Portrait of Irish Setters and Siamese Cat

This is a special painting. I took photos of the subjects the summer of 2025. The cat, Kit, was a veteran cat (21 years old at the time I photographed her). Her owner was able to provide me with a photo of her when she was a younger cat. Breanna, the oldest dog, passed shortly after we photographed her. She loved rally and obedience. Her owner and I were thankful we were able to get ideal photos of her. Carrol, Doyle's dam, was lovely and a complete angel with the camera. Of course, Doyle, a pup at the time, kept us in smiles. Kit and Breanna were best buddies. Both passed now - making the painting even more special.

When painting multiple subjects in a painting, I create several collages of different photos so the collector and I can compare photos side by side. It is a great tool to help decide which reference photos we want to use.

Thank you Tiffany for having me paint your special pets. It truly is an honor.

Portrait of an Irish Red and White Setter

     There are few things in life that are more rewarding than being a participant in a special gift.  This is a painting that was a gift from one friend to another.   The painting was hand delivered from Texas to Minnesota and arrived on the 14^th birthday of our main subject, Reig.

    Reig is also known as GCH O'Dobhailien O'Halloran Heritage JH.  When discussing what photo to use of Reig for his portrait, it was decided to use a veteran photo.   He had been featured in the "Off the Leash" article in the Upland Almanac Magazine, summer 2019 issue, and with that in mind, we knew his owners had some wonderful photos of him in the field, in his prime.  In addition, Reig's photo is one of four IRWS photos in the book, The Curious History of Irish Breeds, by David Blake Knox.  Given those wonderful photos and memories, it felt perfect to create something that shows Reig, at home, spending time with his adoring family.

    I asked his owners to share a little bit about him.  "We couldn't be more thrilled with Dawn's perception and attention to detail displayed in her gorgeous painting of our Reig.  His eyes say it all.  It is like looking at Reig in a mirror.  We will always treasure Dawn and her talent along with the Hultkrantzs who thought highly enough of Reig, and Dawn's gifted artistry, to have the painting commissioned for us."  Bob and Evan Devlin

Thank you to Irina and Bob Hultkrantz for the honor of painting this special gift for your dear friends.

Jameson the Irish Setter

 

Years ago I painted a dog named Reilly. It was an amazing painting.  One of the greatest honors is when an art collector returns to me to paint for them again.   Reilly’s owner, Marsha, has another Irish Setter, Jameson, and I was able to meet him and photograph him for his painting.  I fell in love with him immediately – cooperative for the photos and a true sweetheart full of personality.  

Jameson’s official name is Kilkieran's Like Father Like Son.  Jameson is Marsha's first exposure in the world of dog shows.   This picture is taken from Jameson's first national specialty in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  

Reference photo of Jameson.   He was so precious laying on the floor looking up at Marsha.   How could she not choose this photo to use as our primary reference photo for his painting!

Thank you Marsha for having me paint your precious baby boy.

A painting of Josie

This is a painting of Josie.   I was contacted about painting a dog as a Christmas present.  The couple who approached me, who were about my age, wanted a painting as a gift for the husband's mother.   

When the photos of the dog were texted to me, I was smitten.   Josie was the cutest little dog. Her photos showed her spirit and softness all mixed together.   I imagined a senior woman sitting in her living room with her beloved dog, Josie, sitting on her lap.   Having an 89 year old senior mother myself whose constant companion is a small lap dog, I immediately knew the bond between Josie and her owner was immense.

Each painting I create is approached as my only painting.   100% of my attention goes into the painting I am working on.   It is important that my focus on that painting is not distracted by a waiting list.  When working on this painting, there were multiple people the painting would touch.  I painted Josie for her owner.  I also painted Josie to give the very best painting to the couple giving the gift.  When all is said and done, the gift is also given to me - the gift of being honored when chosen to paint for someone.  This gift is not taken lighting.   Each painting truly is an honor.

Jackson - a portrait of an Irish Setter

This is a painting of Jackson - (GCHG Ramblin' Red Slamdunk Buckpasser MH RN DN CGCA TKA)

I have watched him grow on line and at shows since he was a pup.   It was exciting to receive a call from his owner, Gerry, asking me to paint his portrait.   When I hear people talk about Jackson, I always hear "He is such a fun dog."   Beauty and brains with personality.  Who can ask for more.

Here are some words his main person shared with me:

Jackson loves everyone!  He is a versatile dog that excels in having a job to do whether hunting, rally or conformation.   He has the sweetest personality.  He has his Master Hunter title thus the nod to the pheasant in the background of his painting.   He has also had many achievements in the show ring with his breeder/co-owner Peter Kubacz most notably Best of Breed at the 2024 ISCA National Specialty, Best in Show and Multiple Best in Specialty shows.   As he enters his senior years, I am seriously considering therapy dog training so he can make visits to our local nursing home and share his love.

It has been an honor to paint him.  Thank you Gerry!

A painting of Holly - Irish Setter

This is a painting of a dog named Holly (Woodglen Holly My Valentine CD, RE, RATS, CGCA).   I was so excited when the commission came in.  Holly's owner wanted a painting showing Holly at her different stages of life.  In the painting, images of her include a puppy photo, competing in a dog event and as a senior dog.  For the background, I was sent images of oak trees in her yard.

Before, during and after painting Holly, I was overwhelmed by how much this dog is loved.   Dogs are such a major part of our lives - our family.

Thank you to Holly's family for having me paint her.  It was an honor.

Portrait of an Irish Setter pup by Dawn Secord

 This is a portrait painted in pastel of an Irish Setter puppy named Killesandra.    The portrait was commissioned by a daughter for her parents.  In the reference photo used, her ear was tucked under the edge of the coffee table.   I changed the ear in the painting to show the ear folded out and resting on the top of the table.  Thankfully artists are not limited by what they see or don't see.  

Killie, as she was affectionately called, was less than a year old when her life was cut short.    During that time, she had a profound impact on her family and is dearly missed.   Losing a dog at any age is horrific to those who love them.   Their lives are just not long enough.   Losing a young dog is especially difficult.

Here is a poem written by one of her family members.

KILLESHANDRA

You joined our family as a wee little one

Another Irish lass full of fun

We planned on taking you to dog shows

And soon were reminded that’s not how life goes

Your energy levels were hard to contain

From catching rodents, you would not refrain

You jumped really high, almost clearing the fence

We put up a screen to act as defense

You loved to run and loved to chase

The rest your head with an adorable face

We hoped to breed you to your big brother Row

And watch your puppies run to and fro

Then one day we saw something amiss

You were sick, but still had such bliss

A doggie doc said the news was not great

A shorter life would be your fate

We confirmed with our local pet vet

Knowing ten months was the best we would get

As so, with tears in our eyes we let your go

To cross the bridge colored in rainbow

You went to play with our pups in the past

Being sure for eternity you would have a blast

Losing a pet is always hard it is true

But always know we will forever love you.

Painting of Rocky - a White German Shepherd

I've been so negligent in posting finished paintings the last few years.  Not all those who commission my work want their painting posted.  Paintings of our special pets touch our hearts and I totally understand how some people would prefer for their painting to be kept private.   With that said, I don't post any paintings until I've spoken with the parties involved with the painting and know their wishes.  

This is a painting of Rocky.  He had the most amazing personality.   He never met a dog he didn't like.  He had a full life and crossed over the rainbow bridge at 15 years old.

White animals and black animals can be the most challenging to capture in a painting.  The lights and darks are already the color of the animals.  When creating highlights and shadows on animals that are black or white, I use a variety of colors - yellows, blues, purples and turquoise (subtly) to enhance the paintings.   I'll also make some areas darker than the photograph and some areas lighter.   While it is often referred to as artist liberty, it is a balance of instinct and composition.  Usually, the collar is removed from pets unless the owners prefer the collars to be left on.  With Rocky's painting, the darkness of his nose and mouth really set his face in front of his body.   Very little creative shadowing was necessary to define the distance.

He was a sweet soul and loved dearly.   I'd spent time with him in person and he was truly a special dog.  Below is the reference photo I'd taken of him for the painting.

Painting of Charlie - German Shepherd Dog

 This painting was recently completed of a beautiful German Shepherd Dog named Charlie.   He was a very special family member.   

When I am asked to paint a dog painting for a family, it is a special request.  For someone to commission me to paint their dog, there is no question if the dog is a family member or not.   

Growing up, we had a German Shepherd that looked very similar to Charlie.  A few years later, as a young teenager, our family rescued a German Shepherd / Lab mix.   That dog would later intervene and stop a charging bull from hurting me.   Dogs are such an important part of our lives.   German Shepherds are such wonderful family dogs.   Painting their thick coats is always a fun endeavor.   The black and tan colors of the breed are such a compliment to the eye.   Photographs never do paintings justice - for any artist.  I've placed some fun blue and purple shadows and highlights in this painting.  They are intermixed in Charlie's coat and are mostly undetected in this photograph.   Nothing takes the place of viewing art in person.   Don't underestimate going to an art exhibit or museum to view art.   What  you will see in person is so much more than what photographs of that art will show you.

Being able to be a full time artist is such a blessing.   A big thank you to John and Lana for having this painting of Charlie created by me.  It was an honor to paint him.   I can't wait for you to see the painting in person.

Charlie's reference photo:

A painting of Rogan

Rogan is such a cool dog.  He shows us what can be done with an Irish Setter.   He has beauty, brains and a loving gentle personality.

It always is so sad when people see me with one  of my dogs and say (something like this) - "Oh, I used to have one of those when I was a kid.  They are such stupid dogs."   It is always awkward - do I respond negatively as their statement is insulting, or do I try to be kind.   The kindness wins out everytime.  But, there is a little voice screaming inside me trying to get out. 

Irish Setters are very smart dogs.  Do they have a lot of energy?  Well, yes, they are sporting dogs - bred to work the field all day.   They have to  have the drive and build to do so.   As they get older, they quiet down.  Just like we do.   I remember as a child jumping on the bed with gusto and glee.  It was awesome, it was exhilarating.   Would I do that now?  No way - I'd  probably fall off  and break my leg or something.   Ha Ha.  Point is, Irish Setters are very smart dogs and can accomplish whatever we ask of them.   It comes down to the same thing for all dogs, the more time we spend with them, the more they are trained and socialized.   Our dogs, regardless of the breed, can do so much - it is up to us.

I asked Jeanne, Rogan's owner, to share a little bit about him and this is what she shared:

      GCh Ch Roclyn Rockafella, CD BN RE CGCA (Rogan) is a sweet, loving boy who excels in both the show ring and in performance events.

Thank you Jeanne for having me paint your boy.   It was my pleasure.   Below are the reference photos I took of him for the painting (plus one taken by another party).  It was a hard choice to decide which photo would be the primary reference photo.   When we are having a challenge  picking the photo for the painting, I like to put the top choices side by side.  It helps the elimination process.

Ziva - Painting of a Doberman Pinscher

This is Ziva.    She is a gentle kind girl with the most beautiful brown eyes. 

I met her owners probably 7 years ago when creating another painting of a different dog for them.   We met in the LA area and they did not have their dog with them.  Fortunately, a few months later, I would be traveling in Northern California.   We were able to met up so I could photograph their dog.

Jumping ahead several years, now it was Ziva's turn for her painting.   We met up in Palm Springs where I could take photos of Ziva.   She truly is a breathtaking girl - I fell in love with her.   We took numerous photos of her for reference material.  It was a difficult choice to pick a primary pose - Ziva is quite photogenic.   The photo chosen was not an ideal photo of her ears being up and alert.   The other reference photos allowed me to see different ear positions so the ear position could be changed in the painting.  Also, there were some really circular highlights on her coat that were distracting in the painting.  They were first painted in, but later I took them out.  They just looked odd.  My eye didn't question the highlights in the photos.  But, in the painting, it just wasn't right and needed to be adjusted.  Lastly, there was a significant shadow cast on her chest from her muzzle that didn't need to be in the painting.   Photos are just a road map for me to get to "that" dog's painting but I am most certainly not attempting to copy a photo.   My paintings have to be better than the photo or why have a painting.

The painting was finished several months ago.   It is always wonderful to ship the paintings to those who commissioned the work, but sad for the painting to leave my studio.   It is funny, they are like my children.   My heart is is every painting.

My normal system is to display the finished painting in my office for a week or two to clear my head.   I then take time to view the painting and make sure nothing jumps out that would need an adjustment.   It is amazing how a fresh eye can reveal things that previously went unnoticed.  So much time is spent with each painting, it seems like I simply become too familiar with the piece.   A clean fresh eye is a great chance for me to do a double take.   More often than not, no changes are needed.  Once in a while something jumps out that may need a little tweak.

Thank you to Ziva's family for having me paint for you again.   It is an honor.

A painting of Tobie the Yorkie and Murphee the Maltese

This painting was really awesome to create.  The owners of Tobie and Murphee had the perfect photos for our project.  Both dogs had passed away and and fortunately their owners had a number of them.  

There was a great photo of the boys laying on the back of the sofa.   Their expressions in that photo were not ideally what the owners wanted reflected in the painting.   However, there were some other photos that had the dogs' expressions that really showed "the boys" personalities.

Usually I stay away from moving body parts like this.  Since the dogs had so much coat, it was not as big of a transition as it would be on a short coated dog like a Frenchie (for example).  I didn't have to worry about muscle or tendons being off - all would be covered with their hair.  For the background, I was a bit concerned the darkness in the photo would over power the dogs.  This was discussed with the dogs owners, Kim and Eric, and they agreed.

The photos are all shown below and you can see how the painting came to life.

I asked the owners to share a little bit about the dogs and this is what they told me:

Tobie, our Yorkie, was born August 26, 2004, and Murphee, our Maltese, was born December 26, 2005.  They became brothers in the Spring of 2006 and played a tremendous role in our family for the years to follow.

In their relationship with each other, Tobie was the “big brother”.  He was very smart, spirited, and welcoming; we considered him an “old soul”, as he was very intuitive in his mannerisms.  Murphee, the baby of the family, had a very affectionate and playful character.  He carried himself in a regal manner, and was a true and sweet companion to all he trusted.  “The Boys”, as we affectionately called them, shared a loving bond and were always together. 

This painting, on the back of our sofa, depicts their favorite spot in the house.  It gave them a collective, comfortable view over their home, and more importantly, over our family.  We are so grateful for our time together, and remain appreciative of their lively spirit – they will be in our hearts forever.

Thank you again for truly capturing their spirit.  We are so grateful for this keepsake and your effort.

Eric & Kim

This is a painting of Jade - an Australian Cattledog

This painting of Jade was recently finished.   Her family saw my art a few years a go and spoke to me about painting her.  They put down a deposit and a place on my waiting list.

We made arrangements for the painting and then life got in the way.   They would contact me, then I would contact them.    They sent me a number of photos of her a few months ago.    I finally was able to "see" Jade.  Until the photos arrived, I simply knew I was painting an Australian Cattle Dog named Jade.

When I saw her photos my heart jumped.  She was not only lovely, but you could see in her eyes that she loved her family.   There was "that look" that I could see in the photos - the look that she was lovingly looking into the eyes of the person taking the photo.  It was time to get to work.  It was their time on the waiting list and I had a beautiful girl to paint.

Thank you to her family for having me paint your special girl, Jade.

Enya - painting of a Shar-Pei

This is Enya.  Some dear friends of her owners commissioned me to paint her as a Christmas gift.

The painting has been received so it is okay for me to share the painting.

The photo used for the primary pose was a bit hazy.  I'm guessing the photo was taken using a cell phone.  Cell phones with cameras are our best friends at times.  They can help us catch those special moments that would otherwise be lost if we had to run and get the real cameras.  It was clear that the color of Enya was off in the photo.  Thankfully, other reference photos were supplied so true values of her coat, eye and nose color were available for the painting.

Enya had a special window installed for her to view out of the house.   The parties giving the gift had asked if we could incorporate "her window" into the painting.  Of course we could!

To make the painting not too busy or confusing, the bed Enya was laying on had to be eliminated.   When all said was said and done, it worked.  Enya, our main subject was not overpowered by an overly done background and she remained our primary focal point.

It is always such an honor to be commissioned to paint for another party.  Sometimes I just want to say "pinch me".   How can I have such an awesome job?   It sure would have been wonderful to meet Enya.   She passed away last year.   I hope this painting gives her family a little piece of her to keep closely tucked in their hearts.

Golden Retriever Painting

This painting has been a while in the making.  I'd photographed the dogs over a year ago and their owners were going back and forth on which photos would best represent their furry family members.

The oldest one, Blonde, is the image on the top.  Misty, is on the left, and Cruiser is bottom right.   During this decision making process, the family lost their beloved Blonde.   She was a veteran dog in her senior years.  The loss hit the family hard and put the painting on hold.   No matter how long we have our dogs - no matter how old they live - their time with us is never enough.

Once Blonde's family was ready to tackle the project, it was discussed that the family didn't want Blonde and Misty shown as old as they were.   So, one major goal was to paint the dogs looking younger.   Secondly, the day had been quite windy when the photos were taken and the dogs were all squinting.   I used other reference photos to give me a clear idea of how each dog held their eyelids when the wind was not gusting.   The painting reflects the dogs with calm expressions and no squinting.

Below are photos of the finished painting as well as some of the reference photos for the painting.

It was so special to paint the dogs for this lovely family and I hope the painting brings smiles to their faces each time they look at it.

Irish Setter Painting - Erin and Cara

This is a painting I've been working on for a while.  It is a commission and was done in pastel.   I've been also working on three oil paintings at the same time.   Working on multiple paintings simultaneously keeps my eye fresh on each painting.

The reference photos for the painting are below as well as the finished painting.  The girls owner said the girls personalities were captured perfectly.  Erin, the older girl, is always more quiet and wanting attention.   Cara, on the other hand, is outgoing and always hunting squirrels.

Thank you to the girls owners for asking me to paint their precious dogs.  It has been wonderful getting to know them all better!!

Saki - A very special dog

This is Saki. She is 11 years old and has been the best friend of a young man for that many years. Two weeks ago this young man went off to college for the first time.

His father had contacted me many many months ago and asked me to paint Saki. His goal was for the portrait to be completed by the time his son went off to college so his son could have the painting of Saki to take with him. What a heart breaking situation.

The painting of Saki is now off at a college somewhere, hopefully reminding a special young man of his very special friend. That young man also has a very special father.

To see more of my paintings, please go to my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com

Pilgrim and Merica

The two dogs in this painting, Pilgrim and Merica, are father and daughter. They were resting in the house and looking at each other. Their owner had a camera near by and caught the special moment.

When it came time to paint them, I "moved" them outside. The background in the reference photo was dark and not really material for a painting. The dogs live in the South so we thought having them laying in a field of flowers was more appropriate. Fortunately, I have some reference photos from the geographical area they live.

The painting came together nicely and the owner of the dogs was very happy with the final result.

Doberman Pastel Painting

This painting is 17" x 27" and features Kayla - a new champion. Kayla's owners have each of their Doberman's painting when the dogs finish their American Kennel Club (AKC) Championship. As a fun addition to the painting, an AKC ribbon is placed in the painting along with the dog.

I had met Kayla's owners at a dog show where she was not present. Traveling to Northern California allowed me to meet up with the owners and Kayla and be able to photograph Kayla in person. She was an awesome model and I obtained some wonderful reference material from our photo shoot.

The ribbon is a ribbon one of my dogs had won. So, I had a real life ribbon to paint from - an added plus.

Thank you to Kayla's owners for choosing me to paint their beautiful girl!

Miniature Schnauzer

This little girl is a Miniature Schnauzer and her portrait was a Christmas present. The recipients were very surprised when given the painting. They said it looked just like her and they could not believe how realistic the painting is.

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait of a dog as a gift, I do have gift certificates available. For more information on commissioning a portrait please click here: http://www.dawnsecord.com/commissioninformation.html

Wishing you a Happy New Year!