About the Artist

Art Irini is the studio name of Iryna Guzhva, a watercolor artist who paints custom portraits of dogs, cats, and horses — and sometimes of young children — from the photographs her clients send.

From Mariupol to Denver

Iryna is originally from Mariupol, Ukraine. She came to watercolor in 2020 as a self-taught artist, starting with free online sketching lessons. Her first portrait was of her own dog, Jack, a wire-haired fox terrier. The painting was a turning point: her husband encouraged her to continue, and she began to take commissions.

She has painted as Art Irini since May 2021. Early orders from the United States arrived through Etsy. After the full-scale war began, she left home with her family and their dog, lived for a time in Georgia and Romania, and later moved to the United States, near Denver, Colorado, to be closer to relatives. Her daughter was born in the Denver area.

The work

Iryna paints realistic watercolor portraits on 100% cotton paper. She is drawn to the small things that give an animal its character — the eyes, the texture of the fur, the expression that makes a pet recognizable at once. Clients often say the finished portrait looks alive.

Custom portraits start at $150 for a single pet. To commission a painting, visit How to order or write to petart.irini@gmail.com.