Seven and a half year-old Cockapoo Darcy is good natured and happy to go with the flow – a good trait when her owners’ young sons are climbing all over her. Unusually she doesn’t bark, and she is not a fan of playing with any toys apart from a purple monkey she got when she was a puppy. Unfortunately she was hit by a car two years ago, and now has regular hydrotherapy sessions as part of her rehabilitation, where she loves to swim. It also means when she runs she does a bunny hop and her back legs move together. 

The popularity of this breed is such that I draw more Cockapoo portraits than any other breed at the moment. But that’s not a bad thing – they’re such adorable little characters that it gives me a lot of pleasure and it’s very fulfilling to know that I’m creating something that will mean a lot to their owners. Their endless curls need to convey the depth and softness of their fur, and I always try to capture that sparkle in their eyes to bring their portraits to life.