Furry friends now a focus of art by Rector's Gail Ford

Gail Ford with a few of her pet portraits

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Gail Ford has taken her love of art to new heights, expanding her interest in painting into a thriving new direction.

Ford's style and sensibility has found a welcoming niche in the hearts of animal lovers through her popular "pet portraits" series of paintings based on the beloved furry members of families who request her work.

"I've done all kinds of paintings, but my very, very favorite thing to do is pet portraits," Ford said. "I started doing them about a year ago, and I've had so much fun."

Ford feels a large part of what attracts her to such furry subjects is the bond shared between pet and owner.

"Pet people, they're so much fun," Ford said. "They send me the pictures of their pets and you can just feel the love."

From these photos, Ford is able to capture the subtle nuances which make each pet unique. Preferring close-ups of her subjects' head, Ford pays special attention to the details in the face and eyes.

"The eyes are the windows to the soul. So much of the personality can be told by the eyes."

Ford says she has done around 20 pet portraits, with most of her subjects being dogs. She has, however, also created remarkable likenesses of cats and even three horses on her canvas.

"I guess I could do most any pet," Ford said. "It's mostly dogs, but I think I can paint about any type of pet."

Ford says she developed an interest in art in the sixth grade. A teacher talked her into entering an art contest, which she eventually won. She continued her art throughout high school and college, majoring in art at Arkansas State University.

As life unfolded around her, Ford's devotion to her family and other responsibilities left little time for art.

"I just didn't have time for it. There were other things I needed to focus on which I loved just as much," she said.

Over the last few years, however, Ford has had more time to rekindle her love for painting.

"I found myself with more free time and so I got back into art. It's been a lot of fun," she said.

Ford has several items on display at Now & Then in Rector. She has made available pieces ranging from her pet portraits to abstract and landscapes.

"I'm always working on something," Ford said. "It's just something I enjoy doing."