“What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”

–Helen Keller

Whether it be a parent, grandparent, child, or best friend, losing a loved one is a life-changing event, and the grief that follows can be difficult to navigate.

However, as Helen Keller reminds us in the quote above, when people who we have deeply loved pass on, they are never truly lost.

Keeping his or her spirit alive in creative and meaningful ways can ease the pain of loss and help us remember the physical features and unique personality that made our loved one who he or she was.

Maybe it’s the way your grandfather lovingly looked into your grandmother’s eyes that you wish to hold on to and remember.

Or perhaps it’s how your daughter’s dimples showed when she smiled.

If you’re looking for a meaningful way to keep the memory of a loved one alive and thriving, a beautiful and custom memorial portrait is a wonderful way to do so. 

At Paint Your Life, we help our customers process their grief and creatively memorialize a loved one through the simple yet detailed creation of custom hand-painted portraits.

After selecting a photo of your loved one (on your own or with others), one of our talented and professional artists will create a portrait that can be hung in your home or gifted to others.

Receiving customer testimonials and stories has proved to us just how special the creation of a memorial portrait has been in the healing process.

Read the testimonials below to see how five of our customers have used these artistic portraits to honor the memory of their loved ones.

“He teared up when he saw it.”

“My grandmother recently passed away, and I had a painting done in memorial. It was a lovely photo of my grandmother with my daughter. I gave it to my father for Christmas, and he teared up when he saw it. Jason did an outstanding job. I love it so much, I’m going to purchase another one just like it for myself.”

Our customer Felicia gave her father (and herself) the perfect piece to remember her grandmother. Including her daughter in the memorial portrait added a sentimental and multi-generational dimension to the creative remembrance—absolutely beautiful and thoughtful. 

“He loved the portrait and hung it immediately.”

“I have twin sons, and one passed away in December. I wanted to give his brother a picture in remembrance of his brother at the age he passed away. He loved the portrait and hung it immediately. I had them do a second picture for me. I am the mom to these amazing young men.”

Losing a child is never easy, just as losing a sibling isn’t easy. When our customer Lois transformed a photo of her twin sons into a hand-painted portrait, she did more than give a thoughtful present to her surviving son…she also brought a beautiful relationship and moment in time to life.

“This is so amazing and special.”

“I just wanted to say thank you. My husband gave this to me for Christmas this year. My brother passed in 2009 before our children were born. Then my Dad passed away last year. I don’t have any family pictures with my brother and my kids. This is so amazing and special, and I love it.”

As our customer shared, losing family members and realizing that you don’t have specific photographs of them after the fact can be a regret for many. With custom hand-painted memorial portraits, you can request that an artist creates a scene that may not have existed in photo form.

“A lasting memory for my niece.”

“The painting is the daughter of my nephew, Brad. I had the painting done for her. We lost Brad shortly after Christmas, this past year. I wanted the painting to be a lasting memory for my niece. She and her dad shared many special moments together. The painting just seemed to capture them in a single moment. She loves the painting and will treasure it for many years to come. You did a great job. Thank you.”

Often, children who lose a parent grieve for the loss of a host of future memories and moments they will never share with a mother or father.

Helping grieving children remember the times they did share with a deceased parent can be one of the most meaningful gifts you can give them. 

“Something beautiful to be admired.”

“One year anniversary of my youngest son’s passing, and I was driven to do something to honor him and help me endure this horrible anniversary date. Decided that I wanted a painting of my son, not a photo enlarged but actual art. Something beautiful to be admired. I submitted my photo for a painting to be completed. This photo had to be cropped and adjusted several times just to get a decent headshot. The customer service at Paint Your Life was so understanding to my loss and patient with my requests. They worked on the photo until I was satisfied. Then the preliminary painting was sent for approval, and it was fabulous. So much better than I had imagined. The attention to detail was amazing. The time frame in which the painting was to be completed, framed, and shipped [was] on point as well. I could not be happier with the end result. Everyone who sees the painting is amazed by the likeness and how the art radiates the true personality of my beloved son. I truly believe that anyone who invests in such a painting from Paint Your Life will not be disappointed.”

If you know a parent who’s recently lost a child, you may question the act of giving something that reminds the parent of whom he or she has lost. However, gifting a memorial portrait actually often reminds him or her of the times when a child was alive—and that is a gift to look back on fondly.

Whether you’re looking for a way to remember a loved one that has passed on or a gift for a grieving family member or friend, a hand-painted portrait is the perfect idea that many have appreciated.

We now invite you to go browse our memorial portrait gallery to see more examples of beautiful portraits before placing your own order.