Rachel Perls of Albany, NY

Rachel Perls is an artist who specializes in custom gouache (opaque watercolor) portraits of people’s pet(s). Her breathtaking use of color makes these custom pieces a vibrant addition to any home.

At the University of California at Davis, Rachel earned her BA in art studio; studying painting, graphic design and scenic design. She also attended the Academy of Arts College in San Francisco, and the California College of Arts and Crafts.

Instead of traditional coloring, Rachel chooses a stylistic rendering for herrepresentation of people’s pets. When assigning colors to personalities, browns, blacks, and grays just wouldn't be enough, Rachel feels. Tangerine, and fuchsia, and lime green would be necessary to capture an essence. The psychology of color plays an important role. (She has moonlighted as a color consultant for several years) A moody, calm dog might work best in blues and greens, while a rambunctious, spunky dog might best be portrayed in orange.

The way Rachel sees it, if someone wants to record an image exactly the way it appears, they should take a photograph. Painting allows her the flexibility of interpretation and a medium for revealing the true character of treasured pets.

From the client's first email or phone call to the arrival of their finished painting, a painting can take anywhere from 1-2 months. Working with the pet's personality description and submitted photos, she creates several different compositions and color scheme mock-ups in the computer. The client picks the image that speaks to him/her the most, and the final piece is created from that choice. It's a very interactive process.

Future plans include establishing a presence in galleries, as well as expanding to meet the needs of clientele across the country. Her work can be viewed at www.rperls.com