Click on Link to see original article from ClubCatUSA.com

Recently, a customer was telling me about how Barbra Streisand cloned her beloved dog. Not just once. Twice. My first thought was, “WOW!” My next thought was, “Why would anyone DO that?” I have loved each of my cats with all my heart. I would have done anything to keep them alive. But cloning them would just make me miss them all the more. Because even though they would look like my beloved original kitty cat, they would have a different purrsonality. Bottom line is they would not be the same cat. And the knowledge of that would ruin it for me.

If you are of the same mind as Babs, there are companies out there to immortalize your cat or dog. But if you are more of a skeptic like me, you may want to consider something a bit more artistic. And much less expensive.

Enter Jana Brody. Artist extraordinaire. Savvy pet painter. Cat, dog, and chicken mama. Human mama too. Jana  is one of the most upbeat, talented, and hardworking people I’ve ever known. If anyone can artfully immortalize your cat or dog just the way you want, it’s Jana.

When did you first start painting?

JB: As a working mom of three and a non-profit art administrator, my free time is limited to painting for fun. Soon after I got positive feedback on my pet commissions, I decided to market them more to friends and pet lovers. This was back in 2010, so this is my 10th year painting custom artwork. When I get an order, I tell my family I am working and paint guilt-free instead of being distracted by laundry or chores. Since the COVID-19 situation, I have been laid off and am thrilled share my custom pet portraits services to the furry faces at Club Cat.

Why did you initially decide to paint pets?

JB: One year I was stuck for what to give my niece for the holidays. She is hard to shop for and gift cards are too impersonal for me. I knew her dog was her best friend and so I painted her Beagle named “Hooter” as a present and she loved it!

(Jana’s pet chicken, “Pecker”)

Do you mostly paint dogs and cats or have you painted other types of animals?

JB: I paint mostly dogs and cats and landscapes from photos. The most exotic animal I have painted so far was our backyard chicken named “Pecker.”

What is the most challenging aspect of painting a beloved pet?

You would think that the most challenging aspect of painting a pet is getting the eyes and personality, but that is not so. To me the challenge is getting the fur color correct.  I work directly from photos and sometimes the image has lots of reflections and shadows which makes it hard to see the true shades of fur.

What is your funniest memory of painting a pet?

My funniest memory was attempting to paint a client’s pet when someone won a gift certificate at a fundraiser. The family were Dalmation Rescuers and had 5 dogs. The mom told me she could not choose which dog to paint and could I paint her daughter instead – which I did in my whimsical style.

Have you painted your own pets?

(Picture of Jana and Mochi)

Besides the chicken mentioned earlier, I have painted my 2 dogs a few times. Our rescue dog “Mochi” has two looks, one with long hair and one look shaved straight from the groomers.  So Mochi has a few paintings. Our beloved chocolate lab named “Star” of 14 years, recently passed away and I am so thankful I have a few paintings of her as well. Memorial portraits are helpful for families that lose their fur babies.

What can customers expect in terms of product offering, price, and how to order their pet portraits?

The portraits are 11″ x 14″ original acrylic paintings on canvas. $125. plus shipping. Larger sizes available upon request.

I just need an emailed photo that shows the pets personality and I zoom in tight on the face. I have a 2-week turnaround time. And Gift certificates are also available.