When someone wants to know your porn star name and you have to put together your first pet with your mother's maiden name, (mine's Butch Poval, thanks for asking), the ensuing hilarity is often tinged with a little sadness at the memory of that long gone kitty or pooch which formed such a big part of our young lives. Pets - whether yours was a Butch or a Fluffy, they helped to teach many of us about love and responsibility when we were knee highs.
So, now that you're all grown up, how would you like to immortalise your beloved beagle, your fancy French bulldog or your mischievous mongrel with a unique portrait? Perhaps you know someone with a jaunty Jack Russell, a lovable lab or a, erm, shih tzu?
Dutch artist Margit van der Zwan captures the looks and the personalities of peoples' pets amongst her other artwork and in between being an accomplished musician. She's as comfortable playing cello on stage with Elbow as she is with a paint brush.
Based in Manchester, Arty Margit as she's known, can take your pooch, pussycat, hamster or whatever takes your fancy and immortalise it in a pet portrait all of your very own. Or for someone else of course and, with Mother's Day just around the corner, there's an idea for an unusual gift. Unless they haven't got a pet, which would make it a bit strange... Maybe you could buy them a pet and do a portrait next year!
Visit Arty Margit's website.