I draw the animals we love.

I'm Arden — an artist based in East Austin with an M.A. from the Sotheby's Institute of Art in London and a B.F.A. in Visual Communications from the University of Oklahoma. That training gave me a deep respect for craft, context, and the story every object carries.

My work has been recognized across the state, including being named Grand Champion of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Art competition — a show that draws thousands of entries each year. That honor affirmed what I've always believed: careful observation and honest feeling can cut through the noise.

My days are split between custom pet portraits in pencil, pen and watercolor, and a separate practice of bold graphic collages, prints and wallpapers. The portraits are slow and quiet — I work from the photographs you love most, layering soft colored pencil under loose washes of color until something of the animal's character begins to surface on the paper. The graphic work is the opposite: fast, saturated, a little bit unruly.

Every piece in the shop ships from Austin. Commissions open seasonally — say hello if you'd like a portrait of your own.