Jill Buck is best known for painting realistic pet portraits that capture the individual personality of each four-legged companion. This ability to breath life into each painting she creates has garnered a rapidly growing demand for her work.

She has had a lifelong passion for art and creating. As a child she would spend hours  drawing dogs from photos she found in encyclopedias. When she was 14, her mother enrolled her in a local art class where she was introduced to oil painting. Her focus quickly became portraits and the human form.

Attending college on an art scholarship, Jill continued to develop her talent for painting.  Though she explored many mediums, her favorite has always been oils. Portraits continued to dominate her subject matter, but she began exploring different ways to create texture and movement.

After college, Jill began a career in Graphic Design, which led to a transition into sales and marketing. During this time, she had little time to paint as she was focused on her career and welcoming her first child.

In 2019, after a 15-year hiatus, Jill deeply missed the creative outlet she only found in oil painting. She became determined to make painting a priority again in her life, promptly stocked up on painting supplies and began to rediscover her passion.

One of the first pieces she worked on was a painting of her friend’s dog. Jill quickly realized that she loved every aspect of painting animals. From a technical standpoint she loves the additional texture found in pet portraits versus those of people. In terms of creativity, she finds the ability to use color, light, and composition to capture the individual personality of each pet extremely rewarding.

While the majority of Jill’s finished paintings are commissions, she finds time to create studies in an effort to continue experimenting, growing and challenging herself. At this time, her focus remains on animal portraits, and looks forward to creating a work of art from each four-legged friend that is part of her journey.