Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Catherine Grant does some up-close detail work on her portrait of "Cruz," a cockapoo who is now the subject of a painting that Grant created during Sunday's "paint your pet party" put on by Litchfield artist Alison Ouellette, and hosted by Hudson Groomery of Nashua on Spit Brook Road.

Whether Maya eventually figured out it was her likeness taking shape on the canvas is open to debate, but there was little question she was more than happy in her role as a model, not to mention the center of attention for a roomful of pet owners.

Soucy was one of about 20 local pet owners who on Sunday afternoon gathered at Hudson Groomery of Nashua on Spit Brook Road to try out a novel concept that blends socializing, wine-tasting, refreshment-sampling and pet-story-swapping with beginner-level portrait painting.

Sunday’s event also brought together two small local businesses with at least one common thread: Pets. Hosted by Cashel Galligan, owner of the groomery that added the “of Nashua” to its name when it moved from Hudson to Nashua about a year ago, the event was put together by Litchfield resident Alison Ouellette, an artist and high school art teacher whose theme parties also include birthdays, bachelorette parties and girls’ nights out, among others.

Perhaps the most attractive feature of paint your pet parties is their focus on beginner-level artists, most of whom are considerably more familiar with pet ownership and care than with portrait painting.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup "Bentley," a six-month-old golden retriever, is beginning to look more and more like his photo as his owner, Molly Lockwood, turns the photo into a painting at Sunday's paint your pet party.

Ouellette, the owner of “Create, Paint & Party!” said paint your pet party participants send her a good-quality photo of their pet, which Ouellette scans and creates a stencil on a canvas that’s then fitted to a wooden frame.

“It’s kind of like a detailed paint-by-numbers thing,” she said. Participants refer to the photos while painting – or, as in Maya’s case, to the real thing.

Pet owners interested in trying their hand at painting their pet can do so later this month at Boston Billard Club & Casino on Tuesday, Oct. 23, or at The Graffiti Paintbar, a “paint and sip studio” at 143 Main St., on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The Oct. 23 party, hosted by Katrina Reid, an art educator and studio artist, begins at 7 p.m. For more information contact Reid at katrina.reid@paintnite.com.

The Graffiti Paintbar party runs from 2:15-5:15 p.m. Contact info@graffitipaintbar.com for more information.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Stefanie Tate concentrates on a tricky part of her painting of "Kobi," a border collie mix, who was one of 20 or so pets whose owners painted their likenesses at Sunday's paint your pet party at the Hudson Groomery of Nashua. The three-hour session was organized by artist Alison Ouellette of Litchfield.

Dean Shalhoup can be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DeanS.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup "Maya," Katelyn Soucy's Pomeranian, keeps a close eye on Katelyn's brush work as she creates a painting of Maya during Sunday's paint your pet party at the Hudson Groomery of Nashua. The event was run by Litchfield resident Alison Ouellette, an art teacher whose business, "Create, Paint & Party!" puts on such events in the area.