Newf Emporium & Friends, Inc. is pleased to now offer custom portraits by Carol Pontin. Below is some information about Carol and in particular how her life was changed forever by a Newf.

Hi my name is Carol Pontin I consider myself an extremely fortunate lady because I am now able to spend my days immersed in my painting.

I was born in a small Yorkshire mining village in the north of England. When I was ten years old I loved to paint and was lucky enough to win a national competition to have my work exhibited in the famous Tate Gallery. My grandfather was so proud that he made the long journey down to London by bus and train just to see my picture, it was his only ever trip to the capital.

However as I grew up art took a back seat and when I left school I decided on nursing as a career, consequently I never benefited from any formal art training and painting was not part of my life.

Around seven years ago I was struggling to recover from a quite debilitating illness and desperately seeking a retreat – that was when my life was changed forever by a NEWFOUNDLAND.

My daughter and son in law have Newfies and are heavily involved in raising funds for Newf Rescue. Having seen a few of my newly honed artistic efforts Nicky suggested that I paint a picture for a raffle at the Newfy Fun Day she was organizing. My husband joined in on the act (as a timber man) and presented me with a supply of wood veneer sheets as a novel way of presenting my work. Well much to my amazement that veneer painting raised a huge amount of money on the day and a large number of Newfy owners immediately asked for portraits of their dogs. As a result I probably painted in excess of thirty Newfoundlands from that day alone and by sheer chance embarked on a whole new way of life.

My work is now centered around more traditional watercolours and other mixed media on paper and canvas rather than veneer. I have been fortunate in supplying many commissions to the US and am delighted to be associated with Newf Emporium & Friends, Inc.. If you have an interest in a portrait of your dog (Newfoundland, Bernese or any breed), please ask for details. Our comprehensive service includes shipping and insurance. I’m sure that with Jon and Andrea’s expert advice we can put together a painting to suit your needs.

For more details, including pricing, photo requirements and an estimated time to complete the portrait please click