I'll be doing another pet portrait program but at a new library this time! On July 20th, I'll be at the Sayville Library taking pet portraits in their courtyard! Registration for the program begins on June 18th. Registration is limited to Sayville Library cardholders for two weeks, and then program registration will open up to out of district patrons from other Long Island libraries on July 2nd!

The program will be held on July 20th from 10am to 12pm, first come, first served. Your pet can enjoy a solo portrait or you can join them for a family photo. There could be lots of other animals around when you bring your pet for a photo, so we ask that you make sure your pet is clean and well-behaved around other animals. Please bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier. Note that event is not limited to just dogs and cats! I've done this type of program at other libraries and we've gotten pets like ferrets, turtles, etc. I love all types of animals, so bring it on!

There will be a rain date of Saturday, 7/27 in case of inclement weather!

I've been a big fan of Ronan's mom Bonnie since we met at a Rising Tide Society meeting a few years ago. She's a talented illustrator, designer and copywriter and I love following along with her instagram because she posts really cute, funny and inspiring stuff in her feed (check her out @bonniebryantcreative and her adorable products at shopbonnie.com). Her Instagram Stories, though, are where I was first introduced to the gorgeous little Ronan. Bonnie and her husband Dennis have 3 pets, a goofy lovebug tank of a dog named Rooney, a beautiful red kitty named Rudy, and the shy but sweet Ronan. Now, they love all their pets, but Ronan is the prince of this family and he has a special place in his parents' hearts. Dad Dennis told me that he had never had a cat before, but Ronan turned him into a cat lover. 

I've always loved watching Bonnie's online documentation of her furry family, so I was so sad when she posted back in February that Ronan had a tumor on his paw and his prognosis was not good. When Bonnie asked to schedule portraits for him before he became too sick, I was honored to be able to help immortalize their love for him. Animals leave such a lasting mark on their owners, it's only fitting that we humans should have beautiful photographs to look back on when they have to leave us. 

At our session, Bonnie and Dennis told me a lot about Ronan and the little quirks and eccentricities that make him such a unique and special cat. For instance, Ronan has a very peculiar obsession with tape. He loves to chew on anything sticky. At the beginning of our session, he was shy and hiding under the studio furniture and the only way we could lure him out was with some catnip and a sticky piece of lint roller tape for him to nibble on. Ronan was pretty shy at first and he even managed to open up the door to my studio closet and crawl inside. Dennis had to get on the ground and squeeze almost his whole body into my cluttered little closet to get him out! He started to calm down a little after a few more hits of catnip and we were able to keep him in place just with a nice loving touch from mom. 

I love the way the photos came out, because you can really tell the special bond between all of them. My heart goes out to Bonnie and Dennis during this really tough time, and I hope that the photos we took will be a comfort to them when their little Prince Ronan is no longer around to eat tape, pound catnip and melt hearts. 

Here are my favorite photos from Ronan's session. 

For the last 3 years, however, we've tried our best to give them back a little of what they gave us. That's why, for the fourth year in a row, we are walking in their Wines and Canines Fundraiser at Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard and Horse Rescue. In the last 3 walks, we have raised over $2,000 and we hope to add a lot to that this year. They have taken in dogs displaced from the recent devastating hurricanes, so they need our support more now than ever. Please donate or share this fundraiser with an animal lover you know. 
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CLICK HERE TO BE AN ANIMAL HERO!

You can even sign up to be a walker and attend this fun event with your pup. There will be vendors, a prize auction, animals to adopt, and lots of delicious food and wine. I'll also be donating a basket to their prize auction with a free photo session and a $100 print credit! 

Tula Kitchen in Bay Shore is hosting a fundraiser this Sunday, March 19th, to benefit Little Shelter in Huntington. There will be live music, hors d'oeuvres, a Chinese auction, adoptable dogs to meet outside the event and more! I've donated the basket below for their Chinese auction with a free photo shoot and $100 print credit. I'm very happy to be able to help this great organization, which has been helping Long Island's animals for an incredible 90 years! So if you're looking for a fun afternoon of food and music, or even a furry new member of the family, check out this event and support your local shelters!
For more information, check out Little Shelter's website here.