A former veterinary nurse from East Lothian has found a new way to care for animals – by creating stunning pet portraits.
Lauren Purves, 24, creates strikingly lifelike portraits of beloved dogs and cats as well as wildlife, taking up to 20 hours to complete each one.
After years of study, training and hard work to qualify as a veterinary nurse, talented Lauren decided to swap the clinic for canvas. She said she found the emotional toll too great.
She drew a line under her career to focus on becoming a professional artist, thanks in part to support from The King’s Trust.
The decision to return to her first love of drawing is paying off with her Lauren’s Prints website generating growing numbers of commissions.
She says her bespoke coloured pencil pieces aim to capture the defining traits and quirks that make each animal unique.
She also produces intricate wildlife artwork, selling prints of foxes, hares, stags and red squirrels online and at arts and crafts events.
Lauren, who has always had a passion for drawing – and achieved an “A” in Advanced Higher Expressive Art while at school – completed her first pet portrait in 2018 with a finely detailed pencil illustration of a friend’s dog.
She qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2023, taking a step back from drawing, but found the emotional realities of the job increasingly difficult.
Lauren says it was “particularly heartbreaking” when owners were faced with making “impossible” decisions about pets’ care due to financial issues.
She said: “I began to realise that art truly makes me happy and was what I wanted to pursue in life. Despite loving working with animals, I decided to leave my nursing job.”
Lauren added: “There were a few reasons for this. It wasn’t the animals themselves – I loved caring for them.
“It was mainly the cost of treatments increasing and owners having to make impossible decisions because of this.”
Lauren has since been working with The King’s Trust to set up and run her new business, while also developing the skills needed to manage it successfully.
She said: “I am grateful for the lessons I’ve learned on the programme. The support gave me the confidence to take it seriously.
“I don’t think I would have made the leap without it but I’m enjoying the journey.”
Lauren, who is still waiting for an autism assessment two years on, says returning to drawing has had a calming and positive impact.
Her bespoke pet portraits are in demand with waiting lists of several weeks. Commissions have steadily increased as word spreads on social media, with delighted customers praising her work as “absolutely outstanding”.
Despite her career change, Lauren says her background in veterinary care continues to shape her work.
She said: “I aim to reflect how important our animals are in our lives. I understand how much these animals mean to people.
“For many, they’re family. Being able to capture that bond – that’s what matters most to me.
“I feel lucky I’ve found a way to combine my love of animals with something positive.
“It’s a different kind of care – but it still feels important.”
Lauren adopted her own cat, Piper, from Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home.
She said: “She used to be a stray and she was brought into the practice for neutering. I fell in love when I met her and decided to bring her home.”
Piper now acts as Lauren’s “studio assistant” and enjoys “helping” her by regularly scattering her pencils across the floor.
The King’s Trust helps young people build confidence and skills to find work or start businesses.
It was founded in 1976 by King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, and was renamed in 2023.
