Winners of the 2025 Trekell Pet Portrait Competition

2025 Pet Portrait Winners!

Introducing our 2025 Pet Portrait Winners!

Kids, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced categories judged by Alai Ganuza! Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who participated!

Alai Ganuza, judge of the Trekell 2025 Pet Portrait Competition

"Who can decide what is “good” or “bad” in art? Judging this contest has been an honor and a true challenge at the same time. So many beautiful entries, faces and amazing techniques that inspired me but just a few that win the prize. I have chosen these winners based on originality, uniqueness and potential. I hope you love them as much as I did and I hope they also inspire you to creating and celebrate creativity." - Alai Ganuza


Advanced Winners:

1st - $1,000 Cash 

Alexandra Leonetti - Oil


Brown dog in round glasses and a heart-patterned bow tie surrounded by red hearts.

Why: Loose, fresh but real! This painting talked to me in so many ways. The texture in the background, the simplicity on the shapes but delicacy on the details. It says a lot with so little and that’s why I loved it. Plus, hearts!

Pet portrait in oil by Sybiline, shown in the 2025 Pet Portrait Winners post

2nd - $750 Cash 

Ginko Bergel - Watercolor 

 

Four pet portraits within a decorated green four-lobed frame.

Why: This painting made me smile as soon as I saw it. I love the technique, the details, each one of the faces (not just one pet but four!) and I loved the smart usage of the canvas shape!

3rd - $500 Cash 

Leah Patel - Oil


Orange cat in side profile with a blue collar against black.

Why: Subtle but powerful, that glow was perfectly captured. I love the light on this painting contrasting with the bold dark background. And I loved the subtle gradient from fire to purple that we see in the perfectly brushed fur.


  Intermediate Winners:

1st - $500 Cash 

Sean Gilbert - Oil


Orange cat face silhouette within a bright yellow scalloped border.

Why: It is not easy to explain volume with that short range of values and this painting makes it perfect. It is a powerful image with a striking pose that I would never imagine with this color range and I loved it.

2nd - $250 Cash 

Joanna Comstock - Acrylic


Blue long-haired dog's face with dark eyes on a textured gray background.

Why: This one surprised me with the beautiful style that fills up perfectly the panel shape making it a complete and unique piece. Each little hair block has its own smooth gradient that captures the depth so well. And the palette is also perfect for the subject.

3rd - $150 Cash 

Clara Flynn - Acrylic

 

White rabbit wearing a crown and red bow amid flowers and fruit.

Why: The brush marks (almost like pencil marks), the shape and combined background with the leaves greens popping out and the complementary but pastel color palette made this painting an easy choice!

  Beginner Winners:

1st - $250 Cash 

Maya Dong - Oil


Dark horse's head among sweeping pale and gold brushstrokes.

Why: It is quite difficult to paint back light and it is even more difficult to do that in skin and earthy tones. However, I think this painting describes the scene greatly. It has depth, the lights are on point, and it has a bird!

2nd - $150 Cash 

Zenobia Shariff - Acrylic

 

Black dog with tongue out beneath a starry blue-and-yellow painted hat.

Why: When I saw this painting i just smiled. I wouldn’t imagine combining The Starry Night with a pup but here it is and the result is so cute! Those yellows on the head, ears and nose, make the painting complete while the pink adds some spice!

Pet portrait by Susan Croy, shown in the 2025 Pet Portrait Winners post

3rd - $100 Cash 

Jen Ramirez - Acrylic


Purple line drawing of a dog against a pink-and-orange patterned background.

Why: This painting gets the most out of the limited palette and materials. I loved how it captures the cute face and expression with just a few colors right on the place. Changing the mark direction it also achieves volume and depth sensation and the background is busy enough to fit the subject but subtle enough not to draw attention from it! Plus the name’s Oreo!

  Kids Winners:

1st - Mystery Prize Pack

Maddie Mullen


Orange-and-white cat beneath a purple witch hat and stars.

Why: When I saw this painting I could imagine the little artist doing it. It is so joyful for the colors but the expression is so…nostalgic. It’s staring at my soul! But not in a bad way? I don’t know… just loved it.

2nd - Mystery Prize Pack

Frankie Farrar


Purple unicorn plays a blue accordion against pale pink.

Why: This one I loved the palette, the details and texture achieved with the marks and the cozy scene captured. But one detail stood out: they’re doing transparent white layering on top of the top pattern, they’re glazing?! Deserved to win!

3rd - Mystery Prize Pack

Sophia Hodek


Small animal beneath white clouds and a sun on a blue-and-green scalloped panel.

Why: I was so hesitant to select this one because some others “captured the likeness more” or were more “academically correct”. However when I saw this I thought: potential. This shows a lot of work on those clouds. Not blending and keeping the texture to capture the fluffiness. The shape is also framed and with that dotted line showed attention to detail. In general this painting made me so happy and I can’t wait to see what this little artist creates in the future!

FAVORITE DOG 
$100 Trekell Gift Certificate

Kelly  Foss - Oil

chosen by Trekell Pro Team Artist Sean Cheetham

Small white dog yawns within a red scalloped frame.

FAVORITE CAT
$100 Trekell Gift Certificate

Jocelyn Long - Oil

chosen by Trekell Pro Team Artist Nick Eisele

Black cat with bright green eyes amid neon yellow web-like lines.

FAVORITE "OTHER ANIMAL"
$100 Trekell Gift Certificate

Lydia Broc

chosen by Trekell Pro Team Artist Eric Johnson

Brown rabbit's head in profile within a pale patterned scalloped border.


PRO TEAM PICKS
Curated Brush Set

Meaghan Bonzer - Acrylic

chosen by Trekell Pro Team Artist Allison Bamcat

Pink cat looks forward against a pink-and-purple interior.

Stephanie Taylor - Oil

chosen by Trekell Pro Team artist Todd Casey
Calico cat with mouth open against a muted dark background.

Elizabeth Moreland Kern - Other Media

chosen by Trekell Pro Team artist Kai Lun Qu
Long-haired white cat with green eyes and warm yellow highlights.

Trekell Staff Picks
$25 Trekell Gift Certificate

Courtney - Trekell Owner

Veronika  Gorchkova - Mixed Media

Small pale dog bares its teeth amid pale pink floral marks.

 Nathan Loda - Oil

Dog's head in blue-and-orange light with a slender object crossing its mouth.

Mia Rivera - Acrylic

Bulldog dressed as a pirate with a red jeweled headpiece against warm brown. 

Trekell Staff Picks
$25 Trekell Gift Certificate

Nikki - Woodshop

Liz Gupta - Oil

Black-and-white dog lies upside down with its mouth open.

Mary Wells - Acrylic

Framed cat portrait labeled Luna on a blue-and-white card over a rainbow border.

Pet portrait of a cat, shown in the 2025 Pet Portrait Winners post

Jaci Tormala - Acrylic

White fluffy dog in side profile amid pale green branches.

Trekell Staff Picks
$25 Trekell Gift Certificate

Andrew - Marketing

Misty Wyant - Oil

Small orange fluffy dog peeks over a dark bowl beneath a black hat.


Kaylin Schafer - Mixed Media

Dog sits in a striped beach chair beneath a beach umbrella.

Alysia Harris - Acrylic

Black-and-white cat looks upward before gold decorative lettering.

Trekell Staff Picks
$25 Trekell Gift Certificate

Maria - Production Coordinator

Danni Williams - Acrylic

Black dog with open mouth against an unpainted wooden background.

 

Haley Swedowski - Acrylic

Long-haired orange-and-white cat with green eyes and gold highlights.

Katt Franich - Oil

Dark-furred animal in a hat beside a glowing red lantern.

 


 

Trekell Staff Picks
$25 Trekell Gift Certificate

Katrina - Shipping Dept.

Rafael Guerra - Oil

Black-and-tan long-haired dog with tongue out against pale gray.

Nita Tan - Oil

Brown-and-white puppy lies on grass beneath a pale sky.

Alex Tabet - Oil

Two curled animals rest together on folded reddish-brown cloth.

Trekell Staff Picks
$25 Trekell Gift Certificate

Myca - Customer Service

Leah Thomason - Oil

Rainbow-colored long-haired cat against bright pink, blue and yellow.



Liz Staley - Acrylic

 

White rabbit with black ears beside pale green stems.

Teri Cadman - Acrylic

 

Golden retriever lies on a wooden deck with one paw stretched forward.


Congratulations to all the winners!  And thank you to everyone who participated.  We had such a great time watching all the entries come in and viewing all the amazing artwork. We look forward to doing it again in 2026!