I had the incredible privilege of creating a pencil pet portrait of Henri Bell, the beloved dog of actress Meg Johnson. Best known for her roles in Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and Brookside, Meg was a much-loved figure in British television, with a career spanning decades. Her warmth and charisma made her a household name and it was truly an honour to work with her and create this special portrait.
Meg and her family sadly lost their gorgeous dog Henri Bell at the age of 18 after having rescued him at only one year old. Meg got in touch as she wanted to commission a surprise portrait for her husband. Although she did admit that the portrait was for her too! Meg described Henri as a ‘bossy little whatsit!’ who loved his family and was a fierce little guard dog who wasn’t keen on window cleaners or cats. Even when he went blind he still knew when they were there!! So it was a joy to capture Henri Bell in detailed pencil, bringing out the character and personality that Meg cherished so much.
The Portrait for Meg Johnson
I was lucky enough to speak to Meg on the phone and we chatted for quite a while. I have to say, I had no clue who she was while I was speaking to her. Her voice was amazing and she was regaling me with lots of amazing stories. I happened to ask what she did for a living and she said that she was a stage actress and she loved theatre. She didn’t actually say at the time she was in Coronation Street, Emmerdale or Brookside!! However I was just enamoured by her lovely voice, the way she was speaking and how she put me at such ease while talking to her. I could quite easily have sat with her and had a cuppa and chatted the day away.
Of course when I came off the phone… once we had arranged the portrait of course, I had to look Meg up online. I was amazed that she had been in so many tv programs over the years. Nicholas’s mother was quite jealous that I had got to speak to her. Plus that I was doing a portrait for her, as she loves all the soaps! I’m actually glad I didn’t know who she was at first, as this meant that I could chat to her in my normal way and not get tongue tied.
The Portrait of Henri Bell
Once the portrait of Henri-Bell was complete, I spoke to Meg on the phone again. She thanked me personally for creating the portrait for her. I wish I had been able to meet Meg Johnson in real life…however speaking on the telephone was the next best thing!
Creating pet portraits for well known figures is always a privilege and we have done quite a few now. But ultimately, every pet I draw is special because of the bond they share with their owners. This portrait of Henri Bell holds even greater meaning now, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to provide Meg with a piece of art that celebrated her beloved dog.
It’s always rewarding to see how much a pet portrait can mean to someone, whether they are well-known or not. The connection we have with our pets is universal, and I feel honoured to be able to capture that in my work.
I hope that you like my pencil pet portrait of Henri Bell too! If you would like to commission a pencil drawing of your dog, please head over to my website. You can contact me from there at anytime. If you would like to read about my next commission, you can take a look at it on my blog post. It was was equally as exciting, two cats for McAdams Pet Food Packaging here in the UK!
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