Introduction
We’re so pleased to introduce our first featured artist in the Memorial Artist Spotlight series – a space dedicated to the heartfelt stories behind makers who help others honor, remember, and heal through art.
This week, we’re shining a gentle light on Kristin, the creative spirit behind the Etsy shop Remembrance Art Shop. Their remembrance pieces offer more than just visual beauty—they create space for grief, storytelling, and connection. With each design, they help families bring love and meaning to some of life’s most tender moments.
Let’s examine their story, process, and what inspires them to create with deep care and intention.
Meet the Artist
My husband inspired my Remembrance Art Shop. I was looking for a product I could create that would be meaningful to my clients, utilize my skills and love for photography and editing, and easily deliver digitally. While researching, my husband suggested I look into memorial art. I hadn’t even considered that something like that had existed, but after looking some more, I knew it was a keeper for me. It’s such an excellent fit for me.
I love the challenge of creating something special out of the photos my clients provide for me!
Shop & Offerings
My shop offers memorials for both humans and pets. I can create single-person/pet remembrance art or combine multiple photos to create a merged portrait of people or pets. My portraits are completed by hand; I do not use AI when creating these portraits.
Here’s an example for my Photo Merge Portraits: my Grandpa passed away shortly after my daughter was born. He never got to meet her, but I combined a favorite picture of him with a favorite picture of my daughter as a toddler. In the portrait, it looks like they are together the way they would have been in real life, had he lived longer. It’s a great way to honor the love of multiple generations.
I also offer portraits of Veterans, both Memorial (for those who have passed on) and Honor (for those who are still living). I love these because they highlight the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers.
My shop also offers a Photo to Portrait option, transforming your photo into a classic vignette-style portrait. This could be perfect to highlight at a Memorial Service or in an obituary, and print on canvas or metal to display in your home.
My Pet Portraits are a fun way to highlight our furry friends. My favorite option is the puppy-to-adult (or kitten-to-adult) Portrait. The juxtaposition of two photos of the same pet is such a fun way to remember a loved animal!
This type of portrait is one of Kristin’s most loved designs
My Photo Merge Portraits are my favorite, as the addition of a deceased loved one completely changes the photo. Here are a couple of my favorite stories behind the portraits:
- My cousin passed away prior to his sister’s wedding. He was far too young to be dying, but alas, this is how it works sometimes. The lack of his presence was felt so hard at her wedding that summer. I was able to take a family photo of the bride with her parents and spouse and add in a photo of her brother to complete the family wedding photo. We all knew he was there in spirit, but it is so nice to see his presence documented in the photography, as well.
- Unfortunately, two close family friends of ours passed away from cancer a few years ago, both in a very short time frame. Their adult children did not have the joy of sharing their babies with their parents. I know what amazing grandparents our friends would have been. After the birth of the last baby, I was able to merge photos to create a portrait of the deceased grandparents holding their grandbaby and then did a second portrait with the other grandchild and then surprised my friend with the portraits!
- My first client messaged me with a question. She asked if I could replace one person with another in a photo. She proceeded to tell me that her husband didn’t have a single photo with his parents, as his mom passed away when he was very young and his dad passed away a few years ago. From a photo she had found from decades ago and a current photo of her husband, I created a beautiful portrait of this man and his two parents. It felt so special to be able to create something so meaningful for him!
Why Their Work Matters
I am a firm believer in doing the work in healing. By this, I mean that we feel the feels and work through the complex parts to find a place of peace after a loss. A lovely way to remember the person you are grieving can be very helpful. I hope my work can help bring healing and joyful memories of the lost people and help keep them alive in our homes forever.
Quick Q&A
What’s one thing you wish people knew about creating or gifting memorial items?
Remembrance Art is an excellent way to keep somebody alive in your heart and present in your home. It’s super easy – you send me your photos and I do all the work and send you the final portrait back digitally. You can then print it or share it however is best for you. I take great care in each picture I create and am a bit of a perfectionist. I work with you to make it the way you like, and can continuously adjust things if there is something you want done differently. My goal is to help you heal and remember your loved ones in the best way possible!
Where to Find Their Work
You can find more of Kristin’s heartfelt creations at The Rememberance Shop on Etsy: http://remembranceartshop.etsy.com and follow her on socials!
