A woman with dark hair holding a newborn baby, both lying on a surface with a blue sheet. The background has a painting or image of red and orange flames.

Birth Portraits

Custom paintings of Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum, including home, and hospital births, c-sections, NICU stays, breastfeeding and bereavement.

Birth is messy and unpredictable, and isn’t always photographed in a way that makes it easy to remember.

Remember with a Birth Portrait.

Begin your Birth Portrait

My Story

I first became pregnant at 21, experiencing a loss at 20 weeks. I chose an induction, which soon led to septic shock and a D&C for retained placenta. This was in 2020—visitors were minimal, nurses wore masks, and support was limited. The photos we took were too dark to see the baby.

I became a mother at 23 with the birth of my son, Isaac. What began as a planned home birth turned into a cesarean, followed by a short NICU stay that left me reeling. I have only a few cherished photos from my postpartum period, and none from my labor or birth. My memories live instead in the small sketches I made during that time.

I dove into mothering, painting late into the evenings whenever I could. Looking back through my sketchbooks now, I see pages filled with babies, pregnant bodies, and postpartum stretch marks.

In April 2025, I welcomed a baby girl at home. She was born sound asleep in a tub in my living room, before opening her eyes and letting out a huge cry. I cherish the few blurry, grainy, poorly lit photos I have—but they aren’t ones I would print and display. Instead, I found myself painting my memories: the poses I held, the water in the birth pool, the way my husband held my hand. These paintings now live proudly in my home.

Birth Portraits was born from the feeling I get seeing these artworks every day.
How do you honor the childbearing and mothering season of life?

A woman with curly hair and two children sitting on a couch, one child is a newborn resting on her chest and the other is an older boy smiling at the camera, all smiling and happy.

FAQ

Begin your Birth Portrait here

  • A Birth Portrait is a painting made from a photo or video still of your pregnancy, birth, or postpartum. We take your blurry, dark or out-of-focus photos and turn them into heirloom paintings that are cherished for generations.

    A lot of people’s experience of having children can be very intense - which is the very reason to make art of it. Please be assured that I will be sensitive to your situation, and protect your privacy.

  • Fill out the Birth Portrait Inquiry to get started. It asked some basic questions and includes a space to upload your reference photos. This form helps me provide a personalized quote and reserves your spot on my commission waitlist.

    Reach out to me at audrey@audreyparkerartist.com with any questions.

    From there, I reach out via email with your quote, and to talk more about your vision for the painting. I can answer any questions you have at this time. Once the invoice is paid in full, I can begin your Birth Portrait.

  • Turnaround time is 4-8 weeks

  • Paintings are available in both Oil Paint and Watercolor.

    Oil paintings are made on stretched canvas and come wired to hang on the wall, super easy! There is a protective varnish on the painting. Oil paintings should not be hung in a kitchen or bathroom, or in direct sunlight.

    Watercolor paintings come on archival acid-free paper. These paintings will need to be framed behind glass upon receiving. Once framed, the paintings are protected and can hang on the wall for years to come. I do not offer framing. I recommend contacting a local frame shop for assistance. Watercolor paintings can be hung in a kitchen, bathroom and in direct sunlight once framed.

  • Watercolor Paintings can be ordered in 5×7, 11×14, or 16×20

    Oil Paintings can be ordered in 11×14, or 16×20

    Additional sizes available upon request. Please indicate if you have a larger size in mind when filling out the Birth Portrait Inquiry.

  • I accept subject matter surrounding preganancy, birth, and postpartum, including the events surrounding it. This could be NICU stays, visits with family, breastfeeding, and first outings.

    If you have a reference photo in mind but still have questions, you can email me at audrey@audreyparkerartist.com

  • I do.

    With the loss of my first baby, all of the photos we took are too dark or blurry to see her face. One of the only keepsakes I have is a painting I made to remember her by. It’s important to me to offer bereavement paintings, and I’m grateful for every family who trusts me to honor their loved ones.

  • Email is the best way to reach out!

    My email is audrey@audreyparkerartist.com

Watercolor painting of a man with curly hair and a beard, looking down, wearing a pink shirt.
Painting of a mother with dark hair, holding her newborn baby in a blue bed or cradle, with a red and yellow decorative element in the background.