Edmonton artist brings pet portraits to life at Bountiful Farmer’s Market
Artist and author Shauna Madsen.
Pet portrait of Squeekers.
Shauna Madsen’s journey as an artist and author is about resilience, reinvention and the unbreakable bond between people and their pets. Known for her deeply personal and heartfelt pet portraits, Madsen has built a thriving career in Edmonton at the Bountiful Farmer’s Market, capturing the essence of beloved pets with every piece.
Madsen persevered despite a challenging upbringing that led her to leave home as a teenager. These challenges shaped her journey as an artist, author, and businesswoman. Although she once put the paintbrush down for good, her experiences and her daughter’s support gave her the confidence to continue pursuing her dreams.
“I come from a very tumultuous, upbringing. My father, when we were growing up, was an alcoholic, so I left home when I was 16,” said Madsen.
After leaving home, Madsen worked as a server, a pivotal moment in her journey. When her boss bought one of her sketches, it gave her the push she needed. “I was 16, and to have somebody say it, it is affirming that you have something that’s worthy of sharing,” she said.
Artist and author Shauna Madsen now paints pet portraits at the Bountiful Farmer’s Market every weekend. Her portraits capture the essence and personality of a pet through their eyes, creating a deeply meaningful connection for the pet parent.
“I get to paint the bond between the pet parent and the pet. We cry in my booth every day. It’s tears of happiness, and I am touching people’s lives. That is really important to me,” said Madsen.
While now renowned for her work in Edmonton, Madsen remembers an event that made her want to quit making art.
Madsen was the manager of a graphic design department at a company in Fort Saskatchewan, working under a tough woman. Outside her work at this corporation, Madsen continued painting and was creating a mural for another woman at the company in her wine room in St. Albert.
One day, her boss asked Madsen to create a huge watercolour painting of flowers. “I went out to the art store and bought a $300 roll of watercolour paper because it had to be huge,” said Madsen.
As she began working on the piece, her boss expressed interest in seeing more of her work. Madsen, nervous about having her boss over, prepared the entire living room, setting up paintings and putting price tags on them. She rented easels and set everything up, transforming her living room into an art gallery.
However, when her boss arrived, she looked around at her pieces and made an unexpected remark, “You’ve got something really dark going on inside,” and turned around, walking out. “I sat on my living room floor, and I cried,” Madsen put the paintbrush down, and she quit.
It took her two years even to pick up a paintbrush again. After all, “One raised eyebrow can kill a dream,” said Madsen. Still, she returned to hers.
Despite challenges, Madsen never gave up on her artistic dreams—one of which was a cancer journey in 2019. Her cancer journey became a driving force behind the writing of her book, The Wealthy Peasant. After working on the book on and off for a decade, her youngest daughter, Amy, urged her to keep writing. She said, “Mom, you have to finish your book.”
Her book captures a journey filled with valuable lessons and a mix of joyful and sorrowful moments. “It’s all strung together with a thread. It’s like a tapestry,” said Madsen.
Her book is about following the beat of your drum and challenging the status quo, “If you think you can, you can,” said Madsen, “Our past does not define our future.”
