My Pet Portrait Customer’s Comments and Testimonials page

It’s such a nice feeling to get news from a satisfied customer!  That’s why I started saving the testimonials a year ago and decided to publish them on my homepage. These comments always are very emotional and express my customer’s deepest feelings. That’s why they really touch me to the bottom of my heart and are of immense value to me.  Fact that I can make people that happy, makes me love my job even more. 

When I think of my own beloved guys I perfectly understand what it means when they pass away and there is nothing left but memories.  That’s why it’s so special to me to be able to keep your pets’ memory alive and allow you to see your darlings so happy and full of life even long after they passed away.

Katie Notarione, USA wrote this comment:

Oh my goodness!!!  It looks fantastic!! 

You did such a wonderful job.  It really looks exactly like the picture!  You captured their personalities and beauty. 

Thanks so much.

Dogs Wrigley and Jake, Labrador Retriever portrait in Coloured Pencils

Laura, Estonia wrote this comment about the Painting:

It looks awesome! When I saw his eye on step two I started crying, I had a hard day and his eye looked so lifelike...it just reminded me how much I miss him.

And I can feel the tears coming now too. I just can't express how thankful I am to you.

Horse Portrait - "Vinston"

Agi Kiss, USA wrote this comment about the Painting:

Hi, Katja - the portrait is lovely -- don't change a thing! The only problem
is that looking at it I miss him so much, and it'll be another week before I'm home! You've really captured his heart as well as his face.

many thanks - Agi

Tibetan Terrier - "Spencer"

Hollie Spencer, UK wrote this kind words

I am so happy with it. It looks exactly like her.
It  brought a tear to my eye.
Can’t wait to give it to Fred. I’ll let you know what his reaction is.

Thank you so much again.

I may get you to do another one of our Bulldog George.

Cat "Gordon"

Cathy White, USA wrote this kind words

Hello Katja!! 

I just received my picture of Preziosa!!  It came out soooooo beautiful!!  My mom simply loves it!!!  Wow is all I can say!!  You have captured her perfectly!!

We are going to the store on Saturday to have it framed..I can't wait!!!

Thanks again for Preziosa's beautiful picture.  I have sung your praises on neapolitan.org and I do hope more business will come your way soon!!

I will keep in contact and will update you on our progress for the 2007 USNMC Nationals!!!  Take care!!

Enjoy your day!!

Cathy White

Neopolitano Mastino "Preziosa"

Maria Wengelin, Sweden wrote this kind words

There he is. Katja have succeed to catch every little detail of his personality at the oilpainting on Ohio. Everybody who knows Ohio and have seen the paintng is impressed over the convincing likeness. I'm very pleased and grateful, and will of course give my best recommendations!

Many thank´s from Maria Wengelin and Ohio

Horse portrait - "Ohio"

Linda and Simon McArdle, Sweden wrote this Kind words

Dear Katja,

Thank you very much for the fantastic portrait you made of our daughter and our two old ladies, Bonnie and Bus. We gave our daughter her portrait on her fifth birthday last week and believe me when I say that she was delighted.

She adores her cats. She wants to put the portrait in her bedroom but we would like to have it in our living-room. It has not yet been decided. Once again, thank you. You have a lot of talent and many of our friends have asked about your work. I will use you again when brother or sister arrives.

Sincerely,

Linda and Simon McArdle

Two cats & a Girl "Charlotte, Busan & Bonnie"

Anne, Sweden wrote this kind words (it is tranlated)

Oh, Katja - what should I say... You managed to capture her totally PERFECT! I am more than satisfied :-)) It will be wonderful to frame this picture and place it on a spot where everybody directly can se it!

Thank you, for a great (and unbelievable quick) job!

Watercolour Pet Portrait of Groenendael "Olivia"

Neopolitano Mastino "Notte"

Judy Pittman, USA wrote this kind words

Dear Katja,

I am speechless.  It is the most beautiful portrait I have ever seen.  Maybe I’m biased, but I think this is your best one.  Now all of them of great, but I think this is the best.  Black dogs are not only a difficult challenge to photograph, but also to paint.  You made it look pretty easy.  I am amazed and positive that the real portrait is even better than what I’m seeing here on the computer.

I just don’t know how to thank someone who helped so much to restore my wonderful and happy memories of these beautiful dogs I had in my life for 13 years.  This portrays Katie and Quinn in their prime.  You have captured their personality through their eyes.  Katie was the more serious one, most of the time.  Quinn was the forever puppy; he was always ready to play until his very last day.  This painting and the process you and I went through together, has done so much to subdue the sadness of the last chapter in Katie and Quinn’s lives.

This is most inadequate Katja, but thank you from the bottom of my broken, but now healing heart.

Scottish Terriers "Katie & Quinn"

Meysman Mario, Belgium wrote this kind words

Hey Katja,

I have been following the steps of the drawing with a lot of interest.
And I saw with each step that Zoran was coming alive more and more.
The drawing is really amazing, very beautiful and lifelike !!
This is Zoran like I see him every day.
The pencil drawing is actually perfect.
I'm amazed with it en therefore I wanna thank you hearty !
Zoran has also a little comrade;
His name is Thor, he is 6 months and also a working malinois.
Now I'm sure, when Thor has become older, I also want such a beautiful pencil drawing of him.

Dank u,
thank you very much
kind regards and see you later.
Mario

Bruks Malinois "Zoran"

Jessica Petrus, USA wrote this kind words

Katja,

All I can say is WOW! Lexus is a special dog to me, one of a kind. She is
so kind and always has the expression that there is something going on
behind those eyes of hers, my husband says she seems that she is always on
the verge of speaking out loud and telling us something important! I could
never imagine her very soul to be able to be captured on canvas as you have
managed to do so well. I received her painting quickly, and it was
packaged very well, my only trouble now is finding a frame to do it justice!

Thank you Katja for this amazing piece!

Doberman - "Lexus"

Madelene Andersson, Sweden wrote this kind words (it is tranlated)

Tervueren "Tjanna"

Debbie Miller, USA wrote this kind words

Katja,

Ossi's painting arrived today.  It is beautiful!  I can't wait to show it to my friends.  You are very talented.  Thank you very much.

Debbie


Debbie contacted me in September 2006 with a very sad letter:

Dear Katja,

Last fall you contacted me and wanted to paint a portrait of my German Shepherd dog named Ossi. Even to this day, I am very grateful to you for painting him and I wanted to tell you that his painting means even more to me today than it did when I received it. Shortly after my painting arrived, Ossi was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma and he died on March 12, 2006. Throughout his very short illness, he was very dignified and never let his illness get him down. He was a magnificient companion and he is missed very much. I wanted to let you know that somehow, your painting of him watching over things helps me to get through each day. You captured his beauty and his spirit lives on through your work. You are truely an inspiration to future artists.

Sincerely,
Debbie Miller
USA

German Shepherd - "Ossi"

Carrie Peterson Majesty Maltese, Colorado-USA wrote this kind words

Katja,
The painting of Valorie has arrived and it is absolutly stunning! What talent you have...Thank you so much for the incredible, lifelike painting that you have created for me. I will enjoy it forever.

Sincerely,
Carrie Peterson
Majesty Maltese
Colorado-USA

Maltese "Valorie"

Ellen Browning , USA wrote this komment

Oh My how cute is Scout!!!!

I am so excited about giviing this as a gift.
Thanks so much


Hi and Happy Holidays to You
Todd was soooo touch with his painting. I had it framed with a suade
matting! Not a great pic but the only one i have.
thanks sooooo much for making such a beautiful gift.

Jack Russel Terrier Portrait in Watercolours -"Scout"

Martine Loots, Belgium wrote this kind words

Thanks to you Katja, my boy will live forever! The drawing looks so much alive that it seems A'Tim could just jump out of the frame any time!

I must admit that I used to be a little skeptical about drawings or paintings of pets. A painting could look very nice, but somehow I couldn't believe someone would be able to reflect the real soul of my own dog and the exact expression of his eyes and temperament.

Well, I have to reconsider my point of view….

I wanted my boy just the way he is, in full action, charismatic and with the fire in his eyes that is so typical for him. This was a pretty difficult assignment, but you succeeded with glamour! People who didn't even know I had him painted, immediately saw that it was him, although I have more dogs. I'm very proud of the drawing. It will get a place of honor in my house and it will "shine" on my car!

My other boys can't wait for me to take a good action picture from them too to join the gallery!

Martine

Working Malinois "Atim"

Johanna, Sweden wrote this komment (it is tranlated)

Hi!

I went to get the painting today, didn’t have time yesterday. It is super good, better then the photo

Thank you so much, my parents will love it.

Best, Johanna

Oil Painting of Border terrier "Grynna", standing at Swedish coast

Caroline Appelfeldt, Sweden wrote this kind words (it is tranlated)

Oh, she CRIED and CRIED and CRIED and CRIED.
Mom was totally unprepared and really didn`t have a clue. I first gave her a
greeting card I made myself and my brother printed it on a beautiful and expensive paper. In it was a print of the painting from your web site. She was really happy and besides that there was couple hundred crowns. This money was for a frame, but of course she didn`t understand that...

Then I told her to wait a moment and ran to get the package as I went towards her, she starred at me and understood right away as she saw the size of the package. She bursted into tears, didn`t even take the package at first.

She was REALLY HAPPY and than she wanted to phone and thank all people who helped buy the painting (grandmother, grandfather, my brother, my dad, her sister & brother)and she didn`t even have time to say "hi, it`s Carin" before she bursted into tears again. So I had to take over the phone all the time =)
She tried to call you yesterday but you weren`t at home, only your son. But on the other hand she probably wouldn`t be able to talk anyway =) =) =)

Chiquita meant so VERY MUCH TO HER, on a way that no other dog could ever do. She was saying all evening: "she is alive, she is alive! Do you see her eyes? She is really alive!" when she looked at the painting.

This couldn`t be better, I promise you. I have almost never seen my mother this emotional and I think it even came as a shock to her.
Thank you DEAR KATJA for a really wonderful painting. There are many of us who are lyrical over this you have to belive =)

Kind Regards,
Carro, her daughter

Dog portrait Podenco - "Chiquita"

Tiia Ariko, Estonia wrote this kind words

At first Katja showed me scanning of the eyes – I sat and couldn't believe it! On too many drawings you can see a dog with no soul or the sign of the special dog. I saw MY dog and no doubt in that! I can see those eyes next to me 24 hours a day and now I could see them on a drawing – it was almost too strange.

Showed full picture to friends and asked what they think about it. Most common question was – is it Jeti?! They didn't know Katja were drawing her and they thought at first I was showing them just a drawing of dutch shepherd. They recognised her from picture with big surprise. They were just speechless!

I really like that there is really Jeti on the picture but still it isn't too much photo. It has that ‘something' you want a drawing have. It has the soul and energy the dog has but it still is a piece of art.

Dutch Shepherd - "Jeti"

Portrait in Watercolours of two Airedale terriers and Schnauzer

Susan - Longfields Kennel, Netherlands wrote this kind words

Katja asked me for some pictures of my Laekenois, because she wanted to make a painting from this variety of Belgian Shepherds. Of course I was very honoured by that, and I send her some pictures.
I couldn't expect the painting to turn out that good, and when I saw the result, I just HAD to buy it! I think she has done a wonderful job in painting my dog, and adding the sheep to it was a pleasant surprise. When I would like to have my other dog painted, I am definitely going back to Katja to ask her to do it!

Compliments Katja on your excellent work!
The painting is now the masterpiece in our livingroom!

Laekenois - "Nozem"

Rottweiler - "Songa" Dog portrait in Coloured Pencils

Agi Kiss, USA wrote this comment about the Painting:

It's really lovely -- Tara is appropriately regal, and Tenzin is his sweet, earnest, expectant self. I'm practically expecting Tenzin's paw to come right out of the page to bat at my hand

many thanks!

Agi Kiss

Portrait of two cats in watercolours - Tara & Tenzin

Kenneth Tobias, USA wrote this:

IT ARRIVED THIS MORNING!! It's here!!

It's a Christmas miracle!!

The portrait is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Thank you so much! It's being framed right now, and will be ready today or
tomorrow.

So, all is well! I'll let you know how it goes!

Thank you thank you thank you.

Warm regards,
Ken

Cat "Mona" and James portrait in Coloured Pencils

Teus Tijsseling - Sculpadog, Netherlands wrote this kind words

Falco version 1.0 was a special dog. He was my first dog I had to find a job for before able to purchase. As 12 years old boy it was a big challenge to get the amount needed and 350 guilders was much for me. None expected me to get this done for I was known as lazy and recalcitrant boy.
Finally I came home with a Rottweiler. Falco v1.0 was a special dog who always was on my side and even went to school with me every now and then. He waited outside and was my shadow: has been my shadow for 11 years.
By that time I assumed Falco v1.0 never would leave me and so I hadn't thought about anything to keep memory. Finally he passed away and after those years I lost pictures and nothing has been left over but my memory: even his grave has been gone.

Falco version 2.0 is eiter a rebirth or a clone or whatsoever, born over 20 years later. Just over 2 years old now and trained to be my Hearing Dog. As good and as bad as Falco v1.0 and such part of me I don't even have to think about him. Falco v2.0 also is the motor of the start of the foundation Stichting Signaalhond.

When I met Katja and came to know her painting skills for dogs I just did send the best picture of Falco v2.0 and gave order to start making a painting for me. And how happy I still am, and I know I will be more happy years after Falco v2.0 has been passed away.
Thanks to Katja Turnsek for awful job done on making Falco v1.0 and v2.0 alive on canvas !!

Rottweiler " Falco"