We were lucky to catch up with Tiffaney Gardea recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tiffaney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

It all started as a fun gift idea for my close friends and family, we are all huge animal lovers. I enjoyed it so much, I started sharing what I was doing with coworkers and people outside my little circle, and from there demand grew. I then decided to create The Art and Paw, an art business focused on creatively honoring our special furry, feathery, and scaly friends.

Tiffaney, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an artist and high school art teacher. It is incredibly important to me to be an amazing art teacher who is connected to the art world both through education and as a working artist. This way when I’m encouraging my students to “get out there and follow their dreams” I’m actually walking that walk too. I want to lead by example, so I “get out there” myself and create art that is meaningful to people, specifically animal lovers.

What sets my work apart from other pet portrait artists is that I am not merely taking an existing photograph and copying it, I am creating a one-of-a-kind composition that embodies the animal’s personality, attitude, and the special relationship between the pet parent and pet. I pride myself on being able to transform the composition and work from photos that other artists might consider challenging.

Some of my collectors have found that the pet portraits have helped them move through the mourning phase when the pet passes. Some have been gifts for loved ones, a posthumous honoring of their special friend. Others have been commissioned because the pets are aging and they want to capture their love for them in a portrait before they pass. For others their pet is like their child, their love is so great they want a beautiful piece of art that reflects this love. Because these portraits are so special, I take the time to talk with the collector about their pet, how they met, and what they mean to each other. This allows me to channel details about the pet’s personality and life while creating the painting.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

On this entrepreneurial path, I have learned that one must clear out old emotional baggage, and limiting beliefs or stories in order to find success. It is way too easy for us to get in our own way on our path if there is stuff in the background, in our subconscious minds. In the beginning, I found I would procrastinate or not prioritize (which is a symptom of fear or low self-esteem). I also found that I lacked any sort of fire or passion for the tasks that lay ahead and that I lacked the confidence to speak up for myself and ask for what I wanted. When I dug into this, I found a lot of anger, resentment, and fear from past childhood experiences, and a story that I just “wasn’t allowed to have my dreams”. It took a lot of work and I tried many things like traditional therapy, therapy with EMDR, coaching with Goats Win and with Tania Dilmani Divinely Aligned, Theta Healing, I became certified in NLP, and finally the Landmark Forum. Now that am free from my subconscious mental burdens, I feel open, light, and excited to pursue my love of animals and art with joy and passion.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission for The Art and Paw is to bring joy to the homes of pet owners. To honor the special place the pets have in the hearts of us humans by elevating their status with a proper portrait. A portrait that not only portrays their likeness but also their essence and personality. I want my collectors to find solace in their portrait if the pet has passed and pride if their pet is alive. I want my collectors to know that I care about their pet and what their pet means to them and that I am honored to take the time to listen to the wonderful stories they share as this helps me bring the portrait to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theartandpaw.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartandpaw/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartandpaw/

Image Credits
I took all the pictures myself.