Studio of Ally Nowakowski · Est. 2021

Portraits,
painted slowly.

I paint high-quality pet portraits and original art from my studio in Denton, Texas. Acrylic gouache on canvas, ten to twenty hours per piece, shipped anywhere in the world.

Commission a portraitSee the full portfolio
10–20h
per piece
Worldwide
shipping
Gouache
on canvas
From the palette

The seven gouaches that make up nearly every commission

Liquitex Acrylic Gouache. Opacity of acrylic, fluidity of watercolor.
  • No. 01Yellow Ochre
  • No. 02Burnt Sienna
  • No. 03Sap Green
  • No. 04Naples Yellow
  • No. 05Cadmium Red
  • No. 06Payne's Grey
  • No. 07Titanium White
01 / Recent commissions

A small selection, from the studio.

I paint every commission from a client's own photograph. Below are a few recent finishes from the studio, pets and the families who love them.

Commissions have been the heart of my studio since I started it in 2021. See the full archive.

Browse the commission archive
Ally Nowakowski smiling in front of a vibrant red-and-orange mosaic mural.

Ally Nowakowski · Denton, Texas

On the painter

I'm Ally,
and I paint in gouache.

I'm a pet portrait commission artist and original art creator based in Denton, Texas. I grew up studying pastels and oil paint at Otto's Art Academy in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and have since expanded into colored pencils, pottery, and Liquitex acrylic gouache, which is the medium most of my commissions are painted in. I love gouache for its rare combination: the opacity of acrylic and the fluidity of watercolor.

Each commission is hand-painted and takes me about ten to twenty hours to complete. Pets are the heart of my work, but I also take on landscapes, mountain bikes, and the kinds of subjects that mean something to the people who ask for them.

Ally
Painter · Denton, Texas
Say hello
02 / How a commission works

How a portrait comes together.

Four steps from your inbox to a wrapped package on your doorstep.

  1. 01

    Pick a photo

    Send a reference photo with good lighting that's in focus and shows your pet's true fur and eye color. A good balance of lights and darks is ideal.

  2. 02

    The painting

    Layer by gouache layer, about ten to twenty hours by hand. I send progress photos along the way so you can watch it come to life.

  3. 03

    Final approval

    I'll send a final picture once the portrait is complete to make sure you're happy with it. Once you give the green light, I'll prepare it for delivery.

  4. 04

    Ships home

    I'll ship the finished piece to your specified location, anywhere in the world. Once it's packaged and weighed, you'll be invoiced for the delivery.

Half of the total is due up front as a non-refundable deposit. Pricing scales with size.

Start a commission
03 / Beyond commissions

Landscapes, originals, and a few experiments.

When the commission queue is quiet, I turn to landscape: barns, ranges, the slow change of light through a Texas afternoon.

See the original artwork archive
Contact the studio

Have a portrait in mind?

Send a few favorite photos and tell me about your pet, the place, or the bike. I'll reply with sizing, pricing, and next steps.