A Loving Old Soul Remembered in Oil

Some pets are gentle souls with a little attitude all their own. Beau was exactly that — deeply loving, but with what his family affectionately described as the personality of a “cranky old man” at times.

After Beau passed away, Tegan wanted to create something lasting for her husband Jason, who had been devastated by the loss. The result is Beau – Legacy Memorial Oil Pet Portrait, a 50×40cm original oil painting created to preserve not only Beau’s likeness, but the familiar expression and character that made him unmistakably himself.

The Story Behind the Canvas

When Tegan first contacted the studio, Beau had only been gone for a short time. Her idea was simple but deeply personal: to surprise Jason with a painting that would bring a piece of Beau back into their home.

Like many much-loved pets, Beau had never been particularly interested in posing for photographs. The available reference images came from different moments and varied considerably in lighting and quality, with some of the original files no longer available.

Rather than relying on a single photograph, I studied the collection as a whole — his facial structure, colouring, fur, eyes and expressions — using each image to understand a different part of him.

The final portrait brings those references together into one carefully resolved painting, with Beau looking directly from the canvas with the quiet confidence and slightly serious expression that suited his “loving but cranky old man” personality so perfectly.

A clean white frame was selected to complement the light, coastal style of his family’s home, allowing Beau to remain completely at the centre of the piece.

Artisanal Craftsmanship & Presentation

• Size: Legacy – 50×40cm canvas, creating an intimate yet substantial portrait with enough scale to develop Beau’s expression and individual details.

• Medium: Hand-painted in multiple layers of premium, archival-quality oil paint on professional canvas.

• Finish: Protected with a professional varnish to enrich the depth of the oils while helping preserve the finished painting.

• Framing: Presented in a custom white floating frame, chosen specifically to complement the family’s relaxed coastal interior.

• Shipping: Professionally packed and securely couriered within Australia, ready to hang on arrival.

The Elena Valerie Promise

Beau’s portrait is protected by my lifetime restoration warranty. If the painting is ever accidentally damaged in the future, I will personally restore it in my studio free of charge.

A portrait created to remember someone so loved should be made to remain part of the family for generations.

“... I love it, more than happy.”

— Tegan, Commission Client  

Every pet has the little expressions, habits and quirks that their family recognises instantly. My role is to bring those details together in oil so the finished portrait feels like far more than a reproduction of a photograph.

To commission a custom oil portrait of your own pet, submit an enquiry through the studio website and tell me a little about them, their personality, and the photographs you have available.