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An Interview With Pet Fashion Portrait Artist Prissy Tang

Pet Portraits Inspired By Fashion Art! 😍

If you love seeing humans and dogs encapsulated in chic and stylish art, then Priscilla Tang will take your breath away. She is the creator and owner of fashion pet portrait brand, Pet Prissy. She uses her styling skills to give dog owners a glamorous make-over in a unique portrait with their pooch.

We caught up with Priscilla to find out more about her business, read our Q&A below.

Hey Prissy! We’re so excited to chat about your beautiful art. Tell us all about Pet Prissy and what inspired you to create it?

I love painting fashionista pet portraits for my dog mum and dog dad clients. I love putting subjects together to portray the inimitable bonds between dog owners and their dogs.

Using quality photos from dog owners, or close up pictures I can make magic.

Here is a sample of my art. This piece is called “Lady with Rascal”. Here the portrait was based on separate pictures of the young lady and the dog. The affection the lady has for Rascal is clear to see.

This is beautiful. You must have so many favourite pieces. Are there any other art portraits that bring you joy?

I have many beloved art compositions. This one in particular was originally taken from three individual photos. Deb and her two dogs Sassy and Scally. The dog mum is Deb Haggerty is from California and runs a Golden Retriever rescue called “Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue HBGRR”.

Wow, you can feel the loving bond oozing out of this portrait. Didn’t you pay tribute to the Queen with a portrait?

I created a beautiful piece of art with the royal children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, snuggling with one of Queen Elizabeth’s corgis who had passed. This, now, is a portrait for Grandma to cherish forever.

This is giving us all the feels. Do you create solo portraits too?

I also do paintings of single dogs. During Bark Aid, I was the Head Judge for Gorgeous Girl. “Molly” was the winner of “Gorgeous Girl”, and I donated this solo portrait as a prize for the campaign.

I also recently took part in another charity campaign to help dog shelters across the UK and the rest of the world. Again donating a solo portrait to the winner “Maisy” the Jug (cross between a Jack Russel and a Pug).

What a pair of cuties. So tell us Pris, what inspired you to start Pet Prissy?

Before Pet Prissy, I was a veteran of fashion illustrating for 20 years. Fashion illustration was a glamorous profession but I wanted to work for myself and not for an editor. To have a product of my own and not merely do editorial work meant I could build up my own brand, invest in myself and grow. One day I decided to create my own brand of services that delivers my own art products.

There’s nothing I loved more than seeing the immense joy and delight after capturing my friends pets. So I transformed my hobby into a viable business!

Such an inspiration. What’s the best thing about running your own business?

I love helping people!

The joy my pet portraits bring to my clients gives me such satisfaction. I love listening to the unique stories my clients tell me of the bonds between them and their dogs. It is often very poignant.

The wonderful thing about my job is I get to alleviate some of the heartache of my clients. The cherry on top of the cake is when their eyes brighten up when they see my pencil draft of their portrait. Sometimes tears fall, the impact of my work is fully appreciated which is joyful to me.

Also, I find that the more I try to render the happy smiles on the portrait subjects, the more I mimic their smiles involuntarily! Look at this piece with “Edna”. I always do that when I paint my subjects. That is why my art brings me so many smiles!

Lovely! Someone once told me that a smile is the universal language of kindness. How did you come up with the name Pet Prissy?

Pet Prissy is derivative of my name, Priscilla Tang. The name had to be not more than 4 syllables, descriptive, easy to say on the phone and easy to remember. Think Netflix, Coca-cola, Tesla, Pet Prissy.

Of course, short and snappy names are always a winner! What would you say makes Pet Prissy different to any other pet portrait business?

I give people a reason to smile.

The fashion upticks that I give people make them happy and aspire to be the uplifted versions of themselves that they see in their portraits. My authentic portraits give my dog mums hope of what is within their grasp, sweet nostalgia intermingled with new possibilities. 

I merge different eras together effortlessly. I might be painting a grand child with the family dog that once belonged to their Grandmother. Time-capsuling is part of my work.  

The market is over saturated with pet portrait artists who mostly do pet heads. In my business I use my fashion art skills lavishly on my pet portraits. For example, I custom design the fashion accessories for my female portrait subjects.

I also enhance their personas with alluring makeovers including their hair, makeup and nails. Furthermore I love to resort to my art fashion student days where I was inspired by the great fashion designers of our time; Oscar de la Renta, Chanel and Gucci.

I am also inspired by the Fashion art of Antonio Lopez of the 1970’s whose art graced the pages of Vogue, GQ, Cosmopolitan, NYTIMES, etc.

Encapsulating moments and memories are so special and your pieces are so unique. We love them here at Dog Furiendly. Go on then Prissy, tell us something that people won’t know about you?

I was an architectural professional and a designer in fantastical figurines for collectors. Also, in March 2021, I turned 70 years young but I am still zapping it! 

Such a legend! What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?

My work and my faith-driven beliefs.

Do you have dogs yourself?

When I settled in Hong Kong it was difficult to raise dogs in the small hi-rise apartments. However, dogs have always been a part of my life and there are many that have been part of my family over the years.

Bobby, my first childhood puppy remains forever carved on my heart. Growing up, I always found solace in sweet faced Bobby who enjoyed my company and was sweet and obliging to my playful tugs and squeezes.

My sister’s family also had a string of pooches. I remember vividly a retired army Labrador named Kuri, an ex-bomb disposal dog who lost his sense of smell. He was so friendly that he got dognapped once! I could go on. There are so many dogs who each have a special place in my heart. In fact, you could probably write a whole blog or novel dedicated to each of these special pups.

Are there many dog friendly places in Malaysia?

We have many wooded and shrubbed walks near to our homes back in Malaysia. I loved going on those walks with our dogs and family. 

Pictured below is the KLCC Park in the centre of Kuala Lumpur. A stunning canopy walk. 

Wow, that place looks so pretty! Have you ever visited the UK? Do you have any favourite places?

I love Combermere in Shropshire. A tiny rustic village occupied by big ancient living oak trees. The rolling plains, low lit by a soft setting sun. Best during a balmy fall season. Apart from that, I wish to return one day and have fun playing with our dogs at home. 

It’s such a lovely spot in the countryside. My former clients, Rachel and Lee and their dog, Maisy live there. It’s such a difference from tropical Malaysia or Singapore. Maybe that is why I like Combermere so much!

That sounds like a dreamy place to go on vacation! One more question before we wrap up… where can people have their portrait done?

You can visit my website petprissy.com or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Have You Ever Had A Pet Portrait?

Why not experience the beauty of Prissy’s portraits for yourself? Perhaps you’ve already had a pet portrait which you cherish every day? Let us know in the comments below.

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