I work at Canvas Press and have always felt a connection with all our customers, but in this particular case, my heart fell a little harder for a customer with bright feathers…

It is a rare and life altering moment when you awaken one morning to discover you are completely in love; An unconditional love that grabs a hold and refuses to let go. This miracle of the heart comes in many shapes and sizes and has no boundaries. That is what one lucky couple from Austin TX found with their blue and gold macaw, Bailey. Anyone who has ever been blessed enough to own a parrot knows how wonderfully loyal they are to their human parents and how it takes a patient and caring person to care for such a special bird for it can act just like a two year old child.

I had the honor of meeting this incredibly gorgeous blue and gray macaw on a visit to Glenda and Joe’s pet supply house, Gallery of Pets. It was our first meeting and I had never been to this eclectic shop full of fish and birds. I found myself in a joyous animal overload. After meeting Glenda, she walked me to the back to meet her pride and joy, Bailey. He looked at me and said to me in his cute macaw voice, “HELLO, Everybody” and of course, I greeted Bailey back, in attempts to imitate him.

I told her all about Canvas Press and our photos to canvas. She sounded fascinated and pressed to hear more. That is about the time I went into detail about our OilWorks and how I could paint anything her desires using our digital program that uses real digital paint brushes. Her eyes widen and asked if I could paint her sweet Bailey and print it on Canvas. And of course I said “YES!” Shortly after our visit, I drove back to work to find a picture of Bailey waiting for me in my inbox.

The picture I received was a rough snap shot of Bailey with many store items surrounding him to distract the eye. He sat happily on a perch just waiting to be painted. I proceeded to open Bailey’s photo onto my painting program. The image from the computer monitor glowed back at me as I sat contemplating. “Bailey needs to look like he is playing outside somewhere lush with many beautiful shades to complement his coloring.” Immediately, I removed the clutter from the background and began adding hues of purple, yellow and blue. As I neared the end of the painting, could see Bailey come to life.

Normally, I would email a sample of the finished painting to the eager client, but this time I thought, “No. I want it to be a surprise.” I let Glenda know her new painting was ready for her and that I would be available to drop it by the next day. As I approached the shop, I quickly covered the painting of Bailey to ensure no early peeking. Glenda greeted me with a Cheshire Cat grin and eagerness behind her eyes. So of course, I showed Bailey the painting of himself first, then finally, I had teased her long enough and showed her, her new painting. She took a deep breath and sighed, “It’s beautiful! I must show my husband!” Before I knew it, they had already picked out a place for his painting to hang in their shop. A child comes in many forms and this case a macaw named Bailey whose painting will now grace the walls thanks to a simple photo to canvas.

By Renee Auguste