Hi, I'm Annalise — artist, pet lover, and the one-woman studio behind it all.
I've been painting pets and capturing the soul behind their sweet, furry faces since 2020. Welcome — you're in good paw hands.
How it started
A paint-off, a letterbox, and a dog named Bunnings
It was 2020. The world had gone sideways, and my neighbour and I decided to have a friendly art challenge. I started painting little A6 pet portraits and dropping them in neighbours' letterboxes — purely for the fun of it.
My mum and sister were the first to say "just make an Instagram account." So I did. The first real commission was a hand-painted card for a dog called Bunnings. And then one day, a stranger slid into my DMs asking for a portrait — someone who didn't know me at all, and still wanted something I made. That was the moment it became real.
The journey
From dining table to dedicated studio
2020 — the beginning
Candle factory by day, painter by afternoon
Still working full time, painting on the dining table every afternoon. Reaching out to influencers, gifting portraits, figuring it all out as I went.
The hard part
Lunar, and the drawer nest
A story worth telling
My soul cat Lunar used to sleep beside me while I painted — curled up in a little nest I made her in a drawer so I knew she was safe. When she was diagnosed with brain cancer, those were the days she spent right there next to me in her last weeks. Losing her rocked me. And that grief — knowing how powerful it is to have something that truly captures your pet — is exactly what led me to create the inkless paw print kits. Something for the moments words aren't enough.
Today
A proper studio with a window
The family study became my studio. I paint in front of a window, stock neatly on shelves, and the dining table has been fully reclaimed. It's still just me behind the brush — and I love that.
What's next
Markets, and a card for every pet
My mum planted a seed: get to markets, meet people in person, and create cards for the most popular and beloved pets out there. So that's exactly where this is heading. Stay close — it's going to be fun.
What I make
Everything here is made with intention — for pet people, by a pet person
Most loved
Custom watercolour portraits
Hand-painted with care, emotion, and a whole lot of love. Each one is a little piece of your pet, forever.
Commission yours →
Born from love
Inkless paw print kits
Mess-free and memory-filled. Made after losing Lunar — because some moments deserve to be held onto.
Shop paw print kits →
60+ designs
Pet greeting cards
Cats, dogs, farm friends — all hand-painted. For the pet lovers in your life who deserve a card that actually gets them.
Browse cards →Milestones
Moments I'm proud of
A growing list — updated as new things happen.
Where it all started
Founded Annalise Paints from a dining table in 2020
Product born from love
Created the inkless paw print kit in memory of Lunar
Debuted At The Finders Keepers Market
Had my first stall at a huge market in Melbourne
Beyond the studio
A few things about me
I studied a Bachelor of Food and Nutrition Science (yes, really). I grew up as the youngest of two, surrounded by cats who were technically my parents' "first kids." I've been creating things since I was three — sewing little felt toys before I could probably even spell felt.
If you've met me at a market at 5am — bleary-eyed but genuinely delighted — you've seen the real version. I'll always be there chatting about your pet like I've known them forever, cheerleading your business ideas, and probably oversharing about my garden.
Also: I cannot do a cartwheel. I have fully accepted this.
Let's create something
Something your pet would fully approve of
Whether it's a custom portrait, a paw print moment, or just a card that makes someone cry happy tears — I'd love to help.