Great American Legacy Portraits: 

Here at Great American Art Works we love our pets!  After taking on the business in 2024, we unfortunately lost three of our senior pets (Lucy, Ruby, and Nibby) and felt our mantle shrine start to get a little crowded.  We didn't feel the traditional wooden urns were giving them the proper respect that reciprocated our love, so we decided to do something special to honor them.  And that is how we started our Legacy Portrait Services.    

Using our 564 unique recipes for soft pastels, we mix your pet's cremated remains into each piece to come up with a personalized pastel set.  Our resident artist, Andrea Gianchiglia, is a member of the Pastel Society of America, The Society of Animal Artists, and The Pastel Society of New Jersey and is known for her animal portraitures.  She then uses this kit to breathe life back into your pet's ashes, creating a very personal portrait commissioned with LOVE.  

Commission your Legacy Portrait Today! - 9"x11"  $1,500

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Step One:
Fill out the request form.
Select the dimensions (Horizontal or Vertical)
Confirm your prepay method (Card or check),
and email us your photos.​

These are our reference photos used for Nibby, Ruby, & Lucy: 

*Please note this request form does not guarantee we can start the project.
Step Two:
After you have received the confirmation email that we can commission the work, ​Make Payment though our invoice link and Mail Great American Art Works the cremated remains.
(ideally 18 Tablespoons) or a little over 1 cup is plenty.  
​Please properly label the remains if you are ordering multiple sets.

Our workshop address is:
Great American Art Works
1208 Meridian Street
​Anderson, IN 46016
Step Three:
Schedule a phone or zoom consultation
​with our resident artist to share personality traits,
some stand out features, or stories you remember of your pet.

Nibby: was like royalty (thus the purple background) but was gansta with the younger cats (so she left the beat up collar)
Lucy: had prominent droopy eyes and always sported her bandannas
Ruby.: had a golden glow but always had a dirty beard
Step Four: 
Our artist will choose the color palette from your images and shared stories and then we got to work and create 18 unique soft pastels using your pet's ashes.

Each stick one will receive 1 Tablespoon of ashes per piece.  
We can make due with less.  But ideally 1 cup is ideal.
Step Five: 
Our artist will use your pet's new pastel kit as they create a personalized portrait of your beloved pet.

The turn around times can vary depending on the season and work load. 
We strive to deliver your portrait approximately One Month from time of order.  
Step Six: 
We will mail you the portrait(s), remaining pastels, an any unused ashes for you to keep close and cherish forever..  

Click here to order your Legacy Portrait now!

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About the artist:

"Every animal portrait I create is rooted in love, compassion, and respect for the bond we share with our animals. Working in a realistic style, I focus on capturing the details that make each pet unmistakably them - from the texture of their fur to the expression in their eyes that reflects their spirit looking back at you.  Painting animals - especially beloved pets - is more than creating a beautiful image; it’s about honoring a family member"

- Andrea Gianchiglia