Art by Manda is a custom art studio specializing in pet portraits hand drawn and painted in gouache using your photographs as a reference. Manda Wolfe, the artist and owner, combines her love of art and animals to create beautiful portraits that are both realistic and illustrative in style.

One of her specialties is creating comical portraits of pets that aim to reflect a unique personality trait or a funny scenario, such as a dalmatian sneezing off his spots or trying to remove them with a Tide-to-Go laundry stick. She believes that art should be as fun as the animals she's portraying and enjoys inserting a certain amount of humor into her work.

The process of ordering a portrait is entirely collaborative. You work closely with the artist to find the right reference and Manda makes sure to send updates throughout the process so minor changes can be requested. Each piece is then finished with a bright and colorful background, creating a work of art that appeals to people of all ages and walks of life.

Manda works from a home office where her own furry monsters, a dog named Abby and a cat named Dexter, keep her company. She frequently donates artwork to animal adoption organizations for their fundraisers and works as a foster for shelter pets throughout the year.

Prices start at $115. More of her work can be seen at www.artbymanda.com.