Several times each month, you’ll find folks gathered for pet-painting classes at Creative Color Art Studios in Scottsdale.
People email pictures of their pets to Curran several days in advance. Then she sketches each animal’s likeness onto a canvas. She readies paint and supplies before class. Most people paint dogs, but Curran has also helped clients paint horses, cats and birds. “One little boy painted a picture of his gecko,” she says Curran offers plenty of guidance while participants take the artwork from sketch to finished painting. She often helps with areas like the eyes to make sure the portraits capture each pet’s personality.
The three-hour classes cost $75 per person. Everyone takes home a 16×20-inch painting. Sometimes pet lovers arrange fundraisers to benefit a favorite animal-related cause. Sometimes you’ll find Curran’s dog, a Labradoodle named Lexi, enjoying a bit of studio time.
— Lynn Trimble, Raising Arizona Kids, Valley Moms Paint Pets, 2017