About me
Hi, I’m Eve! I’m 25 and I’m from South Yorkshire, and I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember. From drawing pictures of my pets at the dining table after school, to studying art throughout school, college and university, art has always been at the centre of my life. It’s always been the thing I naturally come back to, and honestly, I can’t imagine doing anything else.
But if I’m being completely honest… animals have always been my greatest passion.
I was quite literally born into a house full of dogs. My parents had rescue dogs throughout my childhood, so I grew up knowing just how much personality, love and character our four-legged friends can bring into our lives.
And then, when I was 20, I rescued my first dog of my own.
Zorba was a Pointer who came over from Cyprus. And funny enough, he wasn't actually the dog I originally applied for. He had been overlooked by potential adopters and was becoming harder and harder to rehome. He was surrounded by puppies, and being a black dog seemed to make finding a home even more difficult.
Then one day, the rescue called me and said, “We do have a different dog for you… would you consider him?”
I didn't need much convincing. It took a few months to get him home because of lockdown and COVID, but in February 2021, my boy finally arrived.
And when I say he was crazy, I mean it. He practically leapt off the dog transport and straight into my arms. He was full of beans, completely feral and had absolutely no idea what a house, furniture or any of the normal things we take for granted were!
But underneath all of that was the sweetest soul. Zorba greeted every person he met with so much love. He didn't care who you were, he just wanted to be your best friend.
He had endured an awful life before I met him. From what we could piece together, he'd been beaten and had even been hit by a car. And yet somehow, he still trusted people. He still loved people. He still had so much kindness to give.
Zorba taught me so much about rescue dogs and the resilience they have.
He came everywhere with me, even to work, and for three years he was my absolute best friend.
Sadly, in 2024, I lost him.
It genuinely felt like my whole world had been ripped away. Three years was never going to be enough, and I will always wish we'd had more time together. But I will forever be grateful that I got to be his person. And, of course, I still miss him every single day.
After losing Zorba, I spent some time without a dog. And if I'm honest, I felt a little bit lost. I'd spent years with a dog by my side and suddenly that huge part of my life wasn't there anymore. Eventually, I started looking at local rescues and that's when I came across Lyla. A Rottweiler cross Doberman.
A little bit different from a Pointer, to say the least! I'd done my research and knew that these breeds needed someone willing to put the time, patience and training in, so I got in touch with the rescue. I was told that Lyla hadn't had much interest because she was a little bit complicated and couldn't be rehomed with men.
So obviously… I went to meet her that week. 😂
She was terrified when I first met her, but slowly, over multiple visits, we started to build a relationship. After eight visits, I was finally allowed to bring her home.
It didn't take long to discover that Lyla had her own challenges. She can be reactive towards people, particularly when strangers enter her home and her personal space. Considering she had previously been used for breeding, it's something we've had to work through carefully.
We've spent a lot of time training together, learning how to understand each other and figuring out what works for her rather than expecting her to behave like every other dog.
She's now at a point where we can take her pretty much anywhere and everywhere — just with a few extra steps and a little more planning than most dogs might need. She's even muzzle trained for certain situations.
And honestly?
She's the most loving, ridiculous, funny, completely typical Rottie I could have asked for.
She's my girl. 🤎
I think having Zorba and Lyla has made me understand just how incredibly special the bond between a person and their pet really is.
Our pets aren't just pets.
They're there for the ordinary days, the really rubbish days, the exciting days and all the little moments in between. They're part of our routines, our homes and our families. They somehow manage to become such a huge part of our lives without us even realising it.
And that's why I love what I do so much.
I know how precious photographs of our pets become, especially when they're no longer here. I've experienced that feeling of desperately wanting to hold onto every little part of a dog you love.
So when someone trusts me to paint their pet, I don't take that lightly.
Whether I'm painting a crazy puppy, a much-loved old boy, a rescue dog with a big personality, a cat who rules the house or a pet who sadly isn't here anymore, I want each painting to feel like them.
Not just a picture of an animal, but a little piece of their personality captured on paper or canvas.
Being able to create something that means so much to someone is honestly one of the most special parts of what I do.
And sometimes I still can't quite believe that this is my job.
The little girl who used to sit at the dining table drawing her pets after school would be pretty proud. 🤎
So, thank you for being here, for supporting my little business and for trusting me with your very special pets.
I can't wait to paint them. 🐾
Eve x