Check Out Jamie Villatoro’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Villatoro.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been drawn to art for as long as I can remember. One of my earlier memories is in preschool, mixing yellow and red paint in a ziplock bag and squishing the colors around with my hands. Watching them transform before my eyes felt completely magical and that excitement for art has stayed with me ever since. My teachers quickly noticed how much I loved art. They would ask me to help decorate bulletin boards or make little signs for our class pets like the goldfish, turtle, and lizards. I remember getting lost in the illustrations from books like Dr.Seuss, Beatrix Potter, Aesop’s Fables, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. As a shy kid, I felt the most comfortable and confident when making art.

In high school, I gravitated towards electives like drawing, ceramics, band and stage production. During my time at Pierce Community College, I spent my nights studying art while taking general education courses in the day. By accident, I once walked into an introduction to watercolor painting class thinking it was the drawing room. That unexpected moment sparked my love for watercolor, which is still one of my favorite mediums today. Illustration was another class that helped develop my skill set as an artist. I eventually transferred to the California State University of Long Beach, and earned my Bachelor’s degree in Art with an emphasis in drawing and painting.

After College, I was painting with oils on canvas, stayed connected with my fellow art peers, and even participated in a few gallery shows. At the same time, I continued waiting tables for a while, but eventually took a long hiatus from making art. I was also dealing with some health problems, which made things difficult. When the 2020 pandemic hit, I was suddenly out of a job. Around this time, my partner and I rescued our cat, Bindi, who brought comfort and love into our lives. We started harness training her and going on hikes together. Walking with Bindi felt meditative. Moving at her pace helped me slow down and appreciate the little things. She quickly became my muse. I made paintings of her and posted them on my social media. Friends began asking for portraits of their own cats too. It became clear that the love and obsession people feel for their pets is something deeply shared and I learned how meaningful pet art can be. It also gave me a new purpose and a way to be of service to others. Taking a leap of faith (and my belief that life is better with art and cats) is what led to Blue Honey Studio.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my biggest challenges was learning how to turn something personal and creative into an actual business. There was a lot to learn along the way: pricing artwork, marketing on social media, creating a website, managing time, communicating with clients, and balancing creativity with the practical side of running a small business. Another challenge was putting my work out there consistently, and building momentum. Sharing artwork online can feel vulnerable especially when each portrait carries so much love and care. With time, that experience helped build my confidence and reminded me the importance of trusting the process instead of chasing perfection. As my business continued to grow, balancing commissions, teaching art, participating in art markets, and personal life also became something to navigate. It’s still a learning process, but it has helped create better structure and boundaries while staying connected to the joy of making art.

Every challenge has taught me something valuable. The slower moments gave me time to experiment, while the support from clients, friends, family and my community reminded me why I love doing this work. Blue Honey Studio has grown one step at a time through trial, patience and genuine connections with people and their pets.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in making watercolor pet portraits and custom paintings. Each piece is hand painted with attention to detail, and care. After reviewing the selection of photos clients share with me through email, we choose the one that best captures their pet’s charm, and fits well with the desired size. The turn around time for my paintings is 2-3 weeks depending on the work flow. A non-refundable 50% deposit is required before starting on a commission in order to reserve a time slot. The balance is due before shipping. I also offer gift certificates, which saves my clients time looking for the perfect photo and allows the recipient to choose their favorite photo of their pet.

My brand is rooted in connection, creativity, and love for our animal companions. These portraits honor the joy, comfort, and memories pets bring into our lives. I am passionate about celebrating peoples relationships to their pets and making art about them!

Beyond pet portraits, I am a professional artist taking on custom commissions ranging from people portraits to wildlife, nature, landscape, and food inspired pieces. Creative project inquiries can be made through BlueHoneyStudio(dot)com.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.Bluehoneystudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluehoney_studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bluehoneystudio/

Image Credits
Jazz Shademan (photo 1)
Jamie Villatoro (photos 2-8)
Logan Radcliff (photo 9)