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Let’s face it: we all think we have the best, most beautiful dog in the world. And we’re ALL right.
So when West & Willow reached out and offered me a free portrait of Barley in exchange for a review, I was more than happy to oblige!
West & Willow specializes in these really cool, modern pet portraits. They’re not cartoons or photo-realistic – they’re simple, clean, and crisp.
Working with West & Willow was INCREDIBLY easy. I simply went to their website and chose the framed portrait (they also offer phone cases, unframed posters, and quote signs) and picked my dimensions and frame type.
I went with a medium-sized portrait with a classic black frame and white background. I’m no interior design expert, so I try not to get too bold with my decisions!
Once I’d decided on my specifications, all I had to do was upload a photo of Barley and select shipping options!
I picked this photo of Barley – intently waiting for me to throw him a ball. That stare, the tension, the desperation, the stillness in his face – it’s so him. It’s not an easy portrait of him to make because you really need to capture his expression.
And let me tell you – the artists at West & Willow nailed it! While they chose to skip the sand freckles on his nose, the portrait arrived and I literally gasped at how well they captured Barley’s essence!
I found the team at West & Willow incredibly easy to work with. I love that they keep their style and mission simple – if you like their work, they’ll be consistently good at it.
If it’s not your style, however, West & Willow isn’t the company for you right now. They really specialize in these minimalist, modern, solid-backed portraits: no sweeping landscapes, no adoring humans in the frame, no colorful cartoons.
But that’s exactly what I like about West & Willow: they’re consistent and clear with their style.
I’ve worked with pet portrait artists (not West & Willow) before whose work was inconsistent. Either these other portrait artists didn’t nail the quality on certain types of dogs (black dogs can be tricky), or they attempted a variety of styles with differing success. This can be disappointing as a customer.
I really think West & Willow pet portraits would be a GREAT gift. In fact, when they reached out to me I considered that instead of getting a portrait done of Barley – I honestly have too much hanging on my walls already! But when I saw the quality of the work on their website, I had to have one of Barley. And I’m sure glad I did! I think you’ll love your West & Willow pet portrait, too.
Kayla founded Journey Dog Training in 2013 to provide high-quality and affordable dog behavior advice. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant who’s worked with hundreds of private clients, thousands of shelter dogs, and dozens of working detection dogs. Kayla’s dog and cat behavior advice has been featured in NPR, the Chicago Tribune, and Pet MD. She’s an avid adventurer who is currently doing #vanlife on the Pan-American Highway with her two border collies and a cat. Aside from running Journey Dog Training, Kayla also runs the nonprofit K9 Conservationists, where she and the dogs work as conservation detection dog teams. You can get 1:1 advice with a Journey Dog Training team member here.
