About this piece

A fully custom pet sculpture urn, modeled and sculpted by hand from your own photos into a lifelike figure of your companion in a pose you choose. This bespoke ceramic cremation urn can be made for a cat, dog, rabbit or any species you love, and doubles as a keepsake sculpture with an optional inner chamber for ashes. I paint every marking in underglaze that fuses into the clay and is sealed under a fired glaze, so the color will never scratch, peel or fade, and fired ceramic lasts for centuries. Sculpted from the ground up and never duplicated, it is a one of a kind artwork that captures your companion.

See more finished pieces in our gallery for the true look and feel.

Size and capacity

Sculpted to your chosen scale, so the size depends on the option you select and your pet's own build.

This piece is made to order at the scale you choose. At 1:1 life size it stands sitting up to about 13.8 in (35 cm) tall or lying up to 19.7 in (50 cm) wide, at 1:1.5 medium about 9.8 in (25 cm) sitting or 15.7 in (40 cm) lying, and at 1:2 small about 7.1 in (18 cm) sitting or 11.8 in (30 cm) wide. Ordered as an urn, an inner cavity is fitted to hold the ashes, and as a rule of thumb an urn needs about 1 cubic inch of space per 1 pound of body weight, so most cats, rabbits and small to medium dogs are comfortably covered. If you would like it scaled to a particular pet or a larger companion, choose Bespoke size and I will model it to fit.

Processing and shipping

Every sculpture is made to order and modeled entirely by hand from your photos, so it takes real time to create. Please allow 8 to 10 weeks minimum from the day you order, and longer for more complex poses, larger scales or several rounds of refinement as we shape the piece together. Only a small number of bespoke pieces are taken on at a time so each one receives full attention.

Shipping is always free, anywhere in the world, and every piece is packed with great care to travel safely.

Here is how your piece comes together: we start by discussing the pose, size and overall look, and I create a 3D model for your approval and refine it until it feels right. From that I sculpt and cast the form and bisque fire it, then hand paint your companion from your photos in underglaze and send a painted proof to approve. After any refinements, I glaze the piece and complete the final firing, add any finishing details, and package it carefully for the journey to you.

Because each piece is made slowly by hand and depends on the kiln, I take on only a small number of custom orders at a time, so it is best to order early if you need it by a certain date.

What to expect from handmade ceramic

A few honest notes, because this is handmade ceramic and I would always rather you know exactly what to expect:

• Ceramic is unpredictable in the kiln. The exact result is never known until firing is complete, and that unpredictability is part of what makes each piece unique.
• Color cannot be guaranteed one hundred percent. Ceramic pigments shift slightly during firing, and every screen shows color a little differently.
• Underglaze always looks softer and lighter before firing. The kiln deepens every tone.
• Each piece is completely handmade, so no two are ever identical. Small natural variations are part of the character.
• My aim is a loving likeness of your companion, not a perfect photographic replica.
• Once fired, the design and colors are permanently set and cannot be changed.
• Engraving is permanent. Once a detail is carved it cannot be smoothed away.
• Occasionally a piece can crack or develop a small flaw in the kiln. If that happens I remake it fully, which can extend the timeline.
• Finely carved contour details carry a higher risk in the kiln, so there is a natural limit to how deep engraving can safely go.