When it comes to creating portraits — or “pawtraits,” as she likes to call them — Cori Solomon believes in the adage that “less is more.” With a focus on the eyes, Solomon attempts to draw the spirit or the soul out of a pet with as little as possible. By using a minimalistic approach, she allows the viewer’s imagination to engage and interpret her work. Operating mostly in pastels, the soft, delicate medium speaks to the gentleness of a dog’s trusting, devoted soul, an abstract quality that cannot be rendered, only merely suggested.
In celebrating the life of pets, Solomon commemorates the tragic passing of her sister. Using art as a way to cope with her grief, Solomon found she could not draw other humans. Animals, however, proved much easier to replicate, and so she began making portraits of the creatures around her, which included two cats inherited from her sister.
Since Solomon first began creating her pawtraits in 2001, she has earned special recognition for her work, and she regularly takes on commissioned projects, immortalizing other people’s pets in her delicate, soft style.
Though Solomon enjoys depicting many different kinds of animals, dogs seem to make up the majority of her subject matter. Interested in a pawtrait of your own? You can contact Solomon at her site here, or check out her latest pieces on etsy.
Images via Cori Solomon’s website
