Four Generations, and a Very Special Connection

Sometimes the people who come into my studio are connected to my own life in ways that make creating their portraits especially meaningful.

That is certainly true of Roberta and Mike Lewis.

About a year and a half ago, my daughter Laura and I were facing something difficult. Laura is on the autism spectrum, and she had an extraordinarily close relationship with her heart dog, Garrison. For 15 years, he had been her constant companion—her source of comfort, security, and unconditional love.

But Garrison was elderly and his health was beginning to fail. We knew there could never be another Garrison, and we weren't looking to replace him. Still, we talked about finding a special little dog for Laura while Garrison was still with us—someone who could become part of her life gradually, without arriving in the middle of grief.

Through another portrait client, we learned about Roberta and Mike, longtime Papillon breeders. They had a seven-month-old girl they had originally planned to show. As she matured, though, her bite developed in a way that meant she wasn't destined for the show ring. What she was destined for, they hoped, was a wonderful home.

That home turned out to be ours.

Her name was Trixie then. Laura renamed her Herriot, after James Herriot, author of All Creatures Great and Small, and she had the opportunity to live alongside Garrison for many months while he was still with us. She could never take his place, nor was she meant to. Instead, Herriot became her own small, bright presence in Laura's life.

She has been a blessing to Laura—and to all of us.

Our Herriot (Formerly Trixie)

My digitally painted portrait of Herriot (formerly Trixie), bred by Roberta Lewis, received a Silver Award from the International Pet Photography Awards.

So when Roberta contacted me recently about creating a family portrait of herself, Mike, and four of their Papillons, this wasn't simply another portrait session. These were people whose love for their dogs—and thoughtful decision about where one little dog should go—had already changed our family.

And the four dogs they brought to the studio had quite a family story of their own.

The eldest, Mandy, is the girl you see in Mike's arms. Mike traveled all the way to Düsseldorf, Germany, to bring her home as a tiny puppy.

Technically, of course, a puppy traveling by air is supposed to remain safely in her carrier. But somewhere during that long flight, Mike couldn't resist taking Mandy out for just a little peek.

And the person sitting beside Mike couldn't resist asking to hold the tiny ball of fluff. Then someone else noticed. And someone else.

Before long, this little Papillon was charming her way through the airplane, being passed from delighted passenger to delighted passenger while the flight attendants apparently decided that, on this particular flight, the rules could bend a little.

It isn't difficult to imagine why.

That tiny traveler from Germany grew up to become the beginning of the family represented in this portrait.

Mandy, now 13, is the mother of Tootsie, now 11. Tootsie is the mother of Jack, and Jack is the father of the youngest, Chip. Four dogs. Four generations of family history.

The family history of our beloved pets is one reason I believe so strongly in creating portraits.

I photographed what these dogs look like, certainly—the expressions, the colors, the glorious Papillon ears. But what I really want to preserve is everything those details represent: where they came from, who they belong to, the lives intertwined with theirs, and the stories a family will still be telling years from now.

For me, this particular portrait holds a story that reaches beyond what is visible in the frame.

Somewhere outside it is a little Papillon named Herriot, who came to us because of Roberta and Mike's years of devotion to these dogs—and who came into Laura's life exactly when she needed her.

And that makes this family portrait especially close to my heart.

Four Generations of Precious Papillons

Roberta and Mike Lewis sit proudly with four generations of their show Papillons, Mandy, Tootsie, Jack, and Chip.

6 Comments

Sep 2, 2026, 12:03:32 PM

Susan Gertz - Terri, I'm so glad you enjoyed the story!

Sep 2, 2026, 12:03:05 PM

Susan Gertz - So glad you enjoyed it, Jane!

Sep 2, 2026, 12:02:45 PM

Susan Gertz - Thank you for your comment! I've loved getting to know Roberta and Mike and their dogs!

Aug 27, 2026, 10:53:33 PM

Lynda Miller - Roberta Lewis is a Best friend of mine. I've seen her when she got her first Papillion. She quickly became hooked on the breed and began her Pappillion breeders journey. She loved showing in confirmation. Then it became much more. She became into her own. I'm so proud of her n Mike for staying in it for the love & happiness of the Pappillion breed.

Aug 27, 2026, 3:13:02 PM

Jane Biehl - What a heartwarming story!!!

Aug 27, 2026, 2:50:31 PM

Terri Jacobson - Such a delightful story, I'm especially happy for Laura. Beautiful family portrait.

Four Generations, and a Very Special Connection

Our Herriot (Formerly Trixie)

Four Generations of Precious Papillons

Leave a comment

Archive

Site

Connect

Studio Hours