The Story Behind Best Friends

Best Friends, acrylic on canvas, 8” x 10”

There are some paintings that simply happen...

And then there are paintings that heal.

Best Friends was one of those.

My son had two cats who were inseparable. They played together, slept together, and seemed happiest whenever they were in the same room. If you've ever lived with cats, you know they each have their own personalities. But every now and then, two of them form a friendship that is something truly special.

Then the unthinkable happened. One of the kitties was killed by a dog. Like so many losses, it came far too soon and left behind an emptiness that words couldn't really touch. As an artist, when I don't know what to say, I paint. I wanted to remember them the way they had always been—not through the sadness of losing one of them, but through the joy of their friendship.So I painted them exactly as they were. One stretched out without a care in the world, upside down and completely trusting. The other sitting nearby, watchful and content, keeping quiet company. That was them. That was their relationship.

As I painted each whisker, every tuft of fur, and those bright expressive eyes, I found myself smiling more than crying. The painting slowly stopped becoming about loss and became about love. Because love is always the bigger story. When I shared the finished painting, I was surprised by how many people connected with it. Some saw their own cats. Others remembered pets they had loved years ago. A few simply said, "That painting makes me happy."

And that's when I knew I wanted to offer prints and notecards. Not because everyone knew these two sweet cats, but because almost everyone knows what it feels like to love someone who leaves paw prints on your heart.

If Best Friends reminds you of your own furry companion—or someone else's—I hope it brings a smile every time you walk past it.

Because the best friendships never really leave us.

They simply find a different way to stay close. ❤️

Prints and notecards of Best Friends are available in my online shop, along with many other paintings inspired by the beauty that surrounds us every day.

Thank you for allowing me to share not only my artwork, but also the stories that inspire it. They truly mean the world to me.

Warmly,

Wendy