Today we’d like to introduce you to Mindy Toth-Padilla.
Hi Mindy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story about becoming a professional artist specializing in pet portraits and starting my small business called The Painted Paw is about learning that the world is what you make of it. Back in 2020, the year of the ‘Rona virus, we and our neighbors would socially distance gather out on our front lawns most evenings, commiserating about how weird the times were. We all had dogs, so it quickly became a social hour for them as well.
One day before the holiday season, I had a brilliant idea to paint their dogs as a gift for them for Christmas. The look on their faces when they received their paintings was so awesome that I got hooked. Working as a registered nurse, I already know I enjoy that feeling of service toward others. This was something different though, something selfish, even. I discovered the satisfaction I found in myself, my ability.
I also knew that painting people’s pets was the subject matter that I wanted to focus on because of the deep connection I had to our own dog who I considered my best friend. I wanted to share that unconditional love between pets and their owners. You could say that art is part of my genetic makeup. My father is an internationally acclaimed artist, Peter Wolf Toth, known for his giant-sized Native American wooden statues series, Trail of the Whispering Giants.
This art series has gained him entrance to be cataloged in The Smithsonian, featured in National Geographic magazine, as well as pieces gracing the entryway of museums. I have always been artistically driven, but never put much effort forth in establishing myself as an artist. I thought myself too busy surviving in the “real world”, so heavily laden with responsibility for others and ultimately for myself.
Even with a father whose success and encouragement had shown that art could be a fertile venture, I shied away. I believe that for me, one of the most difficult things about starting my small business was that I had to admit to myself that I had been repressing this very important piece of myself for well over a decade. Seems dramatic! But it’s true. I had always quietly daydreamed of how my life could be different if I chose the less practical path.
The Painted Paw is how I’m finally doing this thing that has been there all along. I continue working as a nurse because I do love that as well, but the rest of my time and energy goes towards this passion to connect people with vibrant pieces of art of their beloved animals. I registered my business as an LLC in 2021, and have been working in the Central Florida area painting pet portraits and attending art events ever since.
We have only so much time during this life, so figuring out for myself how to incorporate art into my life has been invigorating. My only regret is that I didn’t become established as an artist sooner. Shout out to my wife, family, friends, and any person who has ever spoken a kind word about my artwork, who has offered advice, supported me in my endeavors, and attended my events. Thank you all; your support encourages me every day!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wish I could say it’s been nothing but rainbows and butterflies, but starting a small business is a struggle with a diamond-sharp learning curve. I have had to pivot so many times learning how to set up day-to-day operations, create a website, how plan for taxes, and battle to keep as up-to-date as possible with social media marketing trends.
My wife has been exemplary in advising me on video creation, discussing ideas, setting up my display at events, and being there for me when I’m at odds with myself. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her contributions. I continue to learn and grow as this is truly a lifelong learning process. All of that doesn’t even account for the artistic growth I have made in leaps and bounds over the past couple of years.
As an artist, it is quite easy to fall into doubt when working on pieces. It isn’t uncommon for me to wonder if my work is going to be “good enough”. Imposter syndrome rears its ugly head over and over. It is something I am still learning to work through and face with facts to diminish the feeling. I attempt to learn something new with each piece that I work on and believe that I am still just scraping the surface of what I am artistically capable of.
If all of the general difficulties with starting a business weren’t enough, I lost my best friend, my painting buddy, and my constant shadow, our King Charles Cavalier Spaniel named Korben. His joy for life and companionship had always been a major inspiration behind why I chose pets as a focus in my artwork.
Even when he was near the end, he would greet everyone with a warm toothy grin, a wagging tail, and big loving eyes. His determination to love always stood out to me. I believe that our pets can bring out the best in us. Every time I look at a painting I created of him, I am reminded of all the love he had for us and how much happiness having him in our lives brought us.
With his passing, my motivation to continue honoring pets through my paintings has only deepened. I know that I am creating something to honor that animal that will be so profoundly meaningful to the owner, whether or not the pet is still with us. Capturing all that love and joy in a moment in time is priceless.
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a self-taught artist specializing in vibrant acrylic paintings with the primary focus of my artwork on people’s pets. Most of my work is commission based for these portraits, since each pet is as unique as their owner. What sets me apart is that I enjoy creating bold imagery that allows the viewer to connect with the subject. My vision is that you will see the essence of the subject and feel that intensity from the animal’s gaze every time you view the piece. From the brightness of the animal’s eyes, to the depth of color revealed in the layering of hairs, the colors and tones may seem subtle at first, but the longer you view the image, the more expanded the palette of colors and textures there are to see and connect with. The subject’s intensity is furthered through the abstract imagery utilized in the backdrop, gently pushing your eyes to return to the subject. The colors I use aren’t standard. I bring in additional hues and vibrancy that are there in nature, but are neglected by the general eye. If you look closer, you will see the extended palette I’ve chosen in order to highlight the subject’s soul.
I am most proud of the story I can create through my art. Visual art, specific to paintings, is another language altogether. While my subjects are mostly dogs and cats, I do not consider myself limited to just telling the story of an animal. It is in actuality a story of love and our capacity to love someone or something besides ourselves. Like I stated earlier, our pet’s can bring out the best qualities in ourselves; each painting is truly reflective of the story of the owner and their best qualities. I am so proud to feature this beauty in my paintings.
The pet portrait artist market is heavily saturated with simply amazing artists! Wherever you choose to commission a portrait will be amazing, whether that is through a traditional artist working with brush strokes on a canvas like myself or through a mouse and computer software to generate an image, you are choosing to honor your pet. For me, I hope that the readers from Orlando Voyager will see this and choose my own particular brand of artwork when they see and read the nature of my artwork. It is all about creating that reflective story of your best qualities and love that you’ve shown your animal.
What do you think about luck?
Luck is a word I’d like to replace with “circumstance”. It just so happened that my life lined up in a way where I could choose to spend my days off from my primary job to paint, focus on dream-level goals, and not feel like my time should be restrained to other pursuits that held greater necessity. And once I began painting and putting together a vision of what could be, I took off.
The thing that I’d been holding back so long due to my pragmatic outlook finally won me over. When they say that “timing is everything”, it is true. For me, I know now that I required a completely stable environment in order to allow myself to play, make art, enjoy the process, and invite others to enjoy it. So, yes, circumstance played a key in my business. I mentioned before, if I could have forced this into existence earlier, I would have. But, then it may not have worked the same way it has for me.
Pricing:
- 12”x12” $175-$200
- 16”x20” $250-$300
- 24”x24” $350-$400
- 20”x30” $400-$500
- 24”x36” $500-$600 * All pricing is at the discretion of the artist, see website for further information.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thepaintedpawllc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepainted.paw
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepaintedpaworlando
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-painted-paw-orlando
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepaintedpaw
Image Credits
The Painted Paw
