Forever in Full Colour
When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure…
Remembered
with Love
Some stories live on in the people who remember and the keepsakes we hold close.
These portraits are a dedication to those stories — preserved in art that honours their beauty and spirit.
Celebrating the small, beautiful life.
I’ve spent much of my life alongside people in their most vulnerable moments – as a nursing student, aged care assistant, and ambulance volunteer. I’ve witnessed life in all its beauty and fragility, from first breaths to final goodbyes. Those experiences, combined with losing seven of my own loved ones in a single year, reshaped how I saw the world. Life felt unbearably short, and I felt like I’d lost myself.
Art became my way back. Picking up a paintbrush gave me space to breathe again – to dance, to celebrate small moments, and to remember what it felt like to be me. Slowly, I began sketching people, training my eye to capture the human form, and eventually, I had the courage to revisit old photos of those I’d lost. That’s when I realised how few photos I had with them. It hurt.
So, I drew us together. Through illustration, I created a sense of closure and a place for my love to go. And I knew I wasn’t alone in this – others needed that too. That’s how my In Memory Of… service was born: portraits that hold onto love, even in loss.
Now, I use my art to bring comfort, weaving joy into grief. If my illustrations can ease even a little of someone’s pain, then I’ve done what I’ve always wanted – to help people feel cared for during life’s hardest moments.
Kirsty xx
The Care Behind Each Illustration
I’ve witnessed life in all its forms, from first breaths to last goodbyes. That experience gave me a profound respect for how fragile, precious and irreplaceable our stories are. It also taught me how important it is to hold space for grief, and to notice the small human details that make someone who they are.
That is the care I bring to every In Memory Of commission.
Each piece takes hours of sketching, paintingpiecing together all the details. I listen to your stories, pore over photographs and weave together the memories you share.
My goal is never to make “just an artwork,” but to create something that feels like them — a keepsake that carries the warmth of their spirit.
Here’s what others have said:
-
"I was nervous about commissioning something so personal, but Kirsty made it feel safe, gentle, and full of care. The finished illustration is breathtaking. You can feel the hours she spent making sure it was right. It’s priceless to us."
Abbie.B
-
"When I opened the illustration, I burst into tears. It felt like my dad was right there with us again. Kirsty captured his warmth and personality. This piece will stay in our family forever."
Wendy.D
-
"The amount of care and detail Kirsty puts into these illustrations is unbelievable. From the first email to the final painting, every step felt thoughtful. You can tell she’s poured her heart into it."
Sue.E
Frequently Asked Questions
-
They are bespoke artworks I create to honour and remember a loved one. I take your photographs, stories, and cherished details and turn them into keepsakes that capture their spirit.
They’re also a lovely way to remember your loved one if you don’t have any or many photo’s together.
-
All you need to do is share several photographs of your loved one. If you don’t have any of you together with your loved one, I will ask for extra information such as their height etc to assist with me developing the composition.
-
Yes, absolutely. Many families ask me for group portraits; siblings together, a parent with their children, or even several generations joined in one illustration. I can thoughtfully bring them together in a single piece.
-
At the moment, Yes. Although I’m able to illustrate pets, my best work is when I’m painting people and bringing them back together with their families and friends.
If you have a specific heirloom or object (such as your Grandad’s special biscuit tin) you’d like illustrated please do let me know, and I can see if I have availability in my creative calendar.
-
Yes. I can post printed pieces worldwide, and delivery times will depend on where you are based.
-
Please allow up to 4 weeks from receiving the pictures and information I need to work from. I take great care in creating these works, and like to ensure I have the time and space to work on them.
-
That’s absolutely fine, and is the exact reason I started this service. I’m able to use my illustration skills to bring people back together, by working from multiple photographs and other information I will request.
-
Whilst each commission request is different, please be aware that my service ranges from $160 to $600. This pricing is dependant on the size you would like, how many people you want illustrated, and how many images I need to work from.
If you’d like to have a bespoke In Memory Of created for you, please submit your enquiry and provide me with as much information as you can. I will then reach out to send you a questionnaire to fill in, and then provide you with your personalised quote.
