Your Toy Portrait - Custom Toy Portraits by Jennifer Maher » bunny

Emerson’s Bunny

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:39:49 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. While painting this bunny, I was absolutely mesmerized by the rich, pinkish-coral of this bunny’s inner ear. I appreciate a not-quite pink in a world of cotton-candy colored toys! This Jellycat bunny is the least-tattered and grungy of 3 identical bunnies (two are back-ups, but all are in use, OF COURSE) belonging to Morgan’s daughter Emerson. The original bunny was purchased for Emerson before she was born by her excited father. Morgan tells me that Emerson will not let her throw away the older, disintegrated bunnies, and actually seems to prefer them to the newest! Emerson loves to suck on the ears, so those are usually the first to go. This portrait will be a gift for Emerson from Morgan for her upcoming second birthday.

Asparagus

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 04:31:17 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. This bunny’s comfortable pose is the result of twenty-three years of love from Samantha, who recieved him as a gift when she was a newborn. He was given his ridiculously charming moniker “Asparagus” because it was California in the springtime, and that was reason enough. “Sam especially loved to run her fingers across the silky grain of the pink ribbon around bunny’s neck,” Sam’s mother Barbara wrote me. “This calming action always helped Samantha fall asleep with a sense of peace and security.” Asparagus remained by Sam’s side through college, and now has a place of honor on her bedroom bookshelf out of reach of a golden retriever puppy.

Tickle Bunny

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:44:23 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. At one year old, Sophie seems to be giving her adored stuffed bunny a name! He has been known simply as “Bunny” ever since he was given to Sophie in the hospital at her birth. But recently, Sophie’s mom Allison tells me, Sophie has consistently said “Tickle” each time she picks the bunny up and greets him. Sophie likes to kiss his nose and squeeze him tight while saying “Awwwwwwww!” When her parents take her out of the crib in the morning, Sophie is sure to grab Tickle(?) too, so he doesn’t miss out on any of the fun! You can see two other portraits that I’ve done previously of this particular model of Jellycat bunny here and here.

BlaBla Bunnies

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:20:52 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Melinda’s six-year-old son’s white Blabla bunny eventually became so tattered that it was no longer repairable. When it became evident that she wouldn’t be able to find a bunny with the exact same coloration to replace it (not sure that would have worked, Melinda!), a story was concocted about bunny having a cousin who was coming to live with them. In this way, some of the affection (and wear and tear) was diverted onto the stripey new addition to the family!

Blue Bunny

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 04:35:08 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. I have spent a lot of time recently with a paintbrush in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other! My only source material for this painting was a series of actual paper photos from the childhood of Chris’ daughter Claire, who is now off at college (blue bunny in tow.) In most of the photos, the bunny is either partially obscured by Claire’s adoring stranglehold or lit by an unflattering flash, arms flung up in alarm as if caught robbing a bank. But one photo in which the light was lovely and the bunny appeared momentarilly relaxed, lying next to little sleeping Claire, became the focus of this portrait. Chris notes that the bunny was purchased at Fay’s Drugs for $12.99.

Miffy Rattle

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:52:13 +0000

5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. As Christmas gifts for the her family in Switzerland, Holly commissioned little portraits of the favorite toys of each of her sister’s two children. Holly’s sister takes a yearly photo portrait of her children together with their special toys. Holly originally envisioned one painting of the two toys, but then thought individual portraits would allow for additions to the series for any future siblings. This ridiculously cute Dutch Miffy the Bunny rattle gives me a little twinge of regret that it’s too late to get one for my own three-year-old! I might anyway, and convince her that it’s a maraca rather than a baby toy.

August’s Bunny

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:13:32 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. 16-month-old August was given many stuffed toys when he was born, but this Jellycat bunny quickly emerged as his very favorite. He carries it everywhere, chews on its ears, and sleeps with his face buried in its fur. The bunny usually smells terrible as it can only be pried from August’s arms for washing when he is fast asleep! This is the second of two portraits commissioned by August’s mother Cassandra for her sons. Click here to see big brother Elijah’s stuffed monkey, and here to see another Jellycat bunny portrait I painted a few months ago.

bunny – this is my son, august’s sleeping buddy. august is only 16 months old and he buries his face in the bunny and chews on his ears. august carries the bunny absolutely everywhere! lots of people gave augie stuffed animals when he was born. his room is full of them, but for whatever reason, he became attached to this little bunny and he sleeps with him each night. the bunny actually smells terrible from spit up, food spills and other random catastrophes, but i can only wash him after august falls asleep and if i feel confident enough to pry the little bunny out of his hands without waking him

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Bunny and Rainbow Blanket

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:42:17 +0000

5×7 acrylic, 2011. Holy moly, this portrait packed a lot of textural challenges into one tiny painting! Check out this furry white bunny with a soft blue blanket/body trimmed with satin reclining against a crocheted, rainbow-patterned blanket. This is one of two portraits which will be Christmas gifts for Katie’s two small sons, and both feature the winning combination of blanket-heads and blankets!

Order a print of this painting:

More info about prints here.
Order a print of this painting:

More info about prints here.

Olivia’s Bunny

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:30:15 +0000

5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. Well, I’m pretty sure that this is the fuzziest bunny I have ever painted! I got lost in it’s pink fur for hours and hours, and enjoyed almost every minute of it. The bunny and the nubby blanket beneath it belong to Olivia, who turns one in October. Olivia has kept both objects close to her day and night ever since she was born. She especially loves to rub the bunny’s ear on her face as she falls asleep, to chew on its feet and arm, and to play with the all-important tag. This portrait will be a birthday gift for Olivia from her parents.

Order a print of this painting:

More info about prints here.

Yellow Bunny

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:38:58 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Funny how it happens like this, but a couple of weeks ago it seemed as though everyone who has ever won an auction or giveaway portrait contacted me at the same time! Stephanie was the recipient of an custom portrait at an auction benefitting a California elementary school in March. This bunny is the favorite of third-grade son, who is still very attached to it. I was very excited by the rich, Rembrandt-y tones of the photos Stephanie sent me, and had fun working with a darker palette. However, the overall surface of this thing is extremely shiny and difficult to photograph! I’ve been advised to look into flash diffusers…

Order a print of this painting:

More info about prints here.