Freya

I love the photograph which was chosen as a reference for Freya's portrait, she is such a beautiful girl but her expression is so relaxed and content. She looks so loved. Her pose is fantastic, it's an unusual angle for a portrait but such a familiar pose to so many of us. I kept imagining I could get that gorgeous popcorn-smell of paws as I was drawing them!

This portrait is sadly a memorial portrait, Freya passed away quite recently. Devastatingly, she passed away on the same week as her Vizsla brother Stanley. I cannot even imagine the heartbreak. She arrived from a rescue in Romania, and sadly only had 5 years in her wonderful home, in every photo I have she looks as if she's been at home forever. Her early life took its toll and she suffered badly later in life with arthritis and laterally bulging discs in her neck and back, but was described as 'funny and naughty' despite all she suffered. I hope the portrait does her lovely face justice and keeps memories alive for as long as possible.

Freya's portrait was drawn with Faber Castell Pitt pastel pencils on Daler Rowney Ingres pastel paper and measures 12" x 10" / 30 x 25cm. 2023.