Many stay at home moms wonder how to fill the time during the day while the kids are at school.
- La Crescenta woman began painting to fill time while kids are at school
- She's found success painting portraits of friends' pets
- She works on commission and has done over 70 paintings
For Suzi Reil of La Crescenta, a family history of art has led her to become a painter of her friends’ best friends.
After the youngest of five kids started first grade, she found herself with a lot more time on her hands.
She remembered a few art classes that she took many years back, so in January of 2018, she decided to take another lesson.
After the class, she said she was inspired to give it art go.
“It was like, 'Why did I stop painting?'” she said. “I love this, it’s so fun, so invigorating.”
Since she started painting again, she's been commissioned to do over 70 original paintings.
On top of her classes, she had a natural artistic ability that was passed down from generations ago, starting with her great grandmother.
One of her clients, Ether Huang, commissioned her to do a painting of her 12-year-old dog Prada, who recently had surgery to remove a tumor.
Huang said what she appreciated the most was Reil’s attention to detail.
“I mean, like all her painting of her dogs. The eyes are like alive, it almost seems like each dog that she paints, she's known them for years.
In the end, Reil said she gets just as much out of doing the painting as her clients.
“I love it. I think it brings people, especially if they've lost their pet, a lot of peace.”
