"Looking at your portraits, Helen, I was pleasantly impressed by the colors and the liveliness of the drawings that almost bring the subjects to life," said Chiara, a psychotherapist from Parma, at our first meeting.
And this is where our collaboration on the Flowerpup blog started.
But why can colors of the artworks really help you overcome the loss of your beloved puppy?
Let me leave talking Chiara, so she can use her experience to serve you.
Why colorful pet portraits can help you overcome pain
At this point, I'll try to delve into the use of colors in the discipline of chromotherapy but not only. Colors of the custom pet portraits actually have a healing power, even if this type of therapy is not officially recognized by traditional medicine.
Chromotherapy is used in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive disabilities. It falls within the category of non-pharmacological, complementary, and psychosocial interventions.
But the focus on the use of color is also present in the field of education, design and ergonomics in general, all sectors that center on the person or group of individuals and the dimension of daily health and well-being.
The symbolism of color has been explored by various authors including Goethe (1979) and Max Luscher (1976).
Firstly, Goethe in his theory on the sensible and moral action of color, describes how color gives a particular mood to people and how its qualities are more clearly highlighted if the individual is in an environment surrounded by a single color.
Colors are means that people use to express themselves in the reality of the world.
Luscher, on the other hand, speaks of "self-regulating psychology", which measures the psychophysiological state of people based on the colors they identify.
So, the various studies on color symbolism agree on attributing some meanings to colors and are useful for reinforcing visualizations in the visual processing and creative development process.
These processes also help people in their greater self-awareness and in overcoming traumatic situations or emotional blockages.
The symbolism of color in portraits
I will report here some meanings and metaphors attributed to primary and secondary colors by Weyland B. and Galletti A. (2018).
YELLOW
The first of the colors is yellow, which symbolizes openness, life.
It's the color of the sun, has creative and expansive qualities, gives life.
RED
the second of the colors is Red, which means heat, energy, vitality.
Luciana Pedirota (1996) describes red by referring to blood that flows, thanks to the heart, throughout the body bringing life. Red identifies warmth and beauty, passion, vital energy and love.
For Goethe, it symbolizes the dignity of old age and the strength of youth.
BLUE
Thirdly, and most importantly, blues means Intelligence, sensitivity, inner search.
It symbolizes mysticism, mystery, the eternal, the infinite in the human being. If it tends to be clear, it describes an ideational, imaginative drive, if it tends to be dark, it is oriented towards emotions and the desire for participation and experience. It is the color of memory understood as intimate adherence to our "heavenly origins" and is often combined with the concept of sophia, or knowledge.
GREEN
It means Transformation, development.
Green is a symbol of nourishment and vital renewal. Green is also often used in situations of psychic imbalance as a possible calming element because it is a symbol of change, of a transformation that tends towards balance and well-being.
It also symbolizes the evolutionary drive.
GRAY
GrayI is the color of Order, neutrality.
It is a neutral colour, devoid of particular psychological tendencies according to Luscher. The gray is a border area between different possibilities. It symbolizes order and balance, it is close to black and white, a synthesis of colors and non-colors with opposite meanings.
PURPLE
Intimacy, mysticism, spirituality.
Born from the union of red and blue, it symbolizes the union of the two worlds. The passionate extroverted one and the intellectual introverted one. Luscher considers purple as a unifying shade of masculine and feminine characters.
It also the color of mystical union, of magic.
BROWN
Well-being, slowness, comfort.
It is the color of the earth, it symbolizes slowness, as a state of peace and wisdom, of ancient knowledge.
BLACK
Closure, abandon, elegance, character.
Black is the negation of color. It is placed at the opposite extreme of white and symbolizes the desire for renunciation... Protest or abandonment and closure to the world. It is associated with mental disorder, forgetfulness of the person, acting irrationally.
Black it also somehow the limit with which the person is confronted and must choose decisively. Also, it's the color of traditional writing, the conventional but also represents great elegance and sophistication in clothing and furnishings.
WHITE
In conclusion, white the opposite of black.
Opening, beginning, lightness, purity.
White includes all the colors of the light spectrum and symbolizes the beginning of the vital phase. It expresses hope for the future, trust in others and represents the state of purity and noble sentiments.
As color - non-color, brings together different qualities without being able to define one in particular, it also communicates silence and expectation.
How Flowerpup painting of pets can help you overcome the pain of losing your pet
To sum up, Colors of the custom pet portraits tell of one's mood, thoughts, and feelings in the here and now, but they are also capable of powerfully evoking events from the past.
Art has an extraordinary power at a psychological and emotional level, allowing the person to discover how they are still interconnected with the subject represented, creating synergy and union beyond space-time barriers.
The memory, thanks to the art represented by various colors, remains indelible in the person's mind and seems to come back to life.
This is also the power of the emotional bond, which generates well-being even in the present, despite the loss.
Chiara Castelli, psychotherapist
Relieving the pain of loss
So, I thank Chiara for her words, I'm sure her experience can be of help to you.
As I read her words, all the custom pet portraits I made for Argo kept running through my mind...
His first artworks was the beginning of a new life for me, not only because Flowerpup was born from it.
Thanks to his first portrait surrounded by flowers, I understood my emotions. I felt guilty for his death, and as a result, I was full of anger and guilt that I released by eating junk food, locking myself in solitude in the house, not going out and not seeing friends.
I had completely isolated myself... My life without him had no meaning anymore.
But one day, driven by an unstoppable urge to do something, anything to relieve the pain I had been feeling for too long, I started drawing on my laptop.
I took one of my favorite photos of Argo and started to draw him, surrounded by beautiful, colorful flowers.
I imagined the paradise of pet. The place where, after crossing the rainbow bridge, every furry friend reaches, after giving us all their love here on earth.
This is where my change began.
I realized that Argo, even though he has crossed the Rainbow Bridge, has truly given me a wonderful life, and has taught me so many things, lessons that often not even a human can give you.
Lessons that I still carry in my heart and share here on the Flowerpup Blog to help you deal with this difficult moment that I myself have experienced (and that I hope can really be of help to you).
So, can the portrait really help you overcome the pain of losing your pup?
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Risultato di tra this difficult moment that I myself have experienced (and that I hope can really be of help to youSo, can the portrait really help you overcome the pain of losing your pup? 
Why Having a Portrait of Your Pet Can Help You overcoming grief
In conclusion, having a portrait of your pet can indeed help you overcome grief because it represents a way to preserve a tangible and lasting memory of your beloved four-legged companion. Just like the portrait of Argo helped me.
Portraits can evoke positive and sweet memories. They are a concrete symbol of the affection and love you have for your puppy.
So, A portrait of your pet can be a source of comfort, solace and commemoration, and can help you keep the memories of your animal alive forever.
Losing a Pet: The Importance of Listening
In the previous article "Losing a Pet: The Importance of Listening" Along with Chiara, We addressed the topic of listening and how important it is to listen to ourselves and give ourselves time to grieve.
I know very well how difficult and painful this moment can be. That's why listening to your emotions, feelings and moods is crucial.
Listening to yourself means taking the time to understand your feelings, emotions and moods. This can help you find healthy ways to cope with grief and move forward, instead of denying your feelings and withdrawing into solitude.
If it is difficult to face all of this alone, a specialist may help you alleviate the pain and accompany you on the journey of grieving.
A big hug,
Helen
