Sit back and relax while I tell you the story of Otter, a Chocolate Lab painted at the very tail end of my 2023 pet portrait season (October through November).

This order rolled in the first week of December, technically a late order. Usually a big portrait order that late is difficult to finish and deliver on time. I called the customer who explained Otter recently passed and his wife was having a very hard time with it.

I hesitantly agreed to squeeze Otter in as a last minute RUSH project.

My biggest concern: getting the portrait painted, printed, and shipped before Christmas. It was a large portrait at thirty-six inches square. Portraits that big take longer to deliver.

Fearing it would take me a long time to create, I got right on it, painting nonstop for three days.

I remarked that Otter looked a bit melancholy. The customer told me the photo depicted his favorite location in the yard for naps. They snapped the photo just before he drifted off to sleep.

I completed the proof on December 8th. The customer approved it that day, and I sent it off to my print vendor that evening.

Luckily, the printer is located in Denver and they printed it, wrapped the canvas on a frame, packaged it, and sent it within 3 business days (I paid a RUSH fee). The portrait arrived a week before Christmas.

Whew!

The moral of the story

I usually try to cut off portrait orders on Thanksgiving, just to give me time to finish with enough time for my vendor to print and ship. It is also nice to have some time to do my own Christmas paintings.

This time it worked out, but if you are thinking of ordering a portrait this Christmas, please order as soon as possible.

Otter (36x36, digital)