F ollowing the loss of her dog Moxey , Tiffany Dnaka was looking for an artist to create a watercolor portrait of her beloved pet , but struggled to find the style she was seeking . After her search repeatedly turned up empty , she decided to learn to do it herself . Despite having no formal training , Dnaka explored the world of digital art to create her portrait of Moxey . When the COVID-19 pandemic hit , she started making similar pieces for other people in her spare time and , when she lost her job in 2021 , she decided to pursue her artwork full time and hasn ’ t looked back since .
Her soft , romantic watercolor style makes Dnaka ’ s pieces perfect for hanging in the home . “ What I enjoy most is knowing that I ’ m helping the people purchasing it in some
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way , either by helping a friend grieve a little easier by doing a custom pet portrait or just having someone who really admires their pet turn to my artwork as a way to cherish that love for their animals ,” she explains .
The digital nature of her pieces allows her to customize them from the comfort of her own home . “ I do it all with my dog , Finn , by my side ,” she adds . Clients simply send over a photo and she personalizes it with her own style , with the option to add names or dates . The same artwork can also be placed on things like ceramic keepsakes , garden flags , keychains and greeting cards . In addition to custom pieces , Dnaka partners with rescue organizations to help them find homes for the animals by donating artwork . “ I always ask them to send me their most in-need dog that has been
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sitting with them for quite some time ,” she notes . “ And then the artwork goes to the person who adopts the dog .” The organizations often use the pieces to gain attention for the pet in question as well .
So far , Dnaka has collaborated with more than 20 different rescues , including Barks of Love Animal Rescue , Pasadena Humane , One Tail at a Time , the Basset Hound Rescue of Southern California and more . She also created artwork locally for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center , which was sold in the nonprofit ’ s gift shop .
“ My mission is to help dogs [ through my art ],” Dnaka says . “… I think that ’ s what sets me apart .”
CUSTOM PET PORTRAITS BY TIFFANY DNAKA 949-734-0644 ; TIFFANYDNAKA . COM
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COURTESY OF TIFFANY DNAKA |
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