About the artist
Ever since I was little, I’ve been passionate about animals
and painting. Combining those two loves into a career as a pet portrait artist
felt like the most natural path — although, strangely enough, it took me a
while to get there.
In my twenties, I left my hometown of Amsterdam, the
Netherlands, for what was meant to be a two-month trip to Honduras, never
imagining it would turn into a seventeen-year adventure. It was in a small
village in western Honduras that several of my dreams came true: I shared my
life with many cats and dogs, and I became a professional artist. With great
joy, I launched an art project for children and painted on anything I could get
my hands on, from the smallest objects to large-scale community murals.
In 2014, I moved to Antigua, Guatemala, where I became
involved with a local NGO, Unidos para los Animales. I volunteered at
sterilization clinics and began fostering puppies — something that quickly
became addictive. Over time, I fostered over fifty dogs, many of whom had been
rescued from heartbreaking situations and arrived in terrible condition.
Watching those fearful, emaciated pups transform into healthy, happy dogs and
eventually find loving families was deeply rewarding.
At that point, much of my life revolved around dogs, so it
was only natural that they became the focus of my artwork. One portrait for a
friend led to another, and before long, I began receiving commissions for
custom pet paintings.
Today, northern Spain is my home base, though I still keep
one foot in Guatemala and travel frequently to the Netherlands. I love calling
all three countries “home.” The only downside to dividing my time between them
is that I can’t have a pet of my own. Thankfully, wherever I go, I’m always
surrounded by plenty of canine and feline friends.
Whether in Europe or Central America, I always travel with
my art supplies, and my mobile studio is always open for business. Wherever I
am, I’m ready to create a portrait of your beloved pet.
For more information, quotes, or commissions, please contact
me at carinsteen @ yahoo.com.
Carin Steen
2026