you once again."

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you for my portrait of my two Westies. I am delighted with your artistic skills. I think the portraits are very lifelike. Thank you."

"Dear Melanie,
Many thanks for an excellent piece of artwork — it doesn't just look like Luke, it is Luke! Again, many thanks."

"Dear Melanie,
The portrait of Sophie arrived on Monday. Thank you so much — it is really lovely and has been much admired. Thank you."

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you so much for the picture — it's delightful, and I'm sure my mum will be thrilled."

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you again for the portrait of Kelly — it was a very good likeness of her.
Yours"

"Dear Melanie,
All of the pictures you did for our family are great. I can't wait to see their faces at Christmas. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again when we get our next puppy. Thank you again."

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you very much for the portrait of Emma — it is a fantastic likeness and I'm sure Phil will be very touched and delighted by it. Best wishes for the future and thanks again for your hard work and effort.
Yours"

"Dear Melanie,
Thanks so much for the lovely painting. Please find enclosed the balance and a deposit for a painting of Fred, Tess and Lulu, for my mum and dad, Denny and Roberta. Merry Christmas."

"Dear Melanie,
Picture received safe and sound, thank you. Cheque enclosed for balance. We are delighted with the portrait and impressed with the likeness. I strongly suspect one or two of us will be in touch in the New Year for pictures of our own pets — can you send some order forms please? Many thanks for an excellent job."

"Dear Melanie,
As usual, we are delighted with the drawing you did of my mother's horse. Please find enclosed a cheque for the remainder of the balance. Many thanks."

"Dear Melanie,
The picture was lovely; my daughter was really pleased with it. I have enclosed a photo of my granddaughter.
Love"

"Dear Melanie,
This is just a short letter to thank you for painting a wonderful portrait of our dog, Kandy. I am very pleased with the outcome and the picture is so like her. I'm sure it will be a surprise on Christmas Day.
Yours faithfully"

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you for the portrait of Wooster — it is a very good likeness.
Yours sincerely"

"Dear Melanie,
We received the portrait OK and opened it with much excitement. It is absolutely beautiful — to look at Mikeala's face and instantly recognise our lovely feline friend!! Oils do bring the picture to life and your skill has created a lovely treasure to enjoy. Our congratulations to you and many thanks for a job well done. I will write and let you know Lewis's reaction when he opens it on his birthday.
With much appreciation and thanks"

"Oh my goodness! I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful the portrait is! It is almost as if they are both sitting right in front of me. You are SOOOOOOOOO talented! Again, thank you so much for doing such a wonderful job… it is absolutely beautiful!"

"Dear Melanie — received the portrait yesterday and it made me cry! Even my husband had a tear in his eye. It is breathtaking. The email picture you sent me does not do it justice… it is really amazing! I can't wait to get it framed and up. I will certainly send you a picture of the completed masterpiece. Again, thank you so much… it really means a lot to us.
Best regards"

"Hi Melanie,
That looks fantastic. Thank you very much.
Regards"

"Hi Mel,
The picture is really Zach! I looked at the boy himself and back to the picture, and you have painted Zach. You really are amazing. I would like to buy some prints of his picture — please could you tell me how I do this and how I pay you?
Thank you so much"

"Hello Melanie,
The picture you sent me looks amazing. You have really captured Tazz and Willow. I know my wife will adore it. I can't wait to see it hanging on the wall.
Thanks very much"

"Dear Melanie,
So I really couldn't wait until Sunday/Monday, so I took some time out and went to see some of my family, and showed some of my work colleagues the final painting. Got a number of useful comments back, so if you're ready I'll begin:
Fantastic.....
Unbelievable (in a good way).....
Perfect....
Is that a photo....
Oh my god, no — it's a painting!
Oh a picture of a dog, hold on that's Zeus, that's amazing!
It's really good, don't change anything...
When will you get it? I can't wait to see it hung...

And finally, from my sister — That's really, really good. Do you think I should get one done of Taz?

So it's a definite NO CHANGES ARE REQUIRED — so is that the painting finished? Please let me know as I am very excited.
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards"

"Hi Melanie,
I should have emailed sooner but we received Sugar's portrait and we love it! We have another dog, a Bluetick Coonhound, we would like done. I will let you know when we are ready to do this one.
Thank you"

"Melanie,
The portrait looks wonderful. Thanks so much. I am so happy to have the painting by Christmas.
Thanks again"

"Melanie,
I have been travelling so I could not respond sooner; but the portrait arrived last Friday. It looks great. Thanks again for your beautiful work. I have already given your info to my co-workers.
Happy holidays"

"Hi Melanie,
Thank you so much. We all love it! Roly looks great and I see no reason why we would want to change it at all. My assistant's name is Daisy Geary Dyer who will be the best person to contact for delivery. After we have received it, I will be in contact again as we have two other dogs and I'm sure we will want portraits of them as well. Look forward to talking again soon."

"Hi Melanie,
Just to let you know that this arrived safely at our offices! John didn't open it up as it needed to be transported home after it arrived here.
I was very intrigued to get a glimpse but, sadly, I didn't! I bet it's brilliant!
Thanks so much.
Regards"

"That's great, Melanie, thanks! Thank you so much for all your work on this — you're obviously very talented! I'm very much looking forward to receiving it now.
Kindest regards"

"Melanie,
Wow... We think it looks great... There are no changes at all... Thank you so much for helping us with this. We are looking forward to getting her home with us. Have a wonderful holiday season, and if you ever need anything from us, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you again"

"Melanie,
Just a note to let you know Mandi's portrait arrived on Saturday.
It's absolutely gorgeous. You captured her so beautifully — the sparkle and love that was always in her eyes, her sweet wet nose and her elegance... It is truly magnificent.
Thank you so much.
With deep appreciation"

"Hi Melanie,
It is so fantastic, thank you so much. I can't wait to see it for real. I can't tell you how excited we are about this. Nelson is now a dad, so it's good to have a picture of the founder of a dynasty (we hope we will have his family forever, as he's been such a great little companion to us).
I really look forward to getting it.
Thank you SO much."

"Hi Melanie,
Wow, that is really beautiful. I am actually a little teary-eyed right now. You have captured him beautifully, and so much faster than I expected!
Thank you so much!!"

"Dear Melanie,
Thanks for the prompt service. It's a brilliant likeness of Aslan considering you've never seen him in the flesh. I think it's going to make a brilliant surprise. Once again, thanks a million!!!"

"Hi Melanie,
Received the portrait this morning and it is absolutely brilliant. My Mum and Dad will love it — but there may be a few tears!
Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2003.
Regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Just to let you know the portrait arrived safe and sound and looks great.
Thanks ever so much."

"Thanks — it is AWESOME. I am having it framed at the moment...
Thanks again!"

"Hi Melanie,
I received the portrait this week. It's absolutely amazing — my wife really loves it. If you plan to post this on your web, please let me know, we'll be glad to place a link to your site from our own homepage with our recommendations for your very talented abilities.
Thanks so much, we'll cherish this for a lifetime.
Best wishes"

"Hi Melanie,
Thank you once again for your efficient and friendly service. Will gladly recommend you to friends and family — couldn't wish for a nicer portrait.
Many thanks"

"Hi Melanie,
It's absolutely brilliant just the way it is! I wouldn't change a thing — it's lovely :o)
I forwarded the draft over to Jackie's email and she said it looks exactly like him. :o)
Thank you SO very very much!
Fondly"

"Hi Melanie,
I can't remember if I sent you an email saying that I received 'Rocky' in the mail on Saturday — and I love it. I dropped it off today to have it framed and matted. I picked a very rustic frame and I hope it turns out as nice as I expect it to.
You did a gorgeous job and I know that Mark will love it. Of course, when I asked how long it would take to have it framed, they said two weeks!! Yikes — after the trouble you went to, to have it here in time! Hopefully it will be ready by the 15th! I'll send a photo when it's back. (It was hard to leave it there. I hope they take good care of him.)
Thanks again"

"Hi Melanie,
I don't think I ever wrote and told you about Mark's reaction to the portrait of Rocky... He LOVED it! It brought tears to his eyes. It really turned out so nice and I love the frame that I had put on it. I keep saying I need to take a photo of it to send to you. I will... soon!
Thank you again!"

"My portrait has arrived safely and I am delighted with it. Thank you very much. He looks very proud and handsome. I have got it propped up at the moment and will get it framed in the New Year.
Thanks again"

"Hi Melanie,
The portrait arrived safely and it is just so beautiful. You really captured Jez perfectly.
Again, thank you so much for doing this. It is really going to make my mum's Christmas. And I will definitely send you some photographs for the website, don't worry about that.
Thank you once again."

"Melanie,
I received Jack's portrait on Tuesday — it arrived safely and looks great. It is so wonderful, and I just can't wait until it gets opened on Christmas Day! I am currently having it framed and I will definitely try to send photos of the portrait framed. I am also planning on taking pictures of it being opened on Christmas — I think the response will be priceless from everyone in the room!
Thank you so, so much for the beautiful portrait. I can't express how much this means to me. I also have horses and dogs, as well as riding at a barn in which there are over 30 customers who all are animal lovers as well! I will recommend you to all of them and hopefully they will be in contact with you for future portraits.
Melanie, thank you again for your beautiful work!"

"Dear Melanie,
The portrait arrived this morning as promised. One word – WOW! Thank you so much for capturing Henri just perfectly. I'm off to find a framer who can complement your work. We're over the moon with it and I for one can't wait to give it pride of place in our main sitting room.
Many, many thanks.
Kind regards"

"Hi Melanie,
I received the portrait of Tess on Monday, and I am very pleased! It's beautiful!
I'm planning on giving it to Charlie (her dad) tomorrow — I'm sure he will love it. I'll ask him to take a picture when he frames it, and email one to you.
Thanks so much!
Wishing you and Nick very happy holidays!"

"Hello,
Wow, that's brilliant! Even better than we'd hoped for. The mock-up was good, the initial stages were great, and this final result is just superb! You've captured Max to a tee, giving his portrait much more life than a photograph ever could.

I'm sure some people who don't have a dog think getting a professional artist to create a portrait of them is crazy, but we think this makes perfect sense. For all the intelligence dogs have, they just don't understand reminiscence and the need for humans to trigger memories and emotions — and therefore aren't a co-operative subject to a camera-wielding owner!

Having a portrait of this calibre commissioned captures Max perfectly, preserving him in his prime for us forever.
Once again, Gail and I would just like to thank you for this piece of artwork, and for your accommodation to our suggestions and preferences.
Cheers"

"Dear Melanie,
I don't think I will ever be able to explain how beautiful the portrait is or how you were able to capture our baby Hannah as we remember her. The precision of your work is absolutely amazing.

Through your patience and guidance, we now have a piece of Hannah that we can share with those whose lives she touched. We will always miss our dear Hannah, but at least with your help we will never forget our loving, caring, strong baby girl. We continue to hold onto that very special place in our hearts she touched and where she will live forever.

When given the portrait, my husband cried and expressed how grateful he was that I had found you. He cannot believe that you were able to create such a perfect depiction of Hannah.
Thank you so much for allowing me to work with you. We promise to keep in touch and hope that you have a wonderful summer!
Sincerely"

"Hi Melanie,
The portraits arrived yesterday and they are gorgeous!! Thanks so much – and thank Nick, too. We're really very happy with them. When I get them framed, I'll send you a photo, if you are interested. And I'll pass along your flyers to my vet friend.

It's been great working with you.
(Liz had a portrait from both Nick and me – Nick painted their cat and I painted their dog.)"

"Melanie,
You have such talent! Your eye for detail, colour and depth is a gift from God. I've forwarded all the pictures to my mother and she cries every time she sees them. It's like Gipper is sitting in the room with us.

Thank you for helping me in the grieving process and providing me with a piece that will help me remember her for a lifetime. I can't wait to 'get her home.' Thank you so much for your hard work on this."

"Melanie,
Gipper arrived today in the mail. I prepared myself as I opened it to cry, because I miss her so much. I did indeed cry — not only because I miss her, but because you did such an amazing job!

I know you're told over and over that you capture the pet and their personality so well — that's because you do! She looks so real… I wanted to pet her. You have a God-given talent and you bless so many people by providing them with memories of the little angels that have touched their lives.

I really miss going to sleep with her by my bed… I can once again have her with me.
Thank you for helping me remember Gipper.
God bless and have a Merry Christmas!"

"Melanie
We were thrilled to see the painting
It is wonderful thank you and very much look forward to hanging it to have pride of place at home
Many thanks again and v. much looking forward to receiving the picture
Best regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Mr. and Mrs. Sugiura just called us to tell us that the painting was delivered to them today (May 18th) safely. They are far more than very happy with your work. Yoshie Sugiura told me she was so moved by the beauty of the painting that she shed tears of joy.

Jun and I thank you on their behalf for the splendid work you have done! They are inviting us to view the painting they now treasure, and we very much look forward to that.
Thank you very much and best regards"

"Dear Melanie,
It's beautiful, really beautiful — thank you so much! ＼(^o^)／ We are extremely pleased with them. Thank you again. (^_^)/~~~~"

"Hi there Melanie,
I know you must be wondering if we received and opened the piece you did for us. It came, safe and sound, but had remained unopened on the dining room table. Barney's absence from this house and my life remains tender and raw.

Knowing his image, rolled in bubble wrap and safe for the time being, waiting for me to reveal it took more 'intention' than I was prepared to muster. A few days ago, with a bottle of very good champagne for emotional lubricant, we unwrapped our boy.
Barney was home."

"His eyes so clear, nose wet and tongue black spotted. I could even smell him. We cried buckets and buckets. Absolutely wonderful — we couldn't be more pleased.

Thank you for being so kind and patient in allowing us to take our own pace with Barney's portrait. We have a place ready for him in the dining room and the background colours in Barney's portrait work perfectly.
Thanks ever so much"

"Hi Melanie,
Thank you. Izzy's portrait is astonishing—more than we could ever have hoped for. You have done a brilliant job of capturing her—it is a true likeness. The expression on her face and the look in her eye is Izzy as I remember her most: kind, loving, alert. A beautiful reminder of a lovely friend.

Thank you once again. Will be in touch in the future for an Ozzy portrait."

"Melanie,
The portrait arrived this morning, which Kev opened at lunchtime—gobsmacked, to say the least. He had no idea what I was up to and was truly shocked at the likeness of the picture to Tia. He sat through lunch just staring at it, taking it all in. I think he was even more impressed that the artist was in Wales!

Now I'll just have to wait and see if he's remembered a pressie for me!!!!!
Thank you so much again"

"Hi Melanie,
Have just received my painting. It is so like the photo—you have captured them just right. I love it.
Thank you so much.
Love and best wishes"

"Hi Melanie,
I saw the portrait you painted for Mum at the weekend—it is absolutely beautiful, and the picture is so lifelike that the cats themselves have had to give it a second look! Mum is so pleased, she can't stop talking about it and can't wait until it is framed and up on the wall. The picture surpasses all of our expectations and will continue to give Mum lots of pleasure in the years to come.
Many thanks"

"Melanie ~
Just wanted to let you know that we got the painting placed (for now!) on our mantle in the living room, and I'm in total awe! I knew I loved it just from the pictures on your website, but actually seeing it in person... it's amazing! Their eyes sparkle—especially Nikki's. We'd swear we could just reach out and touch her. She and Scruffy look so vibrant. My husband and I are just thrilled with it!
Cheers"

"Hello Melanie,
When I arrived home today my portraits were waiting for me—safely arrived. Unbelievable! The mock-ups and final image you sent were great, but to see the original artwork up close is truly amazing. I can't wait to find the perfect frame to accent your work. Thank you so, so much. I'll enjoy their presence in my home for years to come.
Best Wishes

Hi Melanie,
It looks terrific! Maria and I really like it—there's nothing we would change. We're looking forward to receiving the original and hanging it on our wall."

"Dear Melanie,
Abigail has just arrived. We lost her just over 8 months ago, and I've had great difficulty coming to terms with this. The portrait you've done is incredible—almost beyond words. I feel she has found a way of coming back to keep an eye over us. You've captured not only her looks, but her character and spirit. I keep finding myself unable to step away from it!
Thank you so much—warmest wishes"

"Melanie,
Just wanted to let you know Anna's portrait arrived safely. I couldn't be more pleased—she looks so real!
Cheers"

"Dear Melanie,
Your portraits of Patch and Sandy arrived today and I can't thank you enough. It's really beautiful, and I know Alan will treasure it. I don't know how you do it, but Patch's eyes follow you when you move—it's as if his face turns too! I'm thinking of a mahogany frame, as Alan's furniture is all mahogany, but if you've suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Thank you so very much again.
Regards"

"Oh my god he's beautiful—thank you!"

"Hi Melanie,
Just to let you know that my husband really liked his picture and thought it was a true likeness. At first he thought it was just a painting of a boxer that happened to look like Brodie, and then he realised it was him! He couldn't understand how we'd managed to get an oil portrait done. We just need to get it framed now. Thanks again."

"Dear Melanie,
Thank you so much for the beautiful painting of Carlli. I'm so happy with it! I showed all my co-workers and everyone said it's a fantastic painting—you're excellent! I really appreciate it, and I'll share it with my boyfriend and Carlli tonight. I think Carlli will be very, very happy—this is his first painting! Thank you so much for making him so special.
Best Regards"

"Hi Mel,
What can I say—it's absolutely perfect in every way. You've captured the true character of each and every one of our dogs. The picture defies belief. You're truly a very talented person, and I'm so glad I found you. This will be the best present ever—one I'll never be able to match. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart—it's wonderful!! I can't wait to see it for real."

"Hi Melanie,
I received the portrait of Tess on Monday and I'm very pleased! It's beautiful. I'm planning to give it to Charlie (her Dad) tomorrow—I'm sure he'll love it. I'll ask him to send you a photo once it's framed.
Thanks so much!
Wishing you and Nick very Happy Holidays!!"

"Melanie,
I received Jack's portrait on Tuesday — it arrived safely and looks great. It is so wonderful, and I just can't wait until it gets opened on Christmas Day! I'm currently having it framed and will definitely try to send photos once it's ready. I'm also planning to take pictures of it being opened on Christmas — I think the response will be priceless from everyone in the room!

Thank you so, so much for the beautiful portrait — I can't express how much this means to me. I also have horses and dogs, and ride at a barn with over 30 other animal lovers — I'll be recommending you to all of them and hope they get in touch for their own portraits. Thank you again for your beautiful work!

Hi Melanie,
The portrait arrived safely and it is just so beautiful. You really captured Jez perfectly. Thank you so much for doing this — it's really going to make my mum's Christmas. I'll definitely send you some photographs for the website, don't worry about that.
Thank you once again."

"My portrait has arrived safely and I am delighted with it. Thank you very much. He looks very proud and handsome. I have got it propped up at the moment and will get it framed in the New Year.
Thanks again

Dear Melanie,
The portrait has arrived! I cannot adequately express my appreciation. I feel as though my sweet boy, Maximilian, is now here both in body and spirit. The resemblance is striking, the workmanship outstanding! You have captured his essence, heart, and character perfectly. I am forever indebted to you for giving me the opportunity to keep him forever close. We all still miss him terribly.

I hope to put the portrait on his website with both due credit and links as soon as possible. I'll be in touch when that's accomplished. I hope we can work together again soon — perhaps another portrait and some website hook-ups. Right now, I'm just too overwhelmed...
Thanks again and kindest regards

Hi Melanie,
Just thought I'd let you know that I've received the portrait!! It is awesome. So awesome, in fact, that one of my other dogs, Tulsa, saw the portrait leaning up against the wall and growled at it — like it was real!!! So not only do I think you totally captured Ally, but so do the other dogs!
Ally and I just love it. I'll be sure to send you a picture once it's framed and I look forward to ordering more portraits in the future!!"

"OH MY GOD, IT IS SOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL. I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE HOW EXCITED I AM. AND YES, KEEPING IT A SECRET IS GOING TO TAKE ALL MY EFFORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU ARE TRULY AMAZING!!!!!!!

Hi Melanie, I almost forgot to email you — been so busy at work this AM. Well, John's birthday was last night and I finally got to give him the painting. He could not believe it. He was thrilled! Couldn't believe it came all the way from England. He said to tell you how remarkable you are — and I agree. Thanks once again"

"Hi Melanie,
I jokingly said to my father and stepmother that for my 21st birthday, I would really like a portrait of my very first legally owned pet dog. My mother owns dogs and I still live with her along with Jaffaman (my Springer). Yet there is nothing quite like your own dog — the dog you train and see bloom from a naughty, scared puppy to a loving family dog. Jaffaman was brought home as an 8-week-old puppy, very under-socialised and in need of a lot of work to help him feel confident and secure in his new home.

I work with dogs at the Blue Cross Adoption Centre in Burford, Oxfordshire. Over this nearly four-year period in my job, I've worked with many breeds — but you can't beat a Springer Spaniel. This portrait of Jaffaman is extremely life-like. Melanie Phillips has captured him perfectly. I wake up every morning and see it on the wall, and I feel so pleased and proud of my present — something I can cherish forever.

A photograph just isn't the same as this picture. This is something I can proudly keep on display. I've looked at other works by Melanie Phillips and all her dog portraits are incredibly life-like — not just true to the breed, but clearly true to the dogs themselves.

Melanie Phillips is a very talented artist, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to immortalise their pet. I cried when I received my portrait — I was just so amazed that an artist could capture Jaffaman's attitude and features from a few simple photographs. This is a 21st birthday gift I'll treasure for life, and a tribute to all the hard work I put into helping him become the Jaffaman he is today."

"WOW!! THE PICTURE IS JUST SUBURB! What a beautiful painting, Mel — you've really captured them both perfectly. I'm totally blown away by it! I wouldn't want to change a single thing. I've shown Stephen and he's really, really happy — he said, "When can we get it?!"

My father has three Bichon Frisés (spelling?!) — I noticed you've painted one before and she looked gorgeous, so I'm sure he'd love a portrait too. His newest addition is a Doberman, so quite the crew when they go for a walk!
I can't tell you how pleased I am with this. Thank you so very much.
Love"

"Hi Melanie — well, he arrived today and I'm just speechless. He is beyond stunning. Just brilliant. There is not one thing I would change. And I'm so glad I went for the larger size — he's literally life-size, which I hadn't realised! It's like he's just sitting in the room with me. He's as beautiful as he was in real life — I could not be happier.

I'm a big sap, and of course I cried — but they were happy tears. I'm thrilled to have such a special memory of him to carry with me always. He was such a special boy, and not a day goes by that I don't think about him. To have this to see every day is just so special.
I can't thank you enough, of course! So THANK YOU!!!"

"Hello Melanie,
We received the portrait yesterday. It looks amazing! We are so pleased with your work. We will send you a picture once we find the perfect frame for it. Thank you again. Take care.

Dear Melanie and Nick,
The portrait has arrived safe and sound and is absolutely beautiful — the colours are so rich and it is just like Sherry!! Thanks so much for getting it to us today, on the 21st! It was a great thrill to receive it.

Our present to Jess was the purchase of Sherry, whom she has had on loan for ages now and intended buying when she finished varsity and was working. She is over the moon now and it makes the portrait even more important! We feel really happy with the picture and wouldn't hesitate to recommend you — Jess has already been showing the copy to her friends at the stables!
Kindest regards

Hi Melanie,
That looks great, you have captured him well.
Thanks"

"Hi Nick,
I think my sister has beaten me to it to let you know what she thinks about your painting. I think she quite likes it!!! It was priceless to see her face when she opened it up — the surprise, wonder and emotion. She thought Nick's artwork was absolutely incredible — the light, the texture, the way he captured their little wet noses! The likeness and detail to the photos is totally remarkable.

I was particularly pleased that my sister was thrilled with Minnie's portrait (the black cat on the left). Minnie is my Sue's shadow, a complete 'mummy's girl'. She's not a healthy cat and in most photos she looks a bit bat-like, so that this has come out so well is worth more than its weight in gold.

And the frame — absolute perfection!!! Sue's husband thought that I had taken a frame from one of their mirrors! It works to perfection — love your framer, please do pass on my huge thanks and compliments for a fantastic selection.
Thanks again to both — it's been a pleasure!!"

"Ffion absolutely loved the portrait! I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but Meg had passed away fairly recently. Ffion and the rest of her family thought it was a lovely present and a fantastic likeness. Indeed, everyone was very surprised by the attention to detail of the work — the collar, the tag and all the little colours on Meg's paws!

Enjoy your holiday... you both certainly deserve it! Thanks again for everything. If you're still in the business, I'm sure I'll be contacting you somewhere down the line to request another of your brilliant portraits... maybe a horse or cat next time!
Take care!"

"Hi Nick,
Just to let you know the portrait arrived on Thursday but I waited until today to give Dad his present as the whole family was here. We all think it is fabulous and we had a laugh when he realised he'd signed for his own present! Dad is thrilled with it.
Thank you Nick for all your hard work and to you as well Melanie for all your help.
Best Wishes

Brenda loves it! We're looking into where we can get it framed. Just as soon as it is framed we'll send a webp pic... thanks again and will be in touch."

"Hi Nick,
Just to let you know the portrait arrived safely today. It was my mum's birthday today so perfect timing! She was absolutely thrilled, it really is beautiful. Thank you so much! She's going to get it framed and then send you a picture.
Thank you for helping me give her such a special birthday, it really means a lot."

"Hi Nick,
We can't believe the portrait — it's superb and our daughter will love it.
Best regards"

"Hi Melanie,
Finally, we have the lovely portrait of our beloved pet Maybelline you so conscientiously painted, framed and on the wall. We are thrilled with the final outcome and marvel at the likeness to her real feline being. Our friends have also commented on the realness of the portrait and the quality of the workmanship.
Thanks for the commitment to excellence.
Warm Regards"

"Hello Nick,
We have at last had the fabulous portrait of our Lizzie framed and have attached a photo for you to see. The framer was brilliant, very experienced in pastel work. After looking through 15 frames and 20 boards, I felt this was the best combination for both complementing the lovely colours of her as well as the velour.

I am absolutely delighted with the portrait. She now hangs next to our French doors in a corner not open to direct sunlight or near a radiator, and it is above a corner where she would sit and watch the world go by. Everyone who sees it is breath-taken by the detail and beauty.
I cannot thank you enough for the delight you have brought in bringing her 'alive' to keep watch over all we do. John swears she is frowning at him as she used to!
Best wishes"

"Hi Melanie,
Gail's mum has recently moved, and now that her new home is ready for decoration, she has put Sam's portrait at the focal point of her living room. The picture is a bit grainy but the frame is a graphite-coloured wood, with light and dark borders to accentuate the pencil lines.

Jean is just thrilled with her piece of artwork! She was really pleased when we presented her with it on her birthday last year, and knowing she would be moving she kept it safe before framing and hanging it. Now she admires it every day, laughing to think Sam was once that small!
Best regards"

"Just to let you know that Bracken arrived Friday afternoon and was admired by everyone in the office. She looks even better in the flesh. I will definitely send you a picture after she is framed. Thanks ever so much!

Just had the picture back from the framers and had your lovely painting framed in a walnut frame which works beautifully with the colouring. She is now all wrapped ready for Christmas!
I will send you one other from a different viewpoint."

"Hey you two,
Our picture of Herby is up on the wall and has been for a while. I've taken some pics, but with the flash and all, I'm not sure they really show how fantastic it looks. People have commented on the 'photo of Herby' and it's not until they climb on the sofa and check that it becomes apparent that it's actually a fantastic pastel painting. We are all very pleased with the final picture, although of course it also sometimes makes the kids feel a bit sad. We would all like to thank you both for providing us with our Herby picture, we all look at it every day.
Kindest regard"

"Hi Nick,
Wow, the portrait looks great! Thank you so much!

Nick,
I promised you I would take a picture of the framed pastel, and here it is. Thank you again for the wonderful picture!"

"Hello!
Ted and Kate were totally stunned and speechless with it and had no idea, which was great. He hung it up straight away (which means he reeeeaallly likes it) in the main part of the house so I can see it every time I go up there :-))) Everyone who's seen it has loved it.

I printed out the almost finished photo of the painting and went with my best friend to play around with mount colours and frames before it got here. The mount colours are oyster and a reddish brown, and the frame is a very dark brown with red tones to it. Even the chick at the framing place commented on how gorgeous it looked. Thanks so much — it's just brilliant!"

"That's perfect, it's Jasper to a T. Thank you."

"I have received today — thank you. It is better in real life than in the email. I will get it framed and send you a photo. Thank you very much, this is really appreciated.
Best Regards

Here are a couple of photos of the framed portrait. The lady who framed this was very taken with it and may be in touch for a portrait of a horse. Thanks a lot"

"Hi Nick,
Just received back from the framers the picture of Oscar. I am sending you a couple of pics. I would like to thank you again — everybody who sees it agrees it's a perfect copy of just how they remember him.
Regards"

"Hi,
Just a note to say Molly's portrait arrived safely — it is beautiful and I am sure Neil will love it!
Thank you very much. Best wishes and have a great Christmas."

"Dear Nick,
It is awesome, thank you so much! You have caught Comet's essence perfectly, which was the most important thing for me. I was quite moved to tears when I saw it. Thank you again — this is the best Christmas present. I hope you both have a wonderful Christmas and all good wishes for the New Year."

"Dear Nick,
The portrait arrived safely and we had the unveiling at Mum's house. All agreed it was fantastic. Thank you again! Take care."

"Hi Nick,
Received my portrait today — it's absolutely lovely. Thank you so much. You will come highly recommended!"

"Hello Nick,
The portrait is beautiful — looking at it brought a few tears. You have captured them so well and the frame is a perfect choice. As soon as I put the portrait on the wall, Blitz (Whisky's brother) jumped on the back of the settee to have a look and put up his paw.
Thank you very much — it brings back lovely memories of the ones I have lost. Speak to you soon."

"Hi Melanie and Nicholas,
First, I am thrilled by the painting. As you said, this really is more a portrait than a painting. I must admit to mixed emotions when I look at it, given the quick, unexpected and early death of Wilson to AHA. However, while my emotions may start with sadness, it soon turns into a smile thinking about all the good times and his sweet personality. I don't know that you ever get over it completely, it's just that the memories evoke more smiles faster as time goes by.

I really can't wait to see Carol's face when she sees the picture. I've got a feeling it will invoke a bit of emotion for her as well.

There was a basketball coach here in the US — someone you've probably never heard of (after all we don't even play the proper football!). His name was Jim Valvano and he had cancer while still in his prime. He was very successful and popular and before he died, they started a cancer research fund (the Jimmy V fund) in his honour. ESPN televised an event establishing the fund and it was one of Valvano's last public appearances. One of the things he said was:

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

I have a feeling your painting will cover her for 1 and 3.

Once we get the painting framed, I'll be sure to send you a picture (may take a while as I suspect Carol will be looking for the perfect antique frame). Thanks again for sharing your artistic talent… I suspect there may be a PBGV in your future."