MEET THE ARTIST
EMMIE BROWN HEILMAN
Emmie graduated from Flagler College with a degree in graphic design in 2013. She currently lives and works in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Craig, son Hayes and their two dogs, Brizzie & Buster.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved making art, particularly portraits. I am not sure what prompted the ten-year-old me to create a portrait of Santa Claus from magazine clippings, but it has been my mother’s most prized possession ever since. I went on to do more and more ‘collage’ portraits, including one of my first dog, Pepper. I loved bringing together two of my passions--dogs and art. Since then, it has been a joy for me to create portraits of other people’s pets, and to see the joy that my portraits bring to their owners."
-Emmie
Fun Fact: There is a little butterfly in each Pet Pieces portrait.
Process
Each portrait begins with a stack of magazines and a photo of my "subject." After I sketch the pet onto the canvas, the background pieces are cut and glued down first. (This part is fun! I can really get creative when choosing patterns, little designs and color variations.) Then the tedious process of searching for the perfect fur-colored paper begins. Once I have a good inventory of colors, I start by gluing down the pet's body. Usually the ears come next, followed by the face, mouth, and finally the eyes and nose. Once I'm satisfied that I have captured the pet's likeness and personality, I add little words and details to the background such as the pet's name/nickname, favorite treat, toy, etc. Finally, a coat of acrylic sealer is applied and voila! Your pet's portrait is ready to be admired!
