Hello: I'm Alayna! I'm a children's book illustrator, but I also love animals, so I do pet portraits too! A few years ago I had a friend who had a Whippet.  My friend thought her Whippet looked just like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer when he's wearing the fake black nose over his real red nose - remember that?  My friend's Whippet was her pride and her joy, so she asked me to draw his picture.  When I finished my very first pet portrait, my friend was ecstatic - "You captured his nose perfectly!" And a new avocation was born. My formal art training is in natural science illustration, which I received at Rhode Island School of Design.  I learned a lot there about technique and attention to detail, and those lessons have influenced my portrait style.  I've also been a dog-walker, pet sitter, groomer, and veterinary assistant, plus I have a dog and two cats of my own, so I've gotten to know a lot of animals.  My first-hand experience with the singular personalities of so many dogs and cats has influenced my portraits as well.
What's New: Order a portrait for Christmas now and beat the holiday rush!