CUSTOM PET PORTRAITS
Artwork honoring the pets who feel like family
Custom pet portraits created through a guided, collaborative process.
Serving clients nationwide
Pouka Art & Photography is the studio of Danica Barreau, a professional pet portrait artist based in Grove City, Ohio. Her work is created for people who see their pets as true family and want artwork that reflects that bond.
Whether you’re celebrating a companion who’s still with you or honoring one who’s passed, each portrait is created to feel personal.
You may choose a Signature Portrait, with a simple painted background that keeps the focus on expression, or a Storyscape, which places your pet within a setting that carries meaning. Both are created to reflect personality and connection.
These portraits aren’t about a single moment. They’re about the relationship you shared.
WHAT MAKES THESE PET PORTRAITS DIFFERENT
For many clients, this artwork represents a relationship that developed over time. It’s not just about a good likeness. It’s about recognizing your pet—the expression, posture, and small details that feel unmistakably them.
That becomes even more important when the photos aren’t perfect. Phone snapshots or older images are often more than enough. I’m used to pulling together the strongest elements and filling in what’s missing in a way that stays true to your pet, not idealized or generic.
Because the work begins digitally, I can collaborate with clients anywhere in the country and refine the portrait carefully before it becomes a physical piece. Once the painting is right, it’s printed on canvas and finished by hand with acrylic brushwork and texture, creating artwork with real depth and presence.
The commissions page explains how the process works, what’s involved, and how we’ll work together.
With hundreds of commissioned pet portraits completed, Danica Barreau has been creating custom artwork through Pouka Art & Photography since 2006.
A PPA Master Artist and Certified Professional Photographer, Danica brings a deep understanding of light, composition, and expression to every piece. Each portrait is created through a hybrid process that combines digital painting with hand-applied acrylic brushwork on canvas, allowing careful refinement early on and physical depth in the finished artwork.
LATEST WORK
Still wondering?
IF MY PET HAS PASSED, WILL SEEING THE ARTWORK EVERY DAY MAKE IT HARDER?
That hesitation makes sense.
When a pet has shaped your routines, your home, and your sense of comfort, their absence changes how the day feels. Many people wait because they’re protecting themselves from feeling overwhelmed again.
The intention behind this artwork isn’t to reopen grief. It’s to reflect the relationship in a way that feels true.
For most clients, living with the artwork doesn’t make things harder. It becomes a reminder of expression, personality, and the connection they shared. It reflects what that pet meant in their daily life.
HOW SOON IS TOO SOON?
There isn’t a set timeline. Some people begin within weeks. Others wait months or even years. There’s no right answer. What matters is whether the idea feels manageable.
If thinking about the artwork brings more comfort than hesitation, it may be the right time.
IS IT STRANGE TO CREATE ARTWORK WHILE MY PET IS STILL HERE?
Not at all.
Many clients choose to create artwork while their pet is still part of daily life. It allows them to recognize what that relationship means now, not later.
It isn’t about preparing for loss. It’s about acknowledging value while you’re still living it.
WHEN IT FEELS RIGHT
If you’ve read this far, you likely already know whether this feels right.
You don’t need perfect photos.
You don’t need a fully formed idea.
You don’t need to be certain about timing.
You only need to feel ready to begin the conversation.
When you are, I’d be honored to create your portrait.
Explore how simple snapshots transform into painted memories.
