Personal watercolour portraits
Paintings that glow with life.
Some faces and places just mean more to us. The pets we adore, the people we love, the homes that hold our memories.
Caitlyn Friesen captures what makes them special in original watercolour paintings, rich with radiant colour, beautiful light, and personality.
Whether it's a thoughtful gift or something to call your own, each painting is a one-of-a-kind interpretation of something you love.
- Handcrafted watercolour
- Made from your photos
- Free shipping across Canada
The portrait collection
Your world, in vibrant watercolour.
From beloved pets to familiar faces, favourite places, and everything in between, explore the people and things that inspire Caitlyn's original watercolour portraits.
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Pet portraits, full of colour and character.
There's no mistaking the pets we love. From familiar expressions to their little quirks, Caitlyn captures all that personality in an original watercolour portrait, full of vibrant colour and light.
From $400 CAD · 11 × 14 original watercolour
Pet portraits, full of colour and character.
Familiar faces and little quirks, captured in vibrant watercolour.
Custom watercolour portraits of people
The people you love, painted with warmth and character.
Custom watercolour home portraits
Meaningful places and cherished memories, brought to life in colour.
Custom watercolour car portraits
A favourite ride with a story, painted in vibrant watercolour.
Showing Pet portraits, full of colour and character..
What you get
An original painting, made just for you.
An original watercolour
Each 11 × 14 inch portrait is hand-painted on premium, 100% cotton Arches watercolour paper, with fine details added using professional artist's pencils.
Your choice of colour
Choose a background palette you love, or leave the colours to Caitlyn. Each portrait comes to life with her signature use of vibrant colour and light.
Framed or unframed
Choose your original painting on its own, or add a classic black frame and mat for $100 CAD. Framed portraits arrive ready to hang or gift.
Free shipping across Canada
Your finished portrait is carefully packaged and shipped free anywhere in Canada.
How it works
Every portrait starts with a little inspiration.
Make it personal
Choose who you'd like painted, select your favourite background colours, and decide on framing. A few simple choices help make the portrait your own.
Share your favourite photos
Upload a few photographs showing the details you'd love Caitlyn to capture. Let her know what you like about each one, or if there's anything you'd prefer to leave out.
Leave the painting to Caitlyn
Caitlyn brings your portrait to life in her signature watercolour style. Once complete, your original painting is carefully packaged and shipped to your door.
Behind the brush
Hi! I’m Caitlyn.
Portraits with personality, painted from the heart.
I'm Caitlyn Friesen, the artist behind Heart and Home Illustrations. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a background in commercial animation, and a love of bringing the things that matter to people to life through paint.
After years of working in animation, I traded the hustle and bustle of the big city for a quieter life in the mountains of British Columbia, where I could spend more time doing what I love most: painting.
I've always been fascinated by the little details that make someone or something recognizable. The particular tilt of a dog's head, the expression in someone's eyes, or the familiar character of a house you've called home. I love capturing a likeness, but what interests me even more is capturing personality. Those small, unmistakable qualities that make a subject feel like *them*.
My paintings are also very much about light and colour. I'm drawn to the way sunlight transforms the world around us, how it passes through petals and leaves, catches the edges of fur, and brings unexpected colours into the shadows. I love pushing those qualities in watercolour, creating paintings that feel luminous, vibrant, and full of life.
I don't approach a portrait as a photograph that needs to be reproduced in paint. I see it as an opportunity to interpret something familiar through my own artistic perspective, while preserving the qualities that make it meaningful to the person who loves it.
Through Heart and Home Illustrations, I get to combine my love of painting with something I find genuinely rewarding: creating personal artwork that becomes part of someone's home and story.
Whether I'm painting a much-loved pet, a familiar face, or a place filled with memories, I want the finished piece to be something you'll enjoy looking at for years to come.
A few helpful answers
Before your portrait begins.
Common questions
Clear, well-lit photographs work best. You can upload up to three photos per subject, and let Caitlyn know which expressions, poses, or details you'd like her to capture. Ordering as a surprise gift? Photos you already have are perfectly fine, too.
Absolutely! If you love the expression in one photo but prefer the pose or colouring in another, Caitlyn can bring those details together in one painting. Just let her know what you love about each photo.
Of course! You can include up to four subjects in one portrait, whether that's pets, people, homes, or vehicles. Each counts as a separate subject, so a dog sitting in front of a house would count as two. Multiple photos of the same pet still count as one.
Caitlyn works from your photographs and preferences to create each original painting in her signature style. She doesn't send progress photos or approval proofs, so the finished portrait is yours to discover when it arrives.
We currently ship exclusively within Canada. Every portrait is carefully packaged, with free shipping included anywhere in the country.
Allow approximately one to two weeks for painting, plus shipping time. If you're ordering for a birthday, holiday, or other special occasion, we recommend ordering early. Delivery dates can't be guaranteed.