Words Jo Barnes
Photos Sarah Hartley Photography
It all starts with the eyes. Brentwood Bay artist, Meaghan Crow, certainly takes into account accuracy in proportions, colouring and textures, but what is key for her in doing a pet portrait is the animal’s eyes.
“I aim for the feeling coming through when you look at the eyes. The whole painting comes to life after that,” shares Meaghan.
For over 14 years, Meaghan has been an acrylic painter focusing on both traditional and surreal representations of landscapes and wildlife. Her love of animals prompted her to begin creating pet portraiture. “I’ve always been fascinated with the natural world, and I love animals, especially dogs,” she shares. “I think that there’s such a strong bond between people and their pets. A pet is an extra member of the family, and when they pass away, a painting is a remembrance of the pet.”
Meaghan begins the portrait process with a photo of the pet and reviews it not only for physical details but to get a sense of the animal’s personality. This informs her work. “I start with a main reference image and often get other photos to get an idea of the personality and to get a feel of the energy of the pet,” she notes.
Using her iPad, she begins with a basic sketch to work out the proportions. The starting point, however, is always the animal’s eyes. “That connection with the eyes; that’s where I start,” she says. “I want to make sure the eyes are the right colours and are placed correctly.”
Subsequently, Meaghan builds up the base layer of the portrait, mapping out the colouring, and then completes the colouring section by section. Often, she will add in an extra touch such as the image of a favourite toy belonging to the featured pet. This reflects her interest in the whimsical and playful side of life. “My aim is to spark joy in the viewer and to make them smile,” she says. “I really like a sense of levity and whimsy. I try to offer a new perspective on the world.”
The portrait process is challenging because there are many details requiring precision, accuracy and texture techniques. “Sometimes, there are new technical things to learn such as painting animal fur. I did one painting of a small dog. Its fur was medium in length with a variety of colours in it. It was a challenge to place and portray the flow of colours through its coat.”
Painting takes dedication and much practise to achieve quality results. However, Meaghan enjoys the journey and finds it all rewarding both artistically and personally. “It is special to be able to capture pets on canvas,” she relates. “I continue to develop my skills and abilities and keep pushing forward.”
In recent years, Meaghan has been serving as an art gallery assistant and art consultant while also creating commissioned paintings for clients. In March, she decided to take a leap and officially launched her new art venture. “This year I decided to make my art a full-time business,” she comments. “I’m very excited.”
So far, 2026 has already brought some unexpected affirmation which has been encouraging. Meaghan was recently selected as one of the Canadian artists to have their work featured on Rogers Chocolates’ products.
“One of my pieces, called ‘Tides of Affection,’ depicts two otters holding each other. Rogers Chocolates just selected it to go on one of their tins of chocolate,” she relates. “This is part of the Featured Canadian Artists Collection, and it will come out this spring. I am very excited to be chosen.”
This honour is one that Meaghan adds to a growing list of awards she has received over the years. In 2020, she received the Takao Tanabe Award for painting. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Victoria in 2021 where she received a Jamie Castles Undergraduate Research Award for Visual Arts. In addition, Meaghan has been the recipient of multiple Juror’s Choice Awards at the Saanich Peninsula Arts and Craft Society’s shows and was given an Honourable Mention at the Sooke Fine Arts show in 2021.
As well as participating in local exhibitions, Meaghan markets her art through numerous locations including Saanich Peninsula Country Market, Moss Street Paint-in, Studio 106, Side Street Studios, and the July 1 Gorge on Art event.
Art has been a calling in Meaghan’s life for as long as she can remember. “I was always drawing in kindergarten and was part of art clubs in high school,” she comments. “I am self-taught and always keep pushing myself. I just like painting.”
This local artist not only focuses on the eye in her portraits, but when it comes to creating quality art, sparking the imagination and celebrating our beloved pets, Meaghan’s artwork will definitely catch your eye.
www.megancrowart.com
