Hi there!

I’m Charlie, the artist creating all these colourful animal portraits. I go by SquidTarts on social media and around the web. I’ve always loved animals and art since I was a tiny kiddo, and I used to cover my school work in doodles of kitties and lots of wolves.

I live in Fredericton, NB with two border collies, two orange tabbies, a colony of mourning geckos, and a man obsessed with foxes. You’ll often see my pets in my work; they’re great models! I most enjoy painting cats and reptiles, but I also love creating memorial portraits. It’s such an honour to be able to bring a little piece of a furry (or scaley) companion back to life.

I’m a self-taught artist with a BSc in animal behaviour. I was previously a science-based dog trainer, but chronic illness has forced me to take a less physically demanding career path. I use my knowledge of animals in my work and am cautious not to create work showcasing uncomfortable animals, even if they’re a meme or seem cute to the average person.

I’ve recently been dipping my toes into online teaching through SkillShare. Thank you so much to all of my students so far! I’m super excited about sharing what I’ve learned on my artistic journey and to continue learning with everyone.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about my work or artistic process.

Keep being awesome!

Charlie