How a Non-Artist’s Goofy Art Helps the Homeless

We believe there is an artist in every single person. There are just so many art forms; it’s simply a question of finding the right one for you, be it dancing, writing, or basketweaving. Many forms of art can be honed and perfected with practice, but some require a certain level of talent to start with. Like drawing or painting — most people believe you are either born with it or not. But his poor drawing technique would not stop Phil Heckels from selling his goofy-looking art and raising money for charity.

How It All Began

It all started when Heckles drew a less-than-professional portrait of his black Labrador, Nala. He was hoping his son would use it as a thank-you card (which didn’t happen). Later, he uploaded his humorous portrait to Facebook and jokingly priced it at £299 (nearly 400 dollars) in case anyone was looking to buy it. While nobody actually purchased the picture, he was astounded by the number of people who asked for similar portraits of their own furry (or feathery, sometimes even scaley) pets. The man became an empire within six weeks.

The First Clients

Heckles wasn’t expecting the incredible turnout. He started with commissions made by his family and friends. They had a total of seven requests by the end of day one, including dogs, cats, and even a parrot. Those commissions inspired “Pet Portraits by Hercule” a page dedicated to his goofy pet portraits, which took off at lightning speed.

Paying It Forward

Heckles’ pet-portrait enterprise was never meant to make him a fortune. In fact, he doesn’t even get paid for his art. Anyone interested in one of his portraits would simply need to make a donation to a local charity called “Turning Tides,” which helps the homeless. A steady stream of new portrait requests has raised Turning Tides more than $23,000, and the whole project is showing no signs of slowing down.