Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Schmeling.
Hi Alexandra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been making art ever since I was little and even earned my bachelor’s degree in art. After graduating, I wasn’t creating much but I eventually started painting watercolors just for fun. At the same time, I was really passionate about animal welfare, though I wasn’t sure how best to contribute.
During COVID, I reached out to my local animal shelter to see if we could collaborate on a fundraiser. The idea was to create watercolor pet portraits in exchange for donations to the shelter. It turned out to be incredibly popular, and I ended up doing a few similar fundraisers as well. Once the fundraisers wrapped up, people kept asking if I could paint portraits of their pets, and from there, the business naturally blossomed. Custom pet portraits is still the bulk of my work though I have expanded to scenes of DC and Virginia, house portraits, and even live illustration for events and weddings.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. As a creative, a lot of the business side of things—selling, marketing, and all of that—doesn’t come naturally, so there’s been a real learning curve in developing those skills. When I first started, I was working full-time in a corporate job and running the business on the side. As it grew, it became harder and harder to maintain any kind of work-life balance while essentially working two full-time jobs. I feel really lucky now that I’m able to work on my business full-time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in custom pet portraits, and I also create scenes of DC and Virginia that I turn into prints, cards, and other products. I’m often told that my pet portraits capture the essence of a pet’s personality, even though I’ve never met the pet and am working solely from a photo, which is something I’m really proud of. I do a lot of portraits of pets who have passed, either for their owners or as gifts, and it feels incredibly meaningful to help memorialize pets who are no longer here. I receive a lot of feedback about how impactful these portraits are for the owners, and that part of the work is especially meaningful to me.
What makes you happy?
When a customer emails me to let me know that I captured their pet perfectly and brings their joy, especially if they lost the pet–there’s no better feeling!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alexandraschmeling.com
- Instagram: @alexandra.schmeling
