An artist and animal lover trying to raise money for a no-kill animal shelter

Hi everyone! I'm a professional portrait artist in Alabama. I'm also a volunteer with Save Our Strays-- an all-volunteer, no-kill animal rescue and shelter here in Birmingham. One of the few; since there's no funding for spay/neutering, the euthanasia rate with most shelters here is 90% +. There is simply no money or space for all the strays here.

I try to use my trade to raise money for SOS. I donate 20% of my portrait fees. The money goes towards daily needs like food, electricity (for warmth in the winter), water, spay/neutering, vet bills, etc etc etc. Also, hopefully, for bigger goals such as buying land for new free-roaming sanctuaries, fencing off that land and making it usable, paying a stipend to volunteers (who still have to spend gas, even if they volunteer)...the list is endless.

These SOS folks often have to pay for food and vet bills out of their Social Security checks. So, if you'd like to have a portrait of loved ones painted/drawn, please give me a holler! You'll be giving desperately needed help to a great cause...and I don't just mean keeping an artist employed!

Please check out my photo page to see samples of my work. The SOS website was taken down recently, but they're trying to get it back up....Anybody want to do some volunteer website building?

I'm plugging for our group of course; but I'm happy to donate to any fund that helps animals. I'll sponsor any effort, as long as I'm sponsored right back!

Prices vary, but generally are as follows:

Charcoals are usually 18x24 inches, go for $150 to $200. (So that's a $30 to $40 donation to the shelter!)

Oil portraits are also 18x24 inches, start at $500...and that's $100 minimum for the shelter!

I can also do a monochrome oil painting in B/W or sepia. These start at $300. ($60 for SOS!)