Meet the Artist
Hello, I'm Nicole Santamaría, a London-based artist and the founder of NsantamariArt.
Painting has always been where I feel most at peace. What began as a personal passion gradually became something much more meaningful—a way of helping people preserve the companions and memories that shape their lives.
Originally from Ecuador and raised in Spain, I now call London home. Every place I've lived and every experience along the way has shaped how I see people, animals and the quiet beauty found in everyday moments.
While bespoke pet portraits are currently at the heart of my work, NsantamariArt was never created to be limited to one subject. It's built around a simple belief: meaningful art has the power to preserve emotion, memory and connection.
Inside the Process
Every painting begins long before the first brushstroke.
Some of the most meaningful conversations I have with clients aren't about painting—they're about the little habits, expressions and memories that made their companion unforgettable.
Those conversations shape every decision I make throughout the creative process, helping me create artworks that feel deeply personal rather than simply accurate.
I work carefully from selected reference photographs, building each painting layer by layer with professional archival materials, always aiming to capture not only how they looked, but how they made people feel.
My goal has never been to simply recreate a photograph. It's to create an artwork that quietly brings someone back into the room.
The Ones Who Started It All
Before there was NsantamariArt, there were Charly, Coby and Charlotte.
They were the first animals I ever painted, and without them, Forever You Portraits wouldn't exist.
They made me realise that I didn't just love painting—I loved painting the animals who become family.
Every commission I create today begins with the same thought: Someone else loves their dog or cat just as deeply as I love mine.
Charly
The definition of loyalty
Charly has been beside me through some of the biggest chapters of my life. He's the kind of dog who simply wants to be wherever you are, and he's taught me that love doesn't need grand gestures to be unforgettable.
Coby
Pure joy
Coby makes every day brighter. Whether he's chasing a ball, looking for treats or making everyone laugh, he reminds me that every animal has a personality that deserves to be celebrated.
Charlotte
On her own terms
Charlotte has always done things her own way. Independent, observant and quietly affectionate, she reminds me that love comes in many different forms.
Why I Do What I Do
Every commission reminds me that art can become far more than something beautiful to look at.
It can preserve a memory, celebrate a life and keep someone close long after a single moment has passed.
Every artwork I create is my way of honouring that connection—with patience, intention and genuine care.
That has always been, and will always remain, the heart of NsantamariArt.